Big mooring buoy in Southampton Water

[dancrane]

Seven years back, I recorded a few minutes of footage while sailing up the east side of Southampton Water, between the BP pier and Netley Cliff.

At that time (and I had supposed, still to this day) there was a very large barrel-shaped buoy, lying on its side with a massive ring on top - presumably a ship's mooring buoy.

It was located (as I judge from my video footage) approximately between the Greenland and After Barn starboard marks. It had seemed as big as a minibus.

On Sunday night I was sailing that way after dark, for the first time. The yacht's skipper was attentive to the green navigation marks that guide shipping within the deep water channel, and we were steering outside of the channel but still in ample depth, mostly east of the greens as we beat down towards Calshot.

I suddenly remembered that gigantic rusting monster of a buoy. I had sailed past it many times in daylight, and stared without even wondering whether it was lit - but if it wasn't (or isn't) lit, isn't it isn't a very considerable hazard to nocturnal navigation?

I kept my eyes peeled till we were south of the BP pier. We didn't hit it, and we didn't see it, so I'm wondering if it is still there. Does anyone else remember it? Was it lit?

 

[Elessar]

Seven years back, I recorded a few minutes of footage while sailing up the east side of Southampton Water, between the BP pier and Netley Cliff.

At that time (and I had supposed, still to this day) there was a very large barrel-shaped buoy, lying on its side with a massive ring on top - presumably a ship's mooring buoy.

It was located (as I judge from my video footage) approximately between the Greenland and After Barn starboard marks. It had seemed as big as a minibus.

On Sunday night I was sailing that way after dark, for the first time. The yacht's skipper was attentive to the green navigation marks that guide shipping within the deep water channel, and we were steering outside of the channel but still in ample depth, mostly east of the greens as we beat down towards Calshot.

I suddenly remembered that gigantic rusting monster of a buoy. I had sailed past it many times in daylight, and stared without even wondering whether it was lit - but if it wasn't (or isn't) lit, isn't it isn't a very considerable hazard to nocturnal navigation?

I kept my eyes peeled till we were south of the BP pier. We didn't hit it, and we didn't see it, so I'm wondering if it is still there. Does anyone else remember it? Was it lit?

There were three I think. Were hit by a few fast boats at night. Car carriers moored there during the recession.
Ships and buoys have gone now.