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US POWERBOATING   Lighthouses
 

Lighthouses may be used to indicate a harbor entrance, an isolated danger off the coast, or a headland. They may appear as just a tower or be surrounded by a number of buildings. Some lighthouses have distinctive color bands that can be used to identify them and are described in “Light List” publications.  Lighthouses can also be distinguished by the characteristic of the light, both color and type and length of flash are distinctive.    Characteristics may include:  Long Flash (L)   Quick Flash (Q)   Red (R) Green (G)  Group (Gp).  

IALA-B Hampton, VA
Lighthouses
Cardinal Marks
Special Marks
  • Flashing - Fl:   The period of light is shorter than the period of darkness. 
  • Occulting- Occ:  The period of darkness is shorter than the period of light.
  • Alternating - Alt:  Two different lights alternate.  
  • Isophase - Iso:  Lights that are on and off for equal intervals
  • Fixed Light - F:   The light is steady and not flashing.
  • Morse Code - Mo(A):  The characteristics of the light is the Morse Code for the letter "A" (quick flash and a long flash)

The distance the light can be seen is dependent upon the height of the lighthouse's light, the height of the observer and the curvature of the earth .  To the right is a link to an online calculator that will calculate this distance.  Go To: Landfall Fix Calculator

Charts are for educational purposes only.  They do not contain recent updates.  Do not use for navigation !!!

 
The lighthouse at Ardnakinna Point on the west end of Bear (Bere) Island guides mariners to the West Entrance of Bearhaven. Its white and red (WR) sector lights make it obvious at night whether you are headed for the entrance (white light) or not (red light)
 View Chart - Red Arrow #L1  -- 270 KB

Fl(2)WR. 10s 62m17/14M   White and red flashing lights (one for each of the two sectors) every 10 seconds that are 62 meters high which can be seen for 17 nautical miles for the white sector and 14 nautical miles for the red sector miles on a clear night.

  


 


Here is the lighthouse on Rock Island at the entrance to Crookhaven harbor, Ireland.

LFl .WR. 8s 20m13/11M   White and red long flashing lights (one for each of the two sectors) every 8 seconds that are 20 meters high which can be seen for 13 nautical miles for the white sector and 11 nautical miles for the red sector miles on a clear night.

 View Chart - Red Arrow #L2 -- 200 KB

  

 

This lighthouse with its black band is located on the Clyde.

  


Other lighthouses found in Ireland.

  


 
 


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