Which description correctly identifies a South Cardinal Mark?

• A. Two cones up, safe water north
• B. Cones away, safe water east
• C. Cones toward, safe water west
• D. Two cones down, safe water south

Answer: (D)

Cardinal marks show where safe water is relative to the buoy, using both the top shape and the color pattern. For a South Cardinal Mark, the top mark is two black cones pointing downward. That signals that safe water lies to the south of the mark. So the description “two cones down, safe water south” matches exactly what a South Cardinal Mark indicates. The other descriptions would point to a different orientation (cones pointing up would be a North Cardinal, and the mixed/alternate cone orientations don’t correspond to the South Cardinal).