Name and Location

Æbelø Fyr, also known as Æbelø Lighthouse, is a small, unmanned coastal light station located on the island of Æbelø in the Great Belt, northern Funen, Denmark. The official address is Æbelø 2, 5400 Bogense, Denmark, and the coordinates are 55.6459375 N, 10.163027 E.

Construction and History

Æbelø Fyr was first established in the mid-19th century to warn of the shallow waters and reefs around Æbelø, a low-lying limestone island long used by fishermen. The lighthouse has been converted to automatic operation in the late 20th century, with no resident keeper since.

Architecture and Materials

The tower is a simple cylindrical structure adjoined to a small service building (now unused), likely made of rendered masonry or concrete typical of Danish minor lights built after 1850. The color scheme features a white tower with a single horizontal red band for daymark visibility. The height above ground is approximately 7 meters, and the focal plane is around 10 meters above mean sea level.

Light and Navigation

The lighthouse emits a white light with a characteristic of Fl W 5 s (one flash every 5 seconds), typical of minor Danish lights. The nominal range is approximately 6 nautical miles, based on the focal height and lamp power. Æbelø Fyr is an important aid to navigation for local fishing boats and recreational vessels.

Accessibility and Visiting

The island of Æbelø can be visited by small boats at one sandy landing point on the southwest shore, but there is no official ferry service. The lighthouse itself is fenced off and not open to the public. Visitors must obtain permission from the landowner before accessing the island.

Notable Views and Landscape

Æbelø is a low, tidal island of exposed limestone, salt marsh, and grassland, known for its rich birdlife (seabirds, waders) and seal haul-outs on surrounding reefs. The island also features a network of field-stone dykes dating from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Local fishermen have long regarded Æbelø's shoals as treacherous, with the lighthouse's red band said to mimic the sunrise at low tide, thereby warning mariners. Legends tell of a turn-of-the-century keeper who rowed nightly to the mainland to collect fresh supplies.

Technical and Operational Details

Æbelø Fyr is managed by the Danish Coastal Authority (Kystdirektoratet) and remains an active aid to navigation, monitored remotely. There are no installed AIS or radar systems on site. The lighthouse appears on Danish chart no. 1324, covering the Great Belt approaches.

Further Information

For more information, please visit the Danish Coastal Authority website (www.kyst.dk), Æbelø's Wikipedia entry (https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Æbel%C3%B8), or Wikidata (Q28375531).