Northern Lighthouse Board
Notice to Mariners, 16 April, 2019

Mariners are advised that, on or about 3 MAY 2019, the existing light will be withdrawn and replaced by a TEMPORARY LIGHT with the undernoted characteristics:

Additionally, on or about 6 MAY 2019, the red and white tower shall be partially obscured by scaffolding and will appear less defined pending completion of essential engineering works. AIS broadcasts from this station may be subject to minor disruption during the works.

A further Notice to Mariners will be issued prior to the re-establishment of a permanent light of the charted character.

M P BULLOCK
Chief Executive

Northern Lighthouse Board
Notice to Mariners, 27 March, 2019

Mariners are advised that, on or about 10 APRIL 2019, buoyage marking the Corran Ledge and North Channel will be altered as below:

1. The West Cardinal mark at Corran Ledge (56° 25.194’ North 005° 29.108’ West) will be permanently discontinued.
2. The seasonal marks established as per NOTICE TO MARINERS NO 7 OF 2018 (DATED 28 MARCH 2018), will be permanently discontinued.
3. The following buoys will be established on a permanent basis.

M P BULLOCK
Chief Executive

Northern Lighthouse Board
Notice to Mariners, 15 March, 2019

Mariners are advised that, on or about 29 MARCH 2019, an unlit beacon will be established at this location with the undernoted characteristics:-

M P BULLOCK
Chief Executive

Northern Lighthouse Board
Notice to Mariners, 28 February, 2019

Mariners are advised that, on or about 13 MARCH 2019, the current perch at this location will be replaced by an unlit beacon with the undernoted characteristics:-

This notice supersedes NOTICE TO MARINERS NO 7 OF 2019 (DATED 11 FEBRUARY 2019), which is hereby cancelled.

M P BULLOCK
Chief Executive

Northern Lighthouse Board
Notice to Mariners, 11 February, 2019

Mariners are advised that, on or about 28 FEBRUARY 2019, the current perch at this location will be replaced by an unlit beacon with the undernoted characteristics:-

M P BULLOCK
Chief Executive

Northern Lighthouse Board
Notice to Mariners, 23 January, 2019

With reference to NOTICE TO MARINERS NO 10 OF 2017 (DATED 10 AUGUST 2017), notice is given that, on or about 13 FEBRUARY 2019, the temporary light at this station will be discontinued and a permanent light re-established with the undernoted characteristics:-

M P BULLOCK
Chief Executive

Northern Lighthouse Board
Notice to Mariners, 10 January, 2019

Mariners are advised that, on or about 23 JANUARY 2019, the existing light will be withdrawn and replaced by a TEMPORARY LIGHT with the undernoted characteristics:

A further Notice to Mariners will be issued prior to the re-establishment of a permanent light of the charted character.

M P BULLOCK
Chief Executive

Northern Lighthouse Board
Notice to Mariners, 10 January, 2019

The General Lighthouse Authorities will be undertaking a review of Aids to Navigation provision around the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland during 2019. The Review will be published in 2020 and will inform the GLAs work plans for the following five year period.

The GLAs provide a comprehensive network of Aids to Navigation for General Navigation and are responsible for the Superintendence and Management of Local Aids to Navigation provided by Local Lighthouse Authorities.

The SOLAS Convention requires the provision of “such Aids to Navigation as the volume of traffic justifies and the degree of risk requires”. The 2020 review will consider all AtoN on the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, both individually and as a system of AtoN. The GLAs consider good quality user input to be an essential component of this review. Users of Marine Aids to Navigation are invited to contribute to the review by commenting on:

• The usefulness and usability of existing Aids to Navigation provided by the GLAs
• Any proposed requirement for the provision of new Aids to Navigation
• The mix of Aids to Navigation provided including lighthouses, buoys, beacons, Racons, AIS AtoN and Differential GPS
• The benefit to users of providing additional data from AtoN such as meteorological data
• The effectiveness of systems used to promulgate information relating to Aids to Navigation
• Any other Aids to Navigation related issues

Comments regarding the provision of Aids to Navigation around Scotland and the Isle of Man should be addressed to navigation@nlb.org.uk

M P BULLOCK
Chief Executive

Northern Lighthouse Board
Notice to Mariners, 10 January, 2019

DGPS is provided as a marine aid to navigation, giving all year round service with overlapping signal coverage up to 50 nautical miles around the coasts of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. The signal provides the mariner using a suitable receiver with both real time integrity monitoring of GPS derived positions and the capability of fixing their positions to better than 5 metres (95% probability) in moving applications. Greater accuracy can be achieved in stationary applications.

All mariners are advised:

1. DGPS relies inherently on GPS, the operation and characteristics of which is under the control of the US Department of Defense. Users are cautioned that the signal availability and accuracy may be subject to change without warning.
2. The DGPS service is provided primarily for use in monitoring the integrity of GPS to enhance the safety of marine navigation. The provision of greater accuracy for marine navigation is a secondary feature.
3. Signal reception may become unreliable, under certain extreme environmental conditions, towards the limits of the geographical coverage.
4. All radio navigation systems are susceptible to interference (including jamming) and environmental effects, which can adversely affect their availability. The GLAs strongly advise that no single aid to navigation system should be used in isolation and that DGPS users should use all alternative means available to cross check the information received. Users should also ensure that they have a receiver which gives sufficient warning of the complete loss of the DGPS signal and reversion to GPS.
5. Various DGPS receiver types are available, some of which may not provide appropriate or timely warnings in respect of the system.
6. Reference should also be made to Volume 2 of the Admiralty List of Radio Signals. In particular, mariners’ attention is drawn to the section dealing with horizontal datums on charts and satellite-derived position notes.

M P BULLOCK
Chief Executive

Northern Lighthouse Board
Notice to Mariners, 10 January, 2019

Northern Lighthouse Board advise that the following Notices to Mariners from previous years remain in force:

09/2017   Copinsay – Temporary Light
10/2017  Ardnamurchan – Temporary Light
09/2018  Duncansby Head – Temporary Light
10/2018  Mull of Kintyre – Temporary Light
11/2018  Mull of Galloway – Temporary Light
12/2018  Stroma (Swilkie Point) – Temporary Light

M P BULLOCK
Chief Executive

Northern Lighthouse Board
Notice to Mariners, 10 January, 2019

Northern Lighthouse Board request Mariners navigating around our coasts to exercise the greatest care to avoid damage to floating Aids to Navigation.

Mariners should give all navigational buoys a wide berth, always having regard for the strength of the wind and tide, and are requested to report immediately any defect in any Aid to Navigation either to NLB’s Monitoring Centre (telephone 0131 473 3198), or to HM Coastguard.

The Merchant Shipping Act 1995 makes provision for the imposition of a fine on any person who wilfully or negligently runs foul of, or makes fast to, any Lighthouse, Buoy or Beacon, and for the recovery of the expenses for making good any resulting damage.

Northern Lighthouse Board operates a number of lighthouses with adjacent boat landings. Since the departure of lightkeepers from these sites, the landings are no longer maintained and we accept no liability for injuries or damage caused by unauthorised access to these sites.

Mariners are invited to contact the Navigation Section, Northern Lighthouse Board (navigation@nlb.org.uk), to comment on any aspect of the Aids to Navigation Service or on hazards to navigation around our coasts.

M P BULLOCK
Chief Executive