The Commissioner's of Irish Lights at Larne
Despite the at times very volatile political situation in
Ireland which sees little or no cooperation between Northern Ireland and the
Republic of Ireland, there is at least one body apart from the rugby union team
that has full support from both sides of the border. The Commissioner's of
Irish Lights, based at Dun Laoghaire, tends all navigational marks
around the coast of Ireland whether it be north or south of the border. It
does an all year round all weather job keeping safe passages to all the thriving
ports well marked and providing warnings to all shipping of those dangerous
places where they must stay clear off.
This job starts
at the Maidens several miles off the County Antrim coast. The Maidens are two rocky islands easily seen from shore, at low tide often some
rocks in between the islands can be seen above the water level. The area is
avoided by big ships as there are strong tides in the area in addition to the
rocks. The shipping hazard is marked by a lighthouse on the islet closest
to the ferry track into the harbour and this is kept in order by a lighthouse
keeper that inspects it at regular intervals. The keeper visits the
lighthouse using one of the port tugs usually either Sarah McLoughlin or
Maria McLoughlin.
The next hazard is a shallow area about 2 miles off
the coast called the Hunter's Rock and is where the current buoy tender
Granuaile III goes to work. This hazard is marked by black and yellow buoys positioned to the north and
south of the rocks, free passage is permitted to the north or south of the buoys
but not between them. The Hunter's also marks the Larne Port limits and
all ferries entering the harbour call in their ETA's at either North or South
Hunter buoy to Port Control. Once past the Hunter's all traffic is subject to the port's
Vehicle Traffic Service to ensure safe passage for all shipping.
The next buoy passed inbound marks the beginning of the
approach channel to the harbour and it is about half a mile from the ferry
berths. This is number 1 buoy and the rest of the buoys follow in sequence
up to number 7 buoy adjacent to the power station. Even numbered perches
mark the port side of the channel while odd numbered buoys mark the starboard
side. The course into the harbour between the buoys is roughly due south
and ships line up two leading lights on the southern shore of Larne Lough to get
the correct course.
The channel runs in past two lighthouses. On the
starboard (Larne) side is the Chaine Memorial Tower, built to commemorate James Chaine whose drive and ambition in the 19th century firmly
established Larne harbour as a bustling port. As well as being a monument
to a past entrepreneur, the tower also doubles as a navigation light, carrying a
specialised marker to guide ships from the Hunter's to number 1. If
vessels are on course they see one coloured light, off course they see a
different colour - sort of the maritime equivalent of landing lights at air
ports.
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| Chaine Memorial Tower and number 3 buoy in the
background of this picture of European Seafarer at Continental Quay
in August 2003. Photo: Larne Ferry Web (click to enlarge) |
European Causeway passes Ferris Point
outward with her 1545 service to Cairnryan on 18th March 2002. The
tower in the foreground marks the end of a waste water outfall pipe.
Photo: LFW (click to enlarge) |
On the port (Islandmagee) side there is a lighthouse at
Ferris Point which encroaches close to that side of the channel. The
lighthouse with its hammer head top is a regular background feature of many LFW
photographs.. Also at the Ferris point lighthouse is a buoy depot
maintained by the Irish lights and Granuaile III regularly calls in for
new buoys and to deposit old or damaged ones for repair.
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Above, above left and left: A sequence of photos
showing Granuaile III's launch taking a replacement buoy from the
depot at Ferris Point lighthouse and towing it out to the
Granuaile III (pictured in the background of the left hand picture).
All pictures taken on the 26th of September 2004 by Aubrey Dale (click to
enlarge) |
On her frequent calls to Larne Granuaile III and
her predecessors have maintained the many buoys around Larne in top condition,
while shore staff look after the lighthouses. The most recent predecessor
Granuaile II was not so welcome a sight at Larne the old harbour rats
used to warn of bad weather to come after she was close to shore. She almost sank at The Maidens
after she hit rocks with the light commissioners top brass on board. She
was beached at Islandmagee after Larne tugs quickly got out to tow her to safety
before she sank.
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| Granuaille III departing Larne
on the 30th December 2002. Her opposite number in the Northern
Lights board Polestar has also visited Larne when both vessels
swapped in an exchange agreement between the Irish Lights and the NLB.
Photo: Larne Ferry Web (click to enlarge). |
Her predecessor Granuaile II at Larne being
passed by an outbound Ionic Ferry on the 11th April 1987.
Granuaile II ran aground at The Maidens and would have sunk if it
wasn't for some quick assistance from Larne tugs to get her beached before
she went down. Photo: Aubrey Dale (click to enlarge) |
| Right: Granuaile II beached at Brown's Bay
after running aground at the Maidens. Photo: John McLoughlin
Collection (click to enlarge) |
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Updated:
10/10/04
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