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.

Read more