THE HARBOR COLUMN:Know your harbor’s channel markers

Ahoy.

It was nice to read Carolyn Clark’s letter in the mailbag about how important she thinks my column is for the community, and, of course, I completely agree. I consistently make an effort to address the issues, but my issues usually do not hit a hot button that spur a flurry of letters to the editors like my other fellow columnists in the Daily Pilot. However, I do receive tons of e-mail, not only from the readers of the Harbor Column, but also from my monthly Santana Magazine column, and of course, my weekly radio show.

It is good to read that others think our harbor is very important to our quality of life. Newport Harbor is a tremendous resource that provides year-round aquatic activities, and we are the stewards protecting this resource. So I will continue on my soapbox to help preserve our harbor for everyone to enjoy.

While on the topic of the harbor, I have a great question of the week. Many boaters have asked me how a boater is supposed to pass Newport’s channel marker No. 8 when cruising inbound from the Corona del Mar Bend to the Balboa Reach sections of the federal channel.

I think that the average recreational boater does not know that in Newport Harbor there is a federal channel from the jetty entrance to the Turning Basin off Lido Marina Village. Furthermore, every section of the federal waterway is named from the Entrance Channel, Corona del Mar Bend, Balboa Reach, Harbor Island Reach, Lido Isle Reach to the Turning Basin.

But I digress — and back to the question of channel marker No. 8 that is positioned directly out from the harbormaster’s office, between the two mooring areas, where the channel narrows like an hourglass.

Russell Sipe e-mailed me: “When I think about that marker, I believe that is a red triangle marker, thus you would leave it to starboard when returning from the sea. However, in the few times I have brought Star Cruiser in, I have left 8 to port as it seems the logical thing to do since the marker seems to be in the middle of the channel. I have not noticed how others take that mark, but I suspect that many returning boats take it to port.”

Remember, if you are ever in doubt as to which side to pass a channel marker on, then you should use the universal phrase, red right returning.

Sipe is correct in his e-mail that when a boat is inbound, technically, you should leave channel marker 8 to your starboard side since it is a red triangle with an even number; however, local boaters usually leave it to the port side because marker 8 is set near the middle of the channel. The reason the marker appears like it is in the middle of the channel is due to the radius of the swing of the single point mooring cans lying to the north that are used by the Balboa Yacht Club. Most local boaters will utilize the marker basically as a mid-channel marker, which would be red and white vertically striped, similar to the entrance bell buoy or commonly known as the sea lion buoy positioned immediately outside the harbor entrance.

How do you know if you are inbound or outbound of a channel by reading the markers? The numbers on the marker increase as you go farther inbound and thus will be decreasing as you head out of a channel or out of a harbor.

This poses a great example of local knowledge and how important it is for boaters to study the charts before venturing into unfamiliar waterways. We are lucky, as our harbor has few shallow spots for the average boater; however, in many harbors if you venture outside the channel markers, you will run aground.

Your homework, before the next time you cut your dock lines, is to review the various markers and buoys that are used on the waterways to aid boaters while cruising the waterways.

Remember to tune in to the No. 1 boating talk radio show in the nation at noon Saturdays. “Capt. Mike Whitehead’s Boathouse Radio Show” is on KCBQ-AM (1170) and can be heard online at www.boathouseradio.com.

Safe voyages.