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Utklippan

Coordinates: 55°57′10″N 15°42′05″E / 55.952736°N 15.701429°E / 55.952736; 15.701429
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Utklippan Lighthouse
Utklippan Lighthouse
Map
LocationBaltic Sea
Southeast of Karlskrona
Sweden
Coordinates55°57′10″N 15°42′05″E / 55.952736°N 15.701429°E / 55.952736; 15.701429
Tower
Constructed1789 (first)
1840 (second)
Foundationstone basement
Constructioncast iron skeletal tower
Automated1972
Height30 metres (98 ft)
Shapeconical skeletal tower with central cylinder, balcony and lantern on a stone fortress
Markingsred tower, grey lantern dome, white fortress
Power sourcerapeseed oil, kerosene, electricity Edit this on Wikidata
OperatorSwedish Maritime Administration (Sjöfartsverket)[1]
Heritagegovernmental listed building Edit this on Wikidata
Light
First lit1870 (current)
Deactivated2008 (passing light active)
Focal height31 metres (102 ft)
Lensmirrors (original), 4th Fresnel lens (current)
Range23 nautical miles (43 km; 26 mi)
CharacteristicFl (2) WRG 6s. (current)
Fl W 15s. (before deactivation)
Sweden no.SV-6015

Utklippan is a Swedish island group including Södraskär (South skerry), Norraskär (North skerry), and Degerhuvudet. It has been home to a lighthouse since 1789.

History

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Utklippan has been a light station since 1789 when a basket light was in use. The current tower (built in 1870) replaced an older tower built in 1840 on top of an old fortress. The flame ran on colza oil. In 1887 the colza oil lamp was replaced with a kerosene lamp. It has been powered electrically since 1948.

Utklippan was turned into a nature reserve in 1988.[2] The Swedish Maritime Administration owns the lighthouse today. In the summer of 2008 SMA reported that the white main light had been deactivated, as it was no longer considered to be an important lighthouse for commercial shipping. A small passing light remains in use.

Geography

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Utklippan consists of three main islands – Södraskär, Norraskär, and Degerhuvudet – in addition to some smaller skerries.[2]

Between Södraskär and Norraskär is a fishing harbour. Today it is protected and mainly used for recreational boats.[2] There are five other houses on the islands, owned by the Swedish National Property Board. One of them is a small hostel.

Despite its remote location, Utklippan is home to varied wildlife including frogs, earless seals, blue mussels, and seaweed. A birding station exists to watch and research migrating birds in the spring and autumn.[2]

The bedrock on Utklippan consists of granite. There are traces of the ice sheet that used to cover the Baltic Sea.[2]

Panoramic view of Utklippan twin islands; view from the small harbour bassin of the north island towards the southeast, 30.07.2009
Climate data for Utklippan, 2015-2021
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 4.1
(39.4) 		4.0
(39.2) 		5.2
(41.4) 		8.1
(46.6) 		12.7
(54.9) 		17.8
(64.0) 		19.9
(67.8) 		20.6
(69.1) 		17.0
(62.6) 		12.6
(54.7) 		9.0
(48.2) 		6.4
(43.5) 		11.4
(52.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) 2.7
(36.9) 		2.6
(36.7) 		3.5
(38.3) 		5.9
(42.6) 		10.2
(50.4) 		15.2
(59.4) 		17.5
(63.5) 		18.3
(64.9) 		15.2
(59.4) 		11.1
(52.0) 		7.6
(45.7) 		5.0
(41.0) 		9.6
(49.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 1.4
(34.5) 		1.2
(34.2) 		1.8
(35.2) 		3.7
(38.7) 		7.7
(45.9) 		12.7
(54.9) 		15.3
(59.5) 		16.1
(61.0) 		13.4
(56.1) 		9.1
(48.4) 		6.4
(43.5) 		3.5
(38.3) 		7.7
(45.9)
Source: [3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Sweden: Blekinge (Karlskrona Area)". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Utklippan" (in Swedish). Länsstyrelsen Blekinge. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  3. ^ "SMHI". Archived from the original on 2013-02-13.
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