The Darßer Ort lighthouse is usually used for navigation and, at the same time, as a warning of the north-western tip of the Fischland-Darß-Zingst peninsula in the east of the Bay of Mecklenburg. It is given further significance by its proximity to the Kadet Channel, which runs westwards, and the heavily trafficked traffic separation scheme ‘South of Gedser’.
Darßer Ort is currently unlit
However, for the time being, the lighthouse can only fulfil this function during daylight hours: as the responsible Baltic Sea Waterways and Shipping Authority stated in a corresponding Notice to Mariners According to the (BfS), the tower is currently unlit. No further reasons for the failure of the navigational mark have been given so far.
Just tonnes as a guide at night
During the night-time patrol around the Darß peninsula and Darßer Ort, the only navigational aids currently available north of the Wustrow light are lighted buoys with a significantly shorter range: on the western side, the western cardinal marks ‘Esper Ort’ and ‘Darßer Ort W’, as well as the eastern cardinal mark ‘Darßer Ort O’ to the east of the headland. The approach to the nearest harbour in Prerow, south-east of Darßer Ort, is also marked by beacons.
Christian Tiedt
Editor Travel
