What should a vessel do when nearing a bend in a narrow channel?

When a vessel approaches a bend in a narrow channel, it is important to prioritize safety and ensure awareness of potential obstacles or other vessels that may be present. Sounding the appropriate sound signal serves multiple purposes: it alerts other vessels of your presence and intentions, which is crucial in scenarios where visibility may be limited due to the bend. Additionally, navigating carefully is essential because the confined nature of a narrow channel can result in unexpected encounters with other vessels. This careful navigation further ensures compliance with the COLREGs, which emphasizes avoiding collisions and maintaining safe passage.

The other choices, while containing elements of safety, do not incorporate the specific need to communicate through sound signals effectively. Reducing speed and proceeding with caution, while prudent, does not emphasize the importance of alerting other vessels. Maintaining the same speed and course is not appropriate as it does not account for the potential dangers that a bend may introduce. Lastly, signaling other vessels to keep clear does not convey the same comprehensive level of safety awareness as sounding a signal and navigating carefully, which are crucial in that specific situation. Thus, the best response emphasizes both communication and cautious navigation.