What is upstream vs downstream in boating?
Upstream
Upstream direction is the end of the waterway from where the flow of water originates. A boat travelling upstream on a river is navigating from sea towards the inland or mountains. If the boat is flowing in the opposite direction to the stream, it is called upstream
Downstream
Where the flow ends, at the opposite end of the waterway. A boat travelling downstream on the river is navigating from inland towards the sea.If the boat is flowing along the direction of the stream, it is called downstream.
How do I know if I'm going upstream or downstream?
To help you remember which way is upstream on a river, if water comes from, for example, the mountains and flows in a river to the sea, water near the mountains (or source) is upstream, and water nearer the sea is downstream.
What should you do when going in the upstream direction with a boat?
Keep all the red buoys on starboard side
Keep all the green buoys on port side.
What is the red right returning rule?
The expression “red right returning” has long been used by seafarers as a reminder that the red buoys are kept to the starboard (right) side when proceeding from the open sea into port (upstream).
