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Lighthouses and buoys are essential aids to navigation that serve different but complementary purposes. Lighthouses provide a fixed visual reference point for mariners, typically marking safe entry points into harbors, indicating danger zones such as shoals or rocks, and allowing for identification of locations during poor visibility conditions. The light patterns and colors help sailors determine their position relative to the coastline.

Buoys, on the other hand, are floating markers that signify navigational channels, mark hazards, and provide guidance along waterways. They come in various shapes, colors, and markings to convey different messages about safe passage or warning areas. Together, lighthouses and buoys create a comprehensive system that enhances situational awareness for mariners and aids in safe navigation.

While radar, sonar, satellite systems, and GPS are important tools in maritime navigation, they provide additional information and enhance situational awareness but do not replace the traditional visual aids like lighthouses and buoys, which have been relied upon for centuries. Therefore, the combination of these physical aids and electronic navigation tools provides a robust framework for ensuring safe passage on the water.