World of Lighthouses Blog

Danish Rubjerg lighthouse moved inland

For 120 years, the Rubjerg Knude lighthouse has been perched on a sand dune on the northern Danish coast, but coastal erosion from North Sea winds threatened to topple it into the sea.

Now the 720-tonne structure has been saved, in an operation to lift it up and move it 70m (230ft) inland “like skates on rails”.

Within hours, the lighthouse was transported to its new position. (BBC)

Daymarks for navigation

Daymarks have no light , but they have their meaning in mariners navigation beside lighthouses or bouys.

Bob Trapani Jr. has performed a great website for daybeacons and daymarks.

https://uslhs.org/daybeacons

I will add in this blog some pictures of uncommon daymarks around the world.

Germany, Cuxhaven, Kugelbake

Kugelbake is the logo and symbol of the town Cuxhaven, erected about 1703. Todays height 28,4 m, wooden tower and the most northern point of Lower Saxony.

Ireland, Westtown, Metal Man Beacons

built 1823, 10 m tall, never lit

Netherlands, Texel, Kaap Oosterend

erected 1854, 15 m tall, never lit

France, Charente- Maritime, Fanal de Beaumont

Date unknown, 9m tall conical stone tower, maybe a fire was lit inside

Laos, Luang Prabang, Mekong River

 About 1894, French colonizers built in the Mekong daymarks for navigation

Australia, South Australia, Robe Obelisk

1852, never lit, 12 m high, Admiralty Q2123

USA, Long Island, Sands Point, maybe  was earlier lit, USCG 1-21470

Ireland, Baltimore Beacon, 1849, never lit

Germany, island Neuwerk, often destroyed and reerected, 27 m tall

England, Gribbin Head, 1832, 25 m stone tower,  never lit

England; Portreath Beacon, never lit, 7,5 m tall

France, Tour du Gardour, 1952,  12 m steel skeletal tower at the highest point of Charente coast

Italy, Golfo di Trieste, Punta Sottile, 18 m daybeacon, never lit

Denmark, West Jylland, Lökken

Germany, Niedersachsen, Borkum, Kleines Kaap; 1872, 11,7 m high

Germany, Niedersachsen, Borkum, Großes Kaap, 1872, 23,4 high

Germany, Niedersachsen, Borkum, Oostbake, 1872, 7,3 m high

France, Brittany, Trieux estuary, near Bodic

Estonia, Laulasmaa, 1951, 44 m high

United States, Connecticut, Saybrook, 7m high, USCG 1-22510

United States, Maine, Stage Island Monument, 19m high, USCG 1-7960

Germany, Schleswig-Holstein, Goemnitzer Tower, 9m high, 1826/1827

Denmark; Christiansø Island / Kongens Bastion

 

 

 

 

 

Churches serve as navigation aid

Till now churches serve as navigation aids. I will try to collect some examples in this blog.

Most churches are Range Rear lights.

But  some  churches were daymarks and never lit.

Estonia, Tallinn, St.Olaf’s Church, built in the 12th century, never lit, 125 high.

Uruguay, Montevideo; Catedral Metropolitana, was lit from 1882 -1910

England, Burnham-on-Sea, St. Andrew’s Church, Range Rear, A5572.1

Portugal, Faro, Santo Antonio do Alto Church, D2214.1

Latvia, Riga, White Church, served as daybeacon first, later lit, C3547.2

USA, Massachusetts, Beverly, First Baptist Church, ARLHS USA-390, J0290.1

Portugal, Fuzeta, Igreja Matriz da Fuzeta, ARLHS POR-074, D2230.1

Morocco, Casablanca, Mosquée Hassan II, D2573.5

Denmark, Koge, St. Nicholas Church, a latern was hung from the tower

Spain, Valencia, Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Angeles, not active since 1918, ARLHS SPA-347

Estonia, Mattiase Kirik, active light, Madise Range Rear, ARLHS EST-078

Estonia; Kihelkonna Church, Range Rear, inactive since 1998, ARLHS EST-067

France, Normandie; Abbey Mont Saint-Michel, inactive light since 1904, ARLHS FRA-760

Netherlands, Brielle, St.- Catherines Church, the light on the tower was a rear light with Stenen Baken, inactive since 1850

Netherlands, Reformed Church Goedereede, used as lighttower from 1708 – 1912, ARLHS NET-039

Italy, Barletta, Chiesa dei Monaci, inactive at least since 2015, ex-Admiralty E2263.5

Netherlands, Texel, Den Hoorn, Hervormde Church, Range Rear, ARLHS NET-035

Finland, Helsinki, Church of Soumenlinna, Range Rear,  ARLHS FIN-063

France, Southern Finistere, Beuzec, Eglise Saint-Budoc,   Range Rear, ARLHS FRA-197

Germany; Cuxhaven-Altenbruch, St. Nicolai Church, twin towers were used in 16th century for navigation on river Elbe ( Foto by Ralf Poppe )

France, Normandy, Portbail, Église de Notre-Dame, Range Rear, ARLHS FRA-763

Poland, Church of St Adalbert, Frombork, Range Rear, ex C3213.1

Poland, Church of St James the Apostle, Tolkmicko, ex C3220.1

Poland, Ustka,  St. Nicolas Church, existed until the end of 19th century, day and night beacon

Italy,  Porto Civitanova Marche , Chiesa del Cristo Re, E2337.6

France, Dieppe, Église Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours, not active, ARLHS FRA-849

France, Ouistreham , Feu Posterieur, Église Saint-Samson, inactive since 1888, ARLHS FRA-687

France, Plouguerneau, Northern Finistere, Eglise de St.Pierre et St.Paul, inaktiv, ARLHS FRA-783

IALA 2018 Exhibition

On May 2018 International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities made conference in Incheon, South Korea. During the conference lighthouses heritage exhibition was organized, so it was possible to see very good collection of various lighthouses stuff.

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Visit of Mamelles lighthouse in Dakar

Mamelles lighthouse (D3004) is strategically important light, one of the most powerful African lighthouse. It was build in 1864 and passed through many modernizations. Lighthouse is still operating, inside you can find museum.

Phare les Mamelles located not far from Dakar Center and very close to popular hotels area Ngor. You can easily get there by taxi:

Very close to lighthouse there is another famous landmark : African Renaissance Monument.

The lighthouse is located in the top of the hill and can be easily spotted from any side:

 

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A lighthouse in the middle of a Buddhist temple

According to Admiralty Thailand has 68 lighthouses. It’s not too much regarding the long coastline and many islands.
Thai lighthouses are no beauties, not to compare with well known American or British lighthouse beauties. Keeper houses are unknown. Most of Thai lighthouses are made of concrete, white and about 10-12 m tall. Taller lighthouses are square pyramidal skeletal towers, mostly on islands.
Most interesting Thailand lighthouse I have seen in Songkhla, Southern Thailand. It’s situated at the north end of the temple complex Phra Chedi Luang, the royal pagoda at the top of Tang Kuan Hill and now the symbol of Songkhla City.
The construction of lighthouse was finished 1897 and it seems to be one of the oldest Thailand lighthouses.
It remains unclear, if the caged lamp has any relation to the lighthouse! The information table in front of this lamp describes the historic lighthouse of Pharos and Alexander the Great ( personal information)!

Isle of Man lighthouses

Isle of Man is self-governing British Crown Dependency in Irish sea. It has rich lighthouse traditions, so i would like to share some pictures made during my trip.
On approach to Douglas (central city) you could see Douglas Head lighthouse:

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