Account of the Skerryvore lighthouse : $b with notes on the illumination of lighthousesStevenson, Alan
History
Account of the Skerryvore lighthouse : $b with notes on the illumination of lighthouses
Stevenson, Alan
Skerryvore Lighthouse (Hebrides, Scotland)
The next Rock that occurs is Bo-rhua, a name derived from the Celtic,
and signifying, according to the natives, Red Rock. It lies about
2³⁄₄ miles from Boinshly, and about one mile from the Skerryvore. The
passage between it and Boinshly is clear, and has a depth of about
fourteen fathoms; but it is too narrow to be safely navigated except
by daylight, even under the most favourable circumstances, and then
no mariner would run the risk of taking such a passage, but would
prefer, even at some sacrifice of time, the fairway of the passage of
Tyree. Bo-rhua is completely covered at high, but is dry at low water.
The extent of rock uncovered is about forty feet by twenty feet, and
the highest point of it is about six feet above low water level of
spring tides. A small outlying pinnacle, about ten feet square, is
also uncovered at low water. The depth immediately round Bo-rhua is
considerable, from three to seven fathoms being found within fifty feet
of it; and in this respect it differs from Boinshly, which, as already
mentioned, is surrounded by shoal water for some distance. Between
Bo-rhua and Skerryvore, however, which is a distance of about a mile,
there cannot properly be said to be any clear navigable channel, as
will be distinctly seen by referring to the plan. The whole of this
tract may, in fact, be termed _foul ground_.
* * * * *
The Skerryvore or chief rock, and the detached rocks immediately
surrounding it, were surveyed with greater minuteness than the others,
as it was at once apparent, that on this part of the reef alone could a
suitable site for a lighthouse be found. The name is derived from the
Gaelic, and signifies the Great Rock. It is very much wasted and cut
up; the number of detached rocks, sunk and exposed, in its immediate
neighbourhood, whose positions were determined during the survey,
amounting to no fewer than 130. The depth of water between those
different detached fragments, which extend over a surface of about a
mile in length, by half a mile in breadth, is considerable, varying
from 2¹⁄₂ to 8¹⁄₂ fathoms at low water of spring tides.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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