Bound For Home Port

“Red Right Returning” is an old saying passed down from seasoned sea captains — a timeless reminder to keep red channel buoys to starboard as we make our way back to the safety of home-port.

In the same way, the F.L. Woods buoy serves as a gentle beacon, guiding us back after life’s grand adventures. A reminder that no matter how far we wander, we’ll always return to the comforting embrace of our home-port — where peace awaits us, steady as the ocean tide.

The History Behind the Buoy

The buoy has been the F.L. Woods logo since 1938, when the store first opened in Marblehead. It was inspired by the original government-issued buoys that marked the mouth of Marblehead Harbor — a familiar sight to generations of local mariners returning home.

Over the decades, the buoy has become an icon. Today, it adorns much of the clothing we make at F.L. Woods, carrying the spirit of Marblehead and fellow maritime adventurers' wherever it goes. You’ll also find it on bumper stickers; Marblehead to Milan - a subtle but unmistakable way to spot a car with a connection to coastal adventuring and our small town.

What started as a practical navigation aid has become a symbol of home, heritage, and the enduring bond between us and the sea.