The Lower Heads South Cardinal Buoy is the latest to be replaced in the series of ongoing maintenance to Guernsey Ports navigational aids.
It’s located southwest of Herm and Jethou indicating safe water is to the south and danger is to the north.
Four buoys were placed in the water over two decades ago, and in that time have moved from gas to solar power.
The buoy replaced recently underwent refurbishment at St Sampson before being taken out to sea by the local Sarnia Workboat and hoisted onto the Patricia with a 20-tonne crane.
The previous buoy will undergo maintenance including grit blasting and repainting before being redeployed elsewhere.
Guernsey Ports Technical Services Manager Mark Rive said “this ongoing schedule of maintenance means that each of our buoys gets refurbished regularly and we always have one in the workshop being prepared for its next use.
“Trinity House was contracted to swap out the buoys “when passing” in order to keep costs down.”