Synchronised flashing

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alanwilson

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Encountered the new synchronised flashing buoys at the entrance to the R Swale last weekend for the first time: not impressed. It was F5-6 gusting 7, 0200, pitch black, no moon, squally showers: just the conditions you need unambiguous navigation aids, especially as they weren't on the chart. There are groups of 4 or 5 buoys, all flashing at the same time with the same characteristic; several port-hand groups and several starboard-hand.

If I were airborne looking down (which I nearly was several times that night), it would be great; but from sea level you see a line of lights with no way of telling that the middle one is actually the furthest away, apart from their relative brightness: with intermittant showers, brightnesses kept changing. So there was a definite danger of missing a dogleg and going aground.

The only way I got in was with the chart plotter: but buoys are supposed to be clear for when the plotter fails. It seems to me that buoys in a sequence MUST have different characteristics, so they can be individually identified. Also, if one light fails, you don't know which one.

Nice experiment to try, but I don't think it works.

Anyone else used these lights?
 
the idea seems a bit bonkers to me. What happens in a fog, and viz is down to a hundred m ? Short of going up to each buoy as you pass, and looking at its ID number/name, how can one be sure of a making a unique identification if the flashes are all the same ?

Which is the authority that has responsibility for risk-assessing this scheme ?
 
Trinity House: they have apparently asked for comments, and I've made some!

It's made more exciting by the nearby wind farm, so the place is lit like Blackpool Illuminations. At night, each wind generator seems to be swaying gently, exactly as if it were rocking at anchor! I went up quite close to see what was happening: each one has two red lights, which are alternately exposed and hidden as the blades turn.
 
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When I heard they were to try this I assumed they would be synchronised to flash in sequence. Surely that's the point of the thing. The lights lead you up the channel.

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I was talking to some Trinity House people at a Reception on THV Galatea a few weeks ago, and this very subject was discussed. I certainly had the clear impression that they are supposed to flash in sequence rather than simultaneously.

Still not sure it is a good idea, as if only one is visible in fog etc. how the heck are you able to identify it without getting close enough to read a name - probably impossible in the dark anyway /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
They have tried various different flashing sequences, the way they are working at the moment has been in place since May. It's detailed in the Trinity House NMs if you look, and has been written up in ST as well.
I too experienced the lights recently. Not impressed either and have filled out the feedback form. I thought that the 'sequential from seaward' system they had a while back was better.
No point in 'bending their ear', this is an experiment, they are trying various things, and that's what the feedback form is for.
 
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It's detailed in the Trinity House NMs if you look

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The lights are to be arranged such that there is a combination of both Synchronised and Sequential lights to enable distinction between the relatively straight section and the curve, inwards, after the Ham Gat and Pollard Spit Buoys.

1. At the start of the cycle the lights on all the buoys will be synchronised and flash once with an extended flash of 1.5sec for Columbine & Whitstable Street and Ham Gat & Pollard Spit pairs of buoys.
2. The first four pairs, will then be synchronised to flash twice. ie
o Columbine & Whitstable Street
o Swale 1 & Swale 2
o Columbine Spit and Swale 4
o Swale 5 and Swale 6

3. All buoys in the channel will then flash again together with an extended flash for the two pairs as in 1 above.
4. The following buoys will then flash sequentially from seaward inwards
o Swale 7 and Swale 8
o Sand End & S. Oaze
o Receptive Point

The overall period is 8.25sec before repeating.


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Sounds very confusing.
 
It is - it's just like Christmas out there!
I am fairly local so knew what to expect. I think a stranger would find it somewhat bemusing, esp in inclement weather. But if you stay to the right of all the reds, and left of all the greens, then you're going to be OK.
 
At least they are trying. Even if this one doesn't work too well I'm pleased to see that they are trying to find improved systems. It can only be for our benefit.
 
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