Beauty In Nature

Photographer: Niki Flynn

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.

- Anne Frank -

Photographer: Niki Flynn

Monday Morning Wave

Photographer: Ryan Craig

Hawaiian surf riders at play ... Early season south swell at Sandy Beach, Oahu. This wave started at a foot and progressively grew with the backwash. Pretty fun to watch the bodysurfing mayhem.

Buoyage - Cardinal Markers

Cardinal marks are used to indicate safe and deep water in relation to a hazard. The lighthouse authority will only place as many cardinal marks as are needed to mark the hazard in relation to the shipping channel, this is often only one. There are various ways of recognising the various buoys, the first method is the cones placed on the top - the North and South cone’s point in their respective directions. The west cones, some say looks like a wine glass hence west or a ‘W’ if it was lying on its side and the leftover one must be East! The other ways of recognising the different buoys are their colour banding (look closely and compare them) and their lighting pattern, which is like a clock.

Monday Morning Wave

Surfing is not a sport, it is not a lifestyle; it's something you do in the ocean

- Paul Jensen -

Buoyage - Safe Water & Isolated Danger

A Safe Water Mark, as defined by the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities, is a sea mark used in maritime pilotage to indicate the end of a channel implying that open, deep and safe water lies ahead. The marker is also sometimes known as a Fairway Buoy.

Safe Water Marks are painted half red and half white, vertically, and commonly bear a top-sign in shape of a red ball. Lighted buoys flash white either morse code 'A', isophase (Iso), occulting (Occ) or single long flash every 10 seconds (LFl 10s).

An Isolated Danger Mark, as defined by the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities, is a sea mark used in maritime pilotage to indicate a hazard to shipping such as a partially submerged rock. It is recognisable by its black and red bands and top-mark of two black balls. A light, when fitted, is white showing groups of two flashes (Gp Fl 2).

Monday Morning Wave

Photographer: Destination 360

Surfing is Hawaii's gift to the world of sports

- Reverand Akaka, circa 1960, as recalled by 1968 World Champion Fred Hemmings, Jr -

Buoyage - Lateral Markers

Photograph: Pesda Press

A lateral buoy, lateral post or lateral mark, as defined by the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities, is a sea mark used in maritime pilotage to indicate the edge of a channel.

Each mark indicates the edge of the safe water channel in terms of port (left-hand) or starboard (right-hand). These directions are relative to the direction of buoyage; this is usually a nominally upstream direction. In a river, the direction of buoyage is towards the river's source; in a harbour, the direction of buoyage is into the harbour from the sea. Where there may be doubt, it will be labelled on the appropriate chart.

A vessel heading in the direction of buoyage (eg into a harbour) and wishing to keep in the main channel should:

* keep port marks to its port (left), and

* keep starboard marks to its right.

For historical reasons, two different schemes are in use worldwide, differing in their use of colour.
Previously there had been 30 different buoyage systems, prior to IALA introducing the rationalised system.

The IALA defines them as System A and System B:

* System A is used by nations in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, parts of Africa and most of Asia other than the Philippines, Japan and Korea.

* System B is used by nations in North America, Central America and South America, the Philippines, Japan and Korea

Monday Morning Wave

Photographer: Chris Klopf

Office hours on a Hawaiian Outer island. Or is it church? Either way, show respect.

Buoyage - Sea Kayaking

Photograph: Pesda Press