Multiple Reasons to Use Your Marker Buoy While Out in Water

Marker buoys are some of the most significant essentials to bring along on a diving or swimming trip. They do have a number of variations in how the marker buoys look, with some having different ends or being deployed later than usual, like a delayed surface marker buoy.

Despite being a complete necessity, newer divers and swimmers may just question why marker buoys are needed, along with the ways of how they should be utilised. The short and general answer would be for safety. However, there’s a little bit more to elaborate than just ending it at that. Here are multiple reasons why marker buoys should be used out in the water:

For Marking

As the name suggests, marker buoys are used to mark where a swimmer is currently at. Some people use them as a reference for the milestones that they’ve gone through, as they can be easily seen from above or a distance. 

Marker buoys can be handy when marketing your territory in shared waters too. Most bodies of water will likely have other swimmers, surfers, and anglers along the ride. Having that physical reminder is a good way of telling apart your turf from others. 

For Signalling

Marker buoys are bright and colourful, which can be pretty hard to miss. Your company should be able to see them even when they’re out of the water. They consider the buoy as an indicator of where you currently are. Usually, even if you yourself seem to have gone missing, seeing the buoy is a signal that you’re just there.

This increased visibility can be very helpful during a storm or when the waves become a little more untamed. With that kind of weather, it will be much harder to find where a swimmer is as the water becomes harder to navigate, but marker buoys can act as a sign of your location and where you can be rescued. 

For Resting

Swimming can be rather tiring when training, even for the most experienced. Those limitations are inevitable, and having a marker buoy along usually gives you your checkpoint to rest at without really leaving the water. 

Some marker buoys may have handles to grab onto. However, whether there is or not, having a bit of practice by paddling in place and kicking your feet to stay afloat is a great stationary exercise while swimming.  

For Anchoring

A marker buoy is usually anchored below and made to float on the water. Although it may seem like it’s floating on top of it, the reality can be slightly different as there are sandbags holding it down for security’s sake. 

There are fishermen who take advantage of this mechanism when they’re trying to make a catch. They have a visual indicator of where they should anchor their vessel. Swimmers can also use this to land their own craft or equipment like a drybag to come back to.

Conclusion

Getting to know these reasons can be quite eye-opening about the different uses a marker buoy has to offer. Next time you’re going to head into the water, don’t forget to have a marker buoy or two for the open water. 

Looking for marker buoys in Australia? Swim Secure offers different swimming products like buoys to help swimmers stay visible and keep their equipment safe. Order now!