🔍 Key Concepts

• Intracoastal Aids to Navigation in U.S. waters • Meaning of red and white vertically striped buoys (sometimes called safe water or mid-channel buoys) • Typical light characteristics used to indicate safe water / fairway buoys

💭 Think About

• First, recall what a red and white vertically striped buoy marks in the U.S. Aids to Navigation system—what does its color pattern tell you about its purpose? • Then, think about which type of light pattern is commonly used to say: "You are in or near the middle of safe water," often used at fairways or landfalls. • Compare each choice with what you know: which of these light characteristics is most commonly associated with a safe-water / mid-channel mark rather than with lateral marks or special marks?

✅ Before You Answer

• Confirm from the U.S. Aids to Navigation System that red and white vertical stripes indicate a safe water mark / mid-channel buoy. • Check which light characteristic is specifically assigned to safe water buoys in U.S. practice. • Eliminate any light characteristics that are more typical for special marks or danger marks rather than safe water marks.