Yes, they act like traffic signs and signals.
Keep green buoys on your left when heading upstream.
The captain and his officers, GPS, radar, charts, buoys, and sonar are all used.
Nun buoys are typically marked with a single red mark, while can buoys are marked with a single green mark. These marks help to indicate the direction in which boats should pass the buoy in order to navigate safely through the waterway.
When leaving the harbor, the red buoys should be on your left. When returning, on the right. "Red right returning". So if you are going away from land, the buoys will mark the left side of the channel, toward land, the right.
When going into a port or harbor, you should keep green buoys on your left. When leaving a port or harbor, you should keep green buoys to your right. A good way to remember this is the phrase "Red, Right, Return." This phrase means that you should keep Red buoys on your Right (thus keeping green buoys on your left) when coming into a port/harbor (Returning).
Buoys that float and help you not drown
Some red buoys are known as "nun" buoys.(Ref: SB-4)some red buoys are known as nun buoys
Red buoys are used to mark the left (port) side of a channel when entering from open sea or heading upstream on a river. They indicate that the water is to the left of the buoy and are used to help vessels navigate safely through the waterway.
It is generally illegal to anchor on a reef where buoys are provided because the buoys are there to help protect the fragile ecosystem of the reef. Anchoring can damage the coral and marine life, so it is important to use the provided buoys or find an alternative anchorage location.
Mooring buoys
Fixed obstructions are marked by aids to navigation, such as buoys, beacons, and markers. These aids help to indicate the presence of the obstruction and provide guidance to mariners to navigate safely around them. Additionally, charts and electronic navigation systems also display fixed obstructions to help vessels avoid them.
Some red buoys are known as "nun" buoys.(Ref: SB-4)some red buoys are known as nun buoys