Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:14:48-4:15:39

Could darkened lighthouses cause hostile ships to run aground?

Without shore lights, crews needed lookouts and dead reckoning to avoid grounding in coastal waters.

Age Of SailCoastal BlackoutsLighthousesNavigation
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Question

Were there cases of hostile ships running aground because lighthouses had been extinguished?

Short answer

Yes. The loss of lighthouse guidance increased the demands on lookouts and dead reckoning, with such groundings more common in the age of sail.

Notes

Hostile ships could run aground without lighthouse guidance. Navigating close to shore in darkness required careful visual lookouts and dead reckoning. Such losses were more common in the age of sail. Modern lighthouse systems are also a relatively recent development within the much longer history of travel by sea.