The devastating Baltic storm surge on the night of 20/21 October 2023 not only damaged or even destroyed yachts, port facilities and other infrastructure along the coast. The Kiel lighthouse was also hit unchecked by the force of the storm.
The full extent and, above all, the consequences of the damage have not yet been finalised. However, the pilot station, which the lighthouse also serves as, has been closed since the night of the storm. There is now speculation as to when - and if at all - it will be usable again.
No trespassing and water ingress
"So much water got in during the storm that the entire pilot station was damaged, from the very top to the basement to the engine room," reports Gerd Pitschmann, first senior member of the NOK II pilot brotherhood.
"As the submarine cable was still energised from land, we were forbidden to enter - and that is still the case today," says the pilot.
The reason for this is the ongoing investigations by the Baltic Sea Waterways and Shipping Authority (WSA) in Stralsund, which is responsible for the operation of the tower.
"There are cracks in the building, cracks in the foundations. But I can't say anything about the impact of this yet," reports a spokeswoman for the WSA in response to an enquiry from our sister magazine YACHT.
Investigations into the damage are still ongoing
The authorities also stated the following regarding the operational readiness of the lighthouse since the night of the storm: "Since then, access to the lighthouse has been closed, except for specialised personnel from the WSA. Due to the unfavourable weather conditions, the investigations into the damage have also been delayed. The damage surveys are currently being analysed in order to plan the necessary further measures."
However, diving work has not yet been completed to find out how badly the plinth was damaged. The first results are expected at the end of March, beginning of April.
Continued existence of the beacon is guaranteed
As the technology in the lighthouse was damaged during the storm, the beacon was initially operated in emergency mode immediately afterwards, reports pilot Gerd Pitschmann. However, the continued existence of the beacon at this position is not jeopardised, according to the WSA. Even if "something else" has to be set up if necessary. The safety of shipping is guaranteed.
The tower's dual function has a long tradition: since it went into operation in 1967, it has served both as a beacon and as a transfer station for the pilots in the area between Kiel, Flensburg, Lübeck and Denmark. The tower is located a good four nautical miles off the coast at the entrance to the Kiel Fjord and serves as a leading light in the Bay of Kiel. Sailors know it as the approach to the fjord and a waterside landmark of the Schleswig-Holstein state capital. A weather station of the German Weather Service is also located on the tower.
