Hartland Point Light to Go?

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Anwen

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I've just read the ybw.com news mail, and there was a link to a story about Trinity House considering the closure of Beachy Head lighthouse, and also considering the decommissioning of six other lights. Yes, Hartland Point is one of them.

"Hartland Point Lighthouse: discontinue all Aids to Navigation at this station, in conjunction with increasing the range at Trevose Head Lighthouse to 24nm & Lundy South Lighthouse to 18nm and establishing a lighted buoy off Hartland Point."

A lit buoy is not really going to be the same as a lighthouse some distance above sea level! I think this is a bad move.

Full story here: http://ipc.chtah.com/a/hBLUH1UBwD7M8B74X-vB62fYemb/ybw16
 
just below Hartland Point is the wreck of the steamer Johanna. If she could hit the point when a 25 mile range light is flashing away, what hope for seafarers is there if the light at 99 m height is replaced by a buoy at 2 m height ?

Make your feelings known to the Brethren ?
 
They're also planning on getting rid of Blacknore Point light.

I can't imagine that the views of pleasure craft users will have any influence on Trinity House.

It seems to me like it would be shame to get rid of these lights though. The North Devon coast didn't exactly strike me as that well lit when I sailed up it.
 
I see Hartland flashing every day and the thought of that 'Fl 6 30 s" not being there is hard to think about. However, I have never been past there without a GPS.
 
NickiCrutchfield said:
I see Hartland flashing every day and the thought of that 'Fl 6 30 s" not being there is hard to think about. However, I have never been past there without a GPS.
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I've been there three times and never had a GPS with me. I think navigation in that area would be difficult at night without a GPS. In my view, running fixes don't work in the Bristol Channel as I think that the tidal information for small craft is unreliable.
 
Hartland Point

I would feel happier if the lighthouse retained its light. Losing one's GPS or signal may cause a problem, especially for those who rely solely on GPS for navigation. Yes. I know, a back up or traditional methods should be carried/used; however, in reality it doesn't always happen.
Keep the light, I say and stay safe in the light of the point.
Fair winds,
Lancelot
 
I want to be clear on this. I would hate to see the light go out, but sailing round Hartland relying solely on an expensive light in an area where there is not a huge amount of inshore commercial, ie: Trinity House paying, shipping is foolish. Shoot me down if you will. but if the GPS dies, and you are in a compromising position relative to the point, AND you don't know what the tide/wind/swell situation is you've already f u c k e d up. Whilst I mourn the passing of the lighthouse man, and think that I should have a protective human eye on me as I round a difficult point, the reality is that we are all increasingly equipped with advanced communication devices which make the light expensive and therefore vulnerable. Times change. It hurts me to think it, let alone air that view in public. Sad times, mixed up with incredible technology.
 
Here is another thought:-

GPS isn't 100% reliable. We have seen in the past couple of years reports that the satellites are starting to degrade and the Euro system will not be on-line anytime soon. Hence news reports of the rebirth of Loran, except that the Europeans can't agree a standard. If the worst happens and GPS becomes unreliable, the light will have already gone. This could have significant implications for commercial shipping too.
 
NC> I think where I'm coming from is that I think it would be a shame if we had to rely on things like GPS to know where we are. I think it should be possible for people to work out where they are from traditional methods. This partly comes from a feeling that going sailing is partly about getting away from all that technology and partly from seeing what a mess GPS seems to get people in the mountains into.

I don't particularly buy the argument that GPS is going to suddenly become unreliable as I think there's too much vested interest in making sure it works (for military purposes if nothing else).

I also have this nagging feeling that if the UK can't be bothered to light a few lighthouses along its shores then it is retrenching into a pretty peasant place.

I cannot imagine that Trinity House are short of a few bob.
 
zlod said:
NC>
I also have this nagging feeling that if the UK can't be bothered to light a few lighthouses along its shores then it is retrenching into a pretty peasant place.

I cannot imagine that Trinity House are short of a few bob.
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It often puzzles me why they discontinuing buoys specially unlit ones they are only a ball on a chain with an anchor on the end .If the chain and anchor are big enough they shouldn't need more than a lick of paint every 2 or three years. I mean mines took years to clear them all ,they weren maintained .Most of the lighthouses are unmanned the victorians and those before build most of them . So a bit of 'lecy to and a maintainance man once a year, the costs should be be minimal.Even if the need for them is declining,they are part of the character of the UK.

Peasant place ? I think we are going to retrench further back than that at the rate we are going
 
Would be nice if Trinity House spend any money saved on upgrading the outer Wrach buoy/light which is an absolute pig to identify against the shore lights IMHO!!
 
I don't want the light to go. Don't think it's a step forward to substitute it for GPS. I said that the availability of cheap, accurate GPS position fixing which everyone has, ranged against the cost of a light makes the light vulnerable. It is therefore an easy target in any round of cost cutting. That's the current environment, so costs will be cut. Make no mistake, losing the light is an unmitigated disaster in the context of nautical development, navigation and history.
 
NickiCrutchfield said:
I don't want the light to go. Don't think it's a step forward to substitute it for GPS. I said that the availability of cheap, accurate GPS position fixing which everyone has, ranged against the cost of a light makes the light vulnerable. It is therefore an easy target in any round of cost cutting. That's the current environment, so costs will be cut. Make no mistake, losing the light is an unmitigated disaster in the context of nautical development, navigation and history.
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Yes I agree: It a shame that the land luving civil servants who are probably responsible for these type of miserly cuts will never get to see the loom of a light as it starts to come up over the horizon.
 
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