West Cardinal

Characteristics:-

  • Two Arrows pointing towards the middle.
  • Black middle section - yellow upper and lower sections.
  • 9 very quick flashes every 10 seconds. VQ(9) 10s
  • Or 9 quick flashes every 15 seconds. Q(9) 15s

Image Courtesy of Mendez Marine.

Colour described on charts as:-
YBY - for Yellow over Black over Yellow.

By Day.

By Night.
 

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Cardinal Buoys can be either Quick Flashing or Very Quick Flashing so that they can be distinguished when used in multiples - perhaps protecting a long sand bank for example.

Memory Aids:-

  • As far as the arrows are concerned, “west” is like a “waist” - but some people also say that it is like a “W” on its side.
  • The arrows always point to the black sections - in this case the central section
  • West is at “Nine o’clock” on the Compass - so nine flashes.

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