Claris Law Legal Blogging Community

Editor: Rod Sullivan
Profession: Maritime Attorney

Category: Safety at Sea

CWO Mike Cooke from the United States Coast Guard, Marine Safety Office in Jacksonville recently relayed to me an actual incident where a father instructed his son that "at night, just keep your boat heading in between the red and green channel marker lights and your boat will always be in the center of the channel." The father then turned the helm over to his son and went below. The young man dutifully followed his father's advice, and safely passed between the channel markers, but soon couldn't figure out what the flashing yellow light was between the next set of red and green lights. He kept his heading until he ran the boat straight into the bow of an oncoming barge, which carried a red light on the port side, a green light on the starboard, and a flashing yellow barge light in the center.