Cardinal Buoys (continued):

YBY shown under the chart symbol above, means yellow, black, yellow-- buoy colours from the top down.

Remember these Tips:

• Topmarks are shown on charts to indicate the presence of these buoys on the water.
  
• They point to the black portion(s) of the buoy,
  
• A Cardinal buoy (at sea) may or may not have topmarks on it. If it doesn't, go by the colour configuration and its light flash characteristics (if it has a light).
  
• Look at the topmarks shown on your chart, and visualize the purple arrows and letters associated with each topmark shown,
  
• Visualize the clock face, count the number of flashes. Q = quick flashing.
  

West Cardinal Buoy: (shown on the chart image above):

• is coloured yellow, with one broad horizontal black band in the middle,
  
• (if) it has a "topmark", it is two black cones, one above the other, point to point,
  
• if the buoy has a light, it is white & flashing 9 times - then a period of darkness, repeated every 10 or 15 seconds.  (see the Q (9) 15s above? - it means the light has 9 quick flashes, repeated every 15 seconds)
  

00°

270°

90°

Tip!  White area on the chart indicates deep water, blue is shallower.  Depths shown above are in metres and 10ths of a metre.

180°

East Cardinal Buoy:

• is coloured black, with one broad horizontal yellow band in the middle,
  
• (if) it has a "topmark", it is two black cones, one above the other, base to base,
  
• (if ) the buoy has a light, it is white and a group-flashing 3 times, then period of darkness - repeated every 5 or 10 seconds.