Which of the following is NOT part of the standard navigational information that may be passed to a disoriented mariner?

• A. Characteristics of lights
• B. Charted buoy positions
• C. Charted traffic separation scheme bearings
• D. Navigation charts used by pilots

Answer: (D)

When guiding a disoriented mariner, you rely on immediate, universally recognizable references that help them re-establish their position and direction. The characteristics of lights identify the specific aid you’re seeing at night, so the mariner can confirm if it’s a lighthouse, a lantern, or another lighted aid. Charted buoy positions give fixed reference points from the chart that the mariner can compare with visible buoys to estimate where they are. Charted traffic separation scheme bearings provide directional cues about the main lanes of traffic and the recommended orientation relative to those lanes, aiding safe navigation in busy waters. In contrast, navigation charts used by pilots are specialized planning tools for pilotage and harbor entry, not standard information broadcast to a general mariner in distress. They contain details not needed for quick, practical reorientation and aren’t part of the routine navigational data shared to assist a disoriented mariner.