I'll intersperse some comments......

"Roger Long" wrote in message
news
A basic principle of buoy philosophy that is often overlooked is that they
mark what is safe; not what is dangerous.

G Point of view..... I'd say they do both to varying degrees.

There may be a buoy by
an isolated shoal but it is there to show you where the deep water is on
the preferred side. A patch of water isn't safe just because there is no
buoy. That's why you need charts.

No argument.


NO navigational aid or device is intended to be used alone.

No argument.


The essence of my point is that the buoy arrangement in a place like Woods
Hole is not deficient just because some navigators will need a chart to
understand it readily or to orient themselves when they get there.

Would agree ..... however EG having discussed this channel with a number
of people who are approaching from
Buzzards Bay, I can understand their initial confusion and reason for it.


With a smidgen of understanding, Woods Hole is a piece of cake, even with
the current behind you. You just go straight through into the harbor and
then head out into the sound. I've done it many times even in a kayak and
mostly just gone with the flow.

G I always preferred "Broadway".


It's when people without sufficient understanding of current, rudders,
boats, and water, try to turn into the other channel because it's the
shorter and seems the obvious thing to do that the Coast Guard gets called
out.

Reminds me of another incident ..... was coming through from Buzzards Bay
and made my turn down "Broadway" followed by a larger sloop than mine. After
settling myself out on course, looked back at other sloop only to see him
doing circles at the corner. He finally followed the main route after coming
too close to one buoy.

otn