Danger...alert To All Sailing In Southern Europe

[Giulietta]

Guys...here is an ALERT TO ALL VESSELS SAILING IN EUROPE IN PORTUGAL, SPAIN, FRANCE ETC. (this is not a joke).

For a number of years, we have had hundreds of foreign vessels run aground while trying to enter Marinas in Portugal at night, with loss of life on many cases. We used to think that there was something wrong with the "outsiders", and the way they navigate at night.

Then last week on a trip to St. John, as the ferry boat that approached the pier, I saw that as you enter the harbour, the GREEN LIGHT is on the left side (port), and the RED LIGHT is on the Right side.

Well over here is exactly the opposite. As yoiu enter our marinas, the GREEN LIGHT is to the right, Stbd, and the RED LIGHT is to the left Port.

I have included a few views of some marina entrances in Portugal, Spain and France, and if you zoom on the marina entrance you can see what I mean.

I checked TB's marina, and the red light is on the right, the green on the left.
Here bellow are some aerial photos, please have a look.

VILAMOURA
CASCAIS
ALMERIMAR SPAIN
FRANCE

Please pass this message to all you know comming this way. Thank you.

Giulietta.

[TrueBlue]

Red right returning, is the norm over in the States. So Giu, how are navigation lights arranged on your boat? We have red on the portside and green on the starboard.

One way I remembered which is which years ago, is to associate red/port to Port wine, which as you well enough know, has a red color.

[Giulietta]

TB,

Our nav lights are just like yours RED/PORT, GREEN/STBD.



Just like our marina entrances.

When you sail a channel where do you pass in relation to the red bouy?
We allways leave the RED buoy on port when entering and on Stbd when leaving.


(Be carefull there is white Port also)

[eherlihy]

"In 1979, a body called International Association of Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) was formed to unify the World's buoyage system. They were largely successful, except we now have two similar systems, IALA 'A' and IALA 'B'.

The areas that use the 'B' system, are North and South America, Japan and the Philippines. The remainder of the World uses the 'A' system."

The 'A' system uses the rule "Green Right Returning." The 'B' system uses the rule; "Red Right Returning."

The Port and Starboard running lights are the same throughout the world.

[Giulietta]

Originally Posted by eherlihy

"In 1979, a body called International Association of Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) was formed to unify the World's buoyage system. They were largely successful, except we now have two similar systems, IALA 'A' and IALA 'B'.

The areas that use the 'B' system, are North and South America, Japan and the Philippines. The remainder of the World uses the 'A' system."

The 'A' system uses the rule "Green Right Returning." The 'B' system uses the rule; "Red Right Returning."

The Port and Starboard running lights are the same throughout the world.

Than ks for the clarification.

On another note:

Please, everyone, lets keep the thread "jokeless", OK?? We may avoid accidents, who knows.

G

[sailortjk1]

I always new you guys were backwards.

Sorry NO JOKES!

[tdw]

Originally Posted by Giulietta

Than ks for the clarification.

On another note:

Please, everyone, lets keep the thread "jokeless", OK?? We may avoid accidents, who knows.

G

Actually that's good info Gui. I knew that the US was arse about but didn't know that it extended to SAm , Japan and the Phillipines.

To complete the picture what is the story with Canada ? (Forget that, last time I checked Canada did come under the heading of North America. I think I'm having a blonde day.)

[tigerregis]

Sorry buoys, this is in lesson one in any Power Squadron class.

[Kacper]

In Canada it's Red Right Returning

However, to clarify that... It's not actually "Red Right Returning"

It's actually "Red Right, in the Direction of the Flood Tide"


If the marina entrance happens to be opposite to the flood tide direction, and you are headed towards it, then you would keep the red light/buoy on your left.

[Idiens]

Giu, We get warned about crossing the Atlantic to check the A/B rule when approaching land fall (in the Carribean for example). It's particularly dangerous when only one bouy is visible/deployed. With a red / green pair, it is more obvious that the channel is between them, even if they are the "wrong" way round, but with just one (red say), one needs to be prepared. It is the same for those North American yachts making land fall in Portugal. Luckily, the cardinals are not reversed too.