The convoy reached a marked coastal passage where two channels split around a reef. Han’s map was old, and Mei Qiao said the sandbar might have shifted. Both boats slowed while the captains waited for a local signal from a fishing platform.
“Do not choose the south cut until we know the depth,” Mei said. “The buoy marks may be older than the last storm.”
Yan stood at the bow with a prepared lantern. He formed one projection and sent it to view the platform’s painted board without putting a crew member on the exposed rock. A second branch followed the water near the reef.
The painted board showed that the northern channel remained deep enough. Yan relayed the mark to Mei. She compared it with the movement of the water and chose the north route.
The signal platform was built on a low rock shelf. A fish worker stood beside the board and changed its panel as the tide shifted. The writing was large but faded by salt, and the lantern at its base gave a clear return flash.
“The paint is still readable,” Yan said. “The lower mark points north.”
Han checked the old chart. Its north channel was marked as shallow at low tide, but the water had risen. Mei asked the pilot on the second boat to verify the depth from his own side before they committed the convoy.
