Confusion over two buoys, both marked No. 18, caused a stir last week.

Wesport Island resident Robert Maynes spotted a stray nun buoy under the Wesport Island Bridge and reported it to the Coast Guard.

The bright orange buy was marked No. 18. The Coast Guard told the Wiscasset Newspaper that buoy No. 18 marks the southern tip of Barters Island, miles from the bridge and on the other side of Westport Island. They confirmed the buoy under the bridge was the buoy from Barters Island. Speculation arose about criminals with heavy-duty hauling gear and concerns about boaters' safety.

Except the buoy south of Barters Island never moved. The crucial navigation marker was bobbing in its usual spot the whole time.

The buoy No. 18 Maynes found under the Westport Island Bridge was a seasonal buoy marking the Cowseagan Narrows at the north side of Back River, about 900 yards from the bridge.

On August 14, the Coast Guard returned buoy No. 18 to its seasonal home. Petty Officer Kevin Monaghan said it's not unheard of for buoys to travel this far. "It shouldn't happen," Monaghan said. But with heavy rains, such as the August 3 storm, or spring tides, buoys have been known to drift.

"I'm sorry for the misinformation," Monaghan said.