🔍 Key Concepts
• Cardinal marks system and what each quadrant buoy (North, East, South, West) is telling you about the safe water direction
• The idea that a cardinal buoy indicates where it is safe to pass relative to the danger, not where the danger is located
• How the topmarks and colors of cardinal buoys relate to the side on which you should keep them
đź’ Think About
• Ask yourself: for an eastern cardinal buoy, on which side (N, S, E, or W) is the safe water located? Once you know the safe side, where must the danger be?
• Visualize (or sketch) a compass rose with N–E–S–W and place an eastern quadrant buoy: which sector is being protected, and which sector is the hazard?
• Compare an eastern cardinal with a northern cardinal: in each case, does the danger lie on the same side as the buoy’s name or on the opposite side?
âś… Before You Answer
• Be clear on this: a cardinal buoy’s name (N/E/S/W) tells you where safe water is, not where the danger is
• Confirm the definition of an eastern quadrant buoy: safe water lies to the east of the danger
• Before choosing, mentally mark the danger area opposite the safe sector indicated by the eastern buoy and see which option matches that location