Great Lakes boaters, especially those on Green Bay and Lake Michigan in Door County, must be knowledgeable of Aids to Navigation (ATONs) in order to operate a vessel safely. These “road signs,” or “highway markers” serve to define safe channels and provide valuable information to boaters.  The bay of Sturgeon Bay has a great many ATONs, including those defining the “NO WAKE” area from near Bay Shipbuilding Co. all the way to the Bay Bridge.

The most common markers seen are the red nuns and the green cans that delineate the Sturgeon Bay Ship Channel used by the 1,000-ft. freighters.  The red buoys are called nuns, have a conical top, and always have even numbers.  The green buoys are called cans, are not tapered like the nuns, and always have odd numbers. “The even red nun sat on the odd green can,” while slightly irreverent, will suffice to keep the details straight.

In some instances, daymarks are placed on land or fixed piers in lieu of buoys in the water.  They are red triangles or green squares respectively, and the numbering is the same as on buoys.

Using these ATONs, the old mariners’ saying, “Red Right Returning,” is good advice.  If you are returning “home,” the red ATONs should always be on your right, or starboard.  “Home” in Lake Michigan is Gary, Indiana (no offense) and in the bay of Green Bay it is the city of Green Bay, unless you are proceeding up the Fox River, in which case “home” is always upstream, so the red buoys are always on the right. It is best to get acquainted with your particular boating area by buying and studying local charts, available from marine stores or marinas. In Sturgeon Bay itself, there are numerous instances of privately placed red and green buoys leading to marinas which appear to contradict the official navigation buoys placed by the Coast Guard.  In this case, you are returning “home” to the particular marina.

All red and white or black and white vertically striped buoys are mid-channel markers, and may be safely passed closely on either side.

Information and regulatory markers are white with red or orange markings as follows:
   •Diamond shape: Warns of Danger (Dunlap’s Reef)
   •Diamond with a cross in it: Boats Keep Out  (usually marking swim areas)
   •Circle: Controlled area: No Wake, or Speed Limit
   •Rectangle:  Information or directions.

“No Wake” means your vessel should be going a slowly as possible while maintaining headway.  It does not mean you should go as fast as you can without getting caught.

Both the State of Wisconsin’s “Wisconsin Boating Regulations ,” and the Coast Guard’s “Federal Requirements and Safety Tips” have a brief summary of Aids to Navigation, and their placement and uses.  Pick one up at the Door County Sail and Power Squadron booth at the Wooden Boat Show on August 5 and 6, and will include a Fire Extinguisher Demonstration, courtesy of the Sturgeon Bay Fire Department at the Maritime Museum .