Cardinal Buoys

East Cardinal Buoy Lights: White: 3 short flashes South Cardinal Buoy Lights: White: 6 short flashes + 1 long flash West Cardinal Buoy Lights: White: 9 short flashes North Cardinal Buoy Lights: White: 12 short flashes

Clear on the side named: e.g., North Cardinal Buoy - clear to the North.

Sometimes posts are used with the same markings.

To help remember West versus East, notice both of the 'waists' on the West Cardinal Buoy - the top markers point at each other and there is a black stripe across the middle of the buoy.

For remembering north and south: for North, the markers point upwards, for South the markers point downwards.

The flashes of the lights are like the hours on a clock East=3, West=9, North=12, however South=6 short plus 1 long flash.