How to drive in the channel- and why it's the safest place to be

Knowing the Shipping Channel: Your Essential Guide to Safe Boating

Understanding the Importance of the Shipping Channel

Knowing the shipping channel is one of the most vital lessons you can learn as a junior boatie. Seriously, it’s bar none the most important!

If you’ve completed your boat and jet ski licence with us, you’ve been rigorously tested on your knowledge of the channel. And there’s a good reason for that. If you’re not driving on the correct side of the channel—meaning you’re not following your port or starboard markers—you could be navigating blind.

Let’s break it down. If you’re driving your boat or jet ski around a new area, and you haven’t built up local knowledge, you’re essentially guessing. You might not have seen it during high tide, low tide, or even neap tide. You may not have felt the run-out yet. This is dangerous!

The Risks of Ignoring the Channel

You don’t really know where the sandbanks and bombies are. You’re just hoping you have enough depth underneath. Imagine cruising at 25 knots down the Caloundra River with your family, only to slam into a sandbank. Ouch! The vessel comes to an abrupt halt, and everyone goes flying forward. Injuries can happen, and sometimes they’re worse than you think.

So, what’s the solution? You MUST know how to navigate the channel. It’s non-negotiable, especially on the Sunshine Coast, where the waterways are narrow, tidal, and the water level can fluctuate more than 2 meters.

How to Learn the Channel

So, how do we learn the channel and know where it’s safe to drive? Let’s dive into it!

Key Elements of the Shipping Channel

There are three crucial things you need to know about the shipping channel:

1. Marker Identification

2. Memorable Phrases

3. Direction of Voyage

   
   

Let’s explore each of these elements.

1. Marker Identification

In Queensland, we operate under IALA A (you don’t need to know that right now). There are two types of channel markers:

• Green Marker: This is a starboard marker, shaped like a triangle.

• Red Marker: This is a port marker, shaped like a square.

  
  

That’s it! Red is a port marker, just like port wine, and green is a starboard marker. Whether you’re in a boat, swimming, or fishing from the beach, remember this: the green triangle is always a starboard marker, and the red square is always a port.

2. Memorable Phrases

There are phrases that recreational and commercial skippers use to remember certain aspects of the water. Here are two phrases you need to remember regarding the channel:

• Red Right Out: When you’re going out to sea, the red marker (port marker) should be on your right-hand side. So, “Red Right Out.”

• Red to Red Going to Bed: After a fun day on the water, when you’re heading back in, the red marker should be on your left-hand side. So, “Red to Red Going to Bed.”

  
  

That’s it! Just two phrases to remember.

3. Direction of Voyage

If you’re in a river, estuary, or creek, one direction will be out, and one will be in. If you choose the wrong side, you could be driving on the wrong side of the channel, which can lead to serious damage if your boat enters shallow waters.

To find the direction of voyage, consult a map or chart, the QLD Beacon to Beacon guides, or a phone app like Navionics. This app, owned by Garmin, is a fantastic tool. It shows the direction of buoyage with a little pink arrow, indicating which way is upstream.

For example, if you look at a chart of the Sunshine Coast in Caloundra, the arrow at the entrance of the bar points inwards. This means the Pumicestone Passage runs in from Caloundra Bar all the way to Bongaree Beach at Bribie Island South.

Putting It All Together

Now that we’ve covered the markers, phrases, and direction of voyage, let’s make this practical. Here’s what you need to ask yourself when you launch your boat or jet ski:

1. Am I going in or out? (That’s the first question!)

2. What’s my phrase? (Red Right Out or Red to Red Going to Bed?)

   
   

Stick to the correct side of the channel markers, and you’re good to go! You’re now safely navigating the area because you’ve checked the direction of voyage and remembered the phrases. If you turn around, you’ll be going the opposite way.

Final Thoughts

It’s crucial to know your markers, phrases, and direction of buoyage. You can’t have one without the others; you need to know all three.

While there’s no legal obligation to stay in the channel, if you’re new to the area, my advice is to go out during high tide, stay in the channel, and learn the area first.

If you’d like to see our video on the channel, where we explain these principles in more detail, check out our YouTube video below.

Have the best day, and we’ll see you on the water!

• Caloundra Boat and Jetski Training - iLicence