Hyskeir

History

Hyskeir (Oigh Sgier) Lighthouse is situated on rocks approximately 5 miles south west of Canna and 8 miles west of the island of Rhum. It was established in 1904 to light the southern end of the Minch and to warn shipping off Mills Rocks, Canna Island and the rock on which the lighthouse is built.
Both Hyskeir and Canna are low lying and, prior to the establishment of the light, difficult to observe.

D A Stevenson estimated the cost at £15,134 and the work was given to the Oban contractor Messrs D & J MacDougall. The optics were supplied by Chance Brothers costing £821, the lanterns and parapet by Dove and Co., Edinburgh £1,275.

The families of the Hyskeir Lightkeepers lived in Oban and the keepers were taken out from there by helicopter for their month of duty. The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland visited Hyskeir by helicopter in 1974.

Although the keepers were taken to and from the rock by helicopter, for their reliefs, heavy items such as oil and equipment have to be landed by the lighthouse vessel PHAROS. During the winter of 1980, bad weather had prevented the lighthouse vessel FINGAL from delivering ten barrels of oil on a number of occasions between September and January. When the supplies were finally landed, only 2 days' supply of oil had been left at the station.

The light was automated in March 1997.

Print this page Go back to Lighthouses