A green marker buoy is in the channel as you are heading down a river. On which side should you pass the buoy?

In navigational practice, green marker buoys are used to indicate the right side of the channel when proceeding upstream. However, when moving downstream—such as in a river—the rule is to keep green buoys on your starboard (right) side. This convention helps to maintain safe and consistent navigation and ensures that all waterway users are following a common understanding of channel markers.

Passing the buoy on the starboard side ensures that you're abiding by standard navigation rules and staying within the designated safe passage area of the channel. This practice is vital for preventing collisions and accidents, especially in narrow or busy waterways.

The concept of leaving the buoy on your port side would be appropriate when traveling upstream, but since the scenario specifies heading downriver, that would not apply. Passing directly over the buoy is unsafe and impractical as it could lead you to accidentally run aground or impact the buoy itself. Retrogressing past the buoy would mean going backward, which is not a suitable or safe maneuver in most navigational contexts.