You boating types might or might not realize that Canada and the USA are in an IALA-B zone for navigational marks. Most of the rest of the world, including Europe, the UK and Ireland are IALA-A.
Practically speaking this only really matters for one reason - the "red right returning" rule. (i.e. In IALA-B regions (like North America), when navigating a channel upstream or in the direction of flood tide, one keeps the red-coloured lateral buoys on the right and the green-coloured lateral buoys on the left. So, keep the "red" buoys on the "right" side when "returning" to port.)
In IALA-A regions the rule is reversed - it is NOT "red right returning." We have seen this on all the waters encountered in Europe and the UK. Below is an imperfect photo as our ferry departs Belfast for Scotland - the green buoys are on the left and the red on the right as we leave port, opposite to the North American situation.
Interesting (only to nerds like me) is that the shapes of the lateral buoys don't change between IALA-A and IALA-B regions. When "returning to port," right-hand markers are always conical, and port-hand markers are always square or flat-topped.
Thought I'd include the above shot too, from the little harbour at Oban, Scotland - the photo is facing South. There's a West cardinal buoy in front, a North cardinal buoy behind it, and between them in the back a South cardinal buoy, all of which operate the same way in IALA-A and -B regions. (OK, so I love cardinal buoys, I'm not ashamed to admit it. Three in one photo!)
Now back to our irregularly scheduled blogging.
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