How do lighthouses help ships navigate safely when a thick fog means a beam of light is not visible?
Beacons of light at night and identifiable by their markings by day, lighthouses are used as navigational aids by mariners.
When visibility is poor, fog signals come into operation. Lighthouses using fog horns have unique tones and frequencies of blasts. In line with Commissioners of Irish Lights regulations,
Air compressors are doubled in case of failure.
In Dún Laoghaire a warning bell is sounded. At Hook Head Lighthouse in County Wexford explosive fog signals are operated manually during the fog watch.
'Anthology : The Land Is The Danger' was broadcast on 14 October 1970. Narration is by Norris Davidson, Brendan Cauldwell, Bosco Hogan and J O’Sullivan.
