Great post, Brent. I was in some very out of the way places last summer and had a tidal river, 2nm long to navigate each time we wanted to get to the car or dock.

We lived there for 2 months at anchor. Couldn't do much about the river drying out at low tide, but I did improve evening navigation by wrapping some reflective tape around the tree branches locals stuck in the mud to mark the channel.

I could make 12 knots on this river in pitch dark going reflector to reflector.

BTW: home depot sells better lights than west marine for this purpose. Cheaper too.