museum 1
Boulmer, Navigation Posts
Just to the south of Boulmer village, at the edge of the field onto the dunes of the beach, are these two striped metal poles, with lights and topmost shapes.
They are used by sailors in boats when entering the comparative safety of Boulmer Haven, a harbour nestling by the often wild North Sea.
The rocks at the entrance to this haven are extremely hazardous. The way in is through the "Mar Mouth", between the North Reins and the South Reins rocks (which hold the Haven mouth as if in the grip of a giant tidal crab!)
At low tide the full extent of the curve of the rocks to be navigated is very obvious.
The sailor, upon wishing to enter into Boulmer Haven, must make sure that their craft is in a position where the two posts are lined up one behind the other. The boat can then sail in along this route (keeping the posts aligned), until safely within the haven.
The shapes atop the posts are to assist in alignment -- it can be difficult to ensure that two posts are actually in line ! The triangle and cross help the sailor to keep them one behind the other, even with the rise and fall of the tides.
Such posts (or beacons) will have been in place for many many years -- certainly they existed in maps over 200 years ago. (Although, oddly, the 1926 map indicates only one "Beacon").
The Northumberland coastline has several old timber poles and posts of varying origins and shapes -- some being navigational aids such as these, others being measured mile markers for testing the speeds of newly built ships.
Some are even used as boundary markers for local fishing areas, with others possibly having been used as range markers for old artillery emplacements and on-beach rifle ranges.
Boulmer, Navigation Posts
Just to the south of Boulmer village, at the edge of the field onto the dunes of the beach, are these two striped metal poles, with lights and topmost shapes.
They are used by sailors in boats when entering the comparative safety of Boulmer Haven, a harbour nestling by the often wild North Sea.
The rocks at the entrance to this haven are extremely hazardous. The way in is through the "Mar Mouth", between the North Reins and the South Reins rocks (which hold the Haven mouth as if in the grip of a giant tidal crab!)
At low tide the full extent of the curve of the rocks to be navigated is very obvious.
The sailor, upon wishing to enter into Boulmer Haven, must make sure that their craft is in a position where the two posts are lined up one behind the other. The boat can then sail in along this route (keeping the posts aligned), until safely within the haven.
The shapes atop the posts are to assist in alignment -- it can be difficult to ensure that two posts are actually in line ! The triangle and cross help the sailor to keep them one behind the other, even with the rise and fall of the tides.
Such posts (or beacons) will have been in place for many many years -- certainly they existed in maps over 200 years ago. (Although, oddly, the 1926 map indicates only one "Beacon").
The Northumberland coastline has several old timber poles and posts of varying origins and shapes -- some being navigational aids such as these, others being measured mile markers for testing the speeds of newly built ships.
Some are even used as boundary markers for local fishing areas, with others possibly having been used as range markers for old artillery emplacements and on-beach rifle ranges.