Green Cans

Hi kids!

I'll bet you've wondered how we can tell where we are going when we are on the ocean.  Well, the Coast Guard, a branch of the US government, goes out and places things like this in the water as markers.  Then they make maps to tell sailors where they put the markers and where the land is. This thing is a green navigational buoy.  It has a bell on it so sailors can hear it when it's foggy and they can't see it.  It's made of metal and reflects radar very well so they can see it with their radar when it's foggy or night time and they can't see it with their eyes.  There are red navigational buoys, too.  They have a different shape, slightly, so we can tell them apart from a long distance.  When a sailor is going into port he knows to pass the green ones on his left and the red ones on his right to be safe.  That thing in the background is a light house.  Can you tell which one?  It was in a previous message.  Look it up!

Well, kids, be goos and keep safe.  That means 'leave the greens on your left'!