Lighthouses have always been a mystery to us, especially to me. Whenever I used to visit a sea coast having an erected lighthouse, I used to wonder what was there within this tower. But these colossal towers were the main way of navigation to the sailors in the timeworn days. The question we will be addressing here today is What Information Is Most Important When Passing Near A Lighthouse.
I know those who are here now are looking for the right answer to this question. We have not only mentioned the answer here but also explained the reason behind it. So stay tuned with us and keep reading till the end.
What Information Is Most Important When Passing Near A Lighthouse?
What Information Is Most Important When Passing Near A Lighthouse? I know all of you are eagerly waiting for our answer. So here is it… The answer is Water Depth.
Yes, Water Depth is the most important factor a sailor needs to take care of while passing a lighthouse. Do you know the reason? It’s because the key purpose of the Lighthouse is to warn the sailors from dangerous rocky coasts and risky shallows. The messages of these long-trusted towers are: STAY AWAY, DANGER, BEWARE! or COME THIS WAY! As a result, whenever a vessel is passing near a lighthouse, it’s important to consider the depth of the water along the coast.
Do We Still Need Lighthouse?
Now you know “ What Information Is Most Important When Passing A Lighthouse? ” The next question that comes is – Whether lighthouses are still relevant today.
It was 7th August 1789 when the Lighthouse Act was approved by Congress. This was the first public works program that the-then new federal government undertook at that time. Therefore August 7 is recognizable now as National Lighthouse Day in the U.S.A.
Lighthouses are mainly found on sandy shoals on land, entrances to bays and harbors, and rocky ocean cliffs. While numerous lighthouses guide the seafarers still now, NOAA’s Nautical Charts, the Global Positioning System, buoys, radar beacon, and lighted navigational aids have replaced most of them.
The bottom line is the importance of the Lighthouse is definitely undeniable, however with technological advancement; it’s becoming obsolete.
Places to Visit to See the Best Lighthouses
Keeping all the precautions and lost-gone importance of the lighthouse, one cannot deny its ethereal beauty. A speck of charm from yesteryears.
If you are wracking your brain, trying to pick your next holiday, then look no mor. As the summers approach, there could be nothing better than a beach vacation. But if you do not wish to make it traditional.
If you are tired of those same old crowded beaches & snorkeling, then why not go to a rural beach? With beautiful scenery and, most importantly, scenic lighthouses.
Maybe it is time to have a slow holiday with a lot of seaside recreational walking and visiting old lighthouses. Upon researching a few of the lighthouses, we are giving you ten gems you shouldn’t miss out on.
Heceta Head Lighthouse
Once an important element to every sailor at Lane County, Oregan, Heceta’s lighthouse became just another lost stone edifice from the years gone by.
However, a two-year restoration project has helped bring it back to its old glory. Now, the lighthouse stands tall and magnificent, making it one of the famous tourist attractions.
It is situated 205 feet above the garden, and all the climbs will be worth the exhaustion because the view is spectacular.
Big Bay Point Light House
Do you not just want a seaside holiday but also want to live in the light house life? How about taking your summer holiday to the Big Bay Point Light House in Michigan?
The ethereal view of the sea stretching against the horizon is just a bonus. Upon booking a room here at the bed & breakfast, you can live the rural life of a lighthouse caretaker.
Although I doubt you would find sailors trying to find their way to the Michigan shore through the lighthouse (with all the new nautical navigation present), there is no harm in experiencing that old-school charm by putting your eyes through the looking glass late at night.
Gay Head Lighthouse
If you want a fancy lighthouse holiday, why not go to the first lighthouse built at Martha’s Vineyard?
A beautiful lighthouse situated at the stretch of Massachusetts Bay! Alongside the scenic beauty, this will also be a paradise for a history buff.
Did you know this was the only lighthouse with a rich history of the Native American Lighthouses, and later became lighthouse keepers?
Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse
Let’s step out of the American borders, if you may!
If you are planning a vacation abroad, Denmark is one of the jewel crowns of the European territory. There is no beauty compared to a lighthouse at the North Sea Bay. The sound of crashing waves and long stretches of beige sand.
Truly a location where you can be in perfect solitude!
What Else Can Lighthouse Offer?
Even though lighthouses act as guides to the seafarers, they are not enough when it comes to providing statistical information to the people at the sea.
According to the Global Positioning System (GPS), ships and boats in recent times require nautical charts by NOAA. For that, buoys, lighted navigational aids and buoys are spread across the water bodies!
The ships and vessels across sea and oceans can be navigatedly efficiently especially across the dangerous areas. The mariners are guided to travel through safe harbors. Apart from the Lighthouse, there are 48000 federal buoys, electronic aids beacons of the marine transportation system. These transportation markers are spread across 25,000 miles of waterways, coastal waterways, inland, harbor and channels serving almost 300 ports.
The lighthouses basically require advanced navigation technology so that it can sparkle more and guide the seafarers better. The Members of Congress are also supporting the betterment of Lighthouse and their maintenance!
4 Amazing Facts About Lighthouses
In the previous section, you learn a crucial fact about Lighthouses – What Information Is Most Important When Passing Near A Lighthouse? Here is some other information you should know simultaneously:
- Lighthouses have different colors so that mariners can identify them during the day.
- A lighthouse’s height depends on the curvature of the earth so that the lights are noticeable from far away
- Lighthouses that are close to each other have variable flash patterns allowing mariners to identify their locations.
- The majority of the active lighthouses these days work through remote monitoring and machines.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most important information while passing a lighthouse is Water Depth.
The word lighthouse consists of 2 more words – Light and House. It basically refers to a tall, sturdy structure built on the rock near the sea and used for the purpose of ship navigation. Since it guides the vessels to reach out and into the harbors by throwing lights in several directions, it’s called Lighthouse. The origin of the word dates back to the 1620s
The concept of lighthouses originated for the first time in Egypt. The first Lighthouse in the world is the Pharos of Alexandria. Ptolemy I and his son Ptolemy II constructed it between 300 and 280 B.C. It stands at about 450 feet high. This particular Lighthouse is one of the Seven Wonders in the ancient world.
There is a reason why lighthouses don’t fall. It’s mainly because they are chiseled very precisely, interlocking the granite blocks. These blocks resist the crashing sea waves.
The Takeaway
What Information Is Most Important When Passing Near A Lighthouse? The answer you were looking for is Water Depth. It’s true that lighthouses were one of the main navigation aids sailors had in the early days. However, in the current era, there are already various complex instruments that sailors and marine engineers make use of.
A large number of lighthouses across the world are preserved as Tourist spots; nevertheless, their importance cannot be denied.
Do you have any further questions for us? Do not hesitate to let us know in the comment area below.
Additional Reading:
