🔍 Key Concepts
• IALA A buoyage system used in European waters such as the coast of France
• Cardinal marks: how the orientation of the two black cones (topmarks) shows where the safe water lies (N, E, S, W)
• Remembering the shapes: both cones up, both down, points together, points apart
đź’ Think About
• Identify exactly how the two black cones are oriented on this buoy: are the points up, down, together, or apart?
• Once you know which cardinal mark it is (N, E, S, or W), ask: on which side of a cardinal mark is the safe water located?
• Match the identified safe side (north, east, south, or west of the mark) with the answer choices given.
âś… Before You Answer
• Confirm you are using the cardinal mark system, not lateral red/green buoys.
• Double-check the cone orientation in the illustration before deciding which cardinal point (N, E, S, W) it represents.
• Verify which side of that specific cardinal mark indicates safe water in IALA A before selecting the course.