Archive Section 03
Coastal Navigation Principles
How physical markers translate into spatial awareness.
The Grammar of the Coast
Visual coastal navigation relies on a standardised system of markers. Lateral marks (port and starboard buoys) define channels. Cardinal marks indicate the direction of safe water relative to a hazard. Sector lights use coloured glass panels in the lantern room to show a safe white channel, bordered by warning arcs of red or green light over reefs.