Name and Location

The Chesmenskii Mayak (Chesmensky Lighthouse) stands on the southern shore of the White Sea, within a sparsely populated coastal zone of Arkhangelsk Oblast. The official name is Chesmenskii Mayak, and it is also known locally as "Mayak Chesmenskiy". Its coordinates are 64°43′04.5″ N, 36°32′47.5″ E.

2. Construction and History

The lighthouse was likely constructed in the mid-20th century during the Soviet period, when the Northern Sea Route and local fisheries networks were expanded. Although no dedicated archival references have been located in public domain sources, it is speculated that the light was installed around the 1960s to improve navigation into Chesmenskii Bay and nearby timber-export facilities.

3. Architecture and Materials

Unfortunately, detailed specifications of the tower height, construction materials or architectural style are not readily available. However, most remote White Sea lights erected during the Soviet era (1950s–1970s) are reinforced-concrete, cylindrical towers with lantern rooms atop.

4. Light and Navigation

The lighthouse serves as an active aid to navigation along the White Sea coast, marking a shallow approach area and prominent headland. It is likely that the light has a nominal range of 10-15 nautical miles, but no exact information on its characteristic is available.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

Visitors can access the lighthouse by 4×4 road or boat, although there is no public ferry service. The site is unstaffed and not formally open for tourism; landing by private boat or overland trail is possible but visitors should obtain prior permission from regional port authorities.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

The site offers panoramic views of Chesmenskii Bay, seasonal ice floes, migrating seabirds, and occasional pods of White Sea seals. Nearby attractions include the Village of Mayak Chesmenskiy (local fishermen's settlement), the White Sea Biological Station (seasonal research facility run by Moscow State University), and historic Bolshevik-era timber piers at the mouth of the Northern Dvina River.

7. Anecdotes and Folklore

No specific anecdotes or folklore are available for this lighthouse.

8. Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is presumed to be fully automated, with a power source likely comprising solar panels with battery backup or a diesel generator (common for remote Russian lights). No AIS transponder or radar reflector is documented on public nautical publications.

9. Further Information

Further information can be found on OpenStreetMap, GeoNames Plus Code, and the Russian Maritime Register (for chart RU747).