Geoff Crowley MM5AHO returned to the LRS on January 25th to describe and show video footage shot by his son Matt MM1EUI of their participation in the International Lighthouses and Lightships Weekend in August 2011. They sailed from Oban to Skerryvore, Dubh Artach and several other lighthouse. While there they did exploration and research into the building of these Stevenson lighthouses. The presentation covered the construction of the Skerryvore and Dubh Artach lighthouses, radio operations while anchored alongside various lights on Scotland's west coast, yachting and wildlife seen on the 300 mile journey.
Photographs courtesy of Geoff MM5AHO.
Geoff made a welcome return to the LRS to describe his 2011 lighthouses cruise.
Starting from Oban, Geoff and his son Matt sailed to Tobermory on Mull, Coll, Tiree, Iona,
the lighthouses on Skerryvore, Dubh Artach and several others.
Matt Crowley MM1EUI shot excellent video of the cruise, which was shown during Geoff's presentation.
Skerryvore lighthouse is located on an isolated reef out in the Atlantic. Its planning and construction took almost ten years to complete. Geoff described how every stone was precisely specified and prepared for assembly.
Approaching Skerryvore on Geoff's 10m yacht Contender.
Geoff at Skerryvore lighthouse.
Chart of the reefs around Dubh Artach lighthouse.
Many seals were seen during the cruise.
This seal made off at incredible speed in video footage shot by Matt.
Geoff made several hundred QSOs from the vicinity of the lighthouses using a wire antenna which doubled as a mast stay.
Geoff presented the LRS with this nice trophy made from a classic VHF double tetrode valve.
After Geoff's presentation, discussion continued in the Buckstone bar!
L-R: Colin GM4HWO, Peter GM4DTH, Andy MM0FMF, Geoff MM5AHO & Brian GM8BJF.