Keskiniemi daybeacon

Keskiniemi daybeacon, also often referred as Karvo daydeacon ("Keskiniemen tunnusmajakka" in Finnish), is a historic daymark located on a promontory of Keskiniemi in northwestern part of Hailuoto island in the Gulf of Bothnia in Finland. The tower was built in 1858 to alert the vessels about sandbars reaching northwest from the site. It is the oldest surviving navigational aid on Hailuoto island. [ [http://www.nousevarannikkoseutu.fi/mp/db/file_library/x/IMG/31656/file/monimuotoisuudenyleissuunnitelmaHailuoto.pdf Eino Merilä: Koirantakkua ja karupäitä: Luonnon monimuotoisuuden yleissuunnitelma Hailuodon maatalousympäristölle] (in Finnish), page 13] The tower has structural similarities with Härkmeri daybeacon built in 1857. [ [http://www.fma.fi/virtualboat/merenkurkku/kohde.php?kohde=harkmeri Merenkulkulaitos: Virtuaalinen veneretki: Härkmeri] (in Finnish)]

The wooden tower has a six-meter (20 ft) high square base with square pyramidical top. The first floor houses a 70 cm (frac|2|1|3 feet) thick layer of stones serving as counterweight to prevent the structure from tipping on wind. The structure also has wooden beams in all four corners for increased support against winds. The tower has a wooden top ornament.Seppo Laurell: Suomen majakat (Finnish Lighthouses), 1999, page 69, ISBN 952-5180-21-2]

The structure measures 18,9 meters (62 ft) high from the ground, with the top being 20,9 meters (87 ft) above sea level. All faces are white.

The current deaybeacon is the second navigational aid locaated on the Keskiniemi promontyory. In a navigational map dated on 1785 by Henrik Wacklin a daybeacon is shown at the same location.

The tower has never been lit. A modern Keskiniemi sector light has been erected alongside the tower.

References