An experienced yachtsman sailing across the Irish Sea will know about Skerries Lighthouse off the North West Anglesey coast in the UK. When they approach Holyhead Bay either from Dublin in the west or the north, this lighthouse on an isolated rock off the island coast will soon come into view. Today the Trinity House lighthouse on Skerries Rock is fully automatic and its 23 metres in height means the white flashing light can be seen by sailors up to 22 miles away.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) occasionally send out a team onto Skerries rock to monitor what is probably the largest tern colony in the world. However, over 200 years ago and matters were very different on this Anglesey coast known for its danger to shipping and littered with shipwrecks. Around 1713 an Irishman called William Trench purchased a 99 year lease on Skerries from William Robinson, a local landowner.
Mr Trench was a determined man and his efforts paid off and when in 1716 the first Skerries Lighthouse started operating. Compared to todays modern lighthouse it was only a 35 foot high tower with an open grate, and a coal burning flame for a light. To make it worth his efforts, William Trench used his business skills and charged a fee on all passing ships except the British Navy based on their tonnage.
In 1730 these levies were as much as around $2,200 every year (1=$2), a huge sum in those days. The fees continued to rise over the following years so that by 1828 the income was a massive $23,000. There was a change in ownership during this time and eventually the Trinity House bought the Skerries Lighthouse freehold for a staggering 445,000 ($990,000) in 1841.
Sailing through the gap between the Skerries Rock and Carmel Head on Anglesey, known as Langdon Ridge, can be a tough challenge for sailors even in fine conditions. In fact, some yachtsmen choose not to go through this channel at Langdon, especially at night because of the strong currents and closeness of the rocks. A full flood tide from Holyhead can push your boat along quickly towards Cemlyn Nature Reserve and Wylfa Power Station. These waters have now attracted the interest of tidal energy companies wanting to provide green, alternative energy.
Sailing around Anglesey can be great fun. And you can enjoy marine wildlife – cormorants, puffins, dolphins and puffins -either from the sea or the coastal path. When you pass Skerries Lighthouse just try to imagine the struggles of William Trench all those years ago, and how now these Anglesey Lighthouses protect ships and yachts. Kayak enthusiasts sometimes kayak to Skerries from Church Bay, and they have to measure the wind and tide to avoid missing their destination in these tidal waters.
So over 250 years ago William Trench started the Skerries Lighthouse story and it has been a colourful one since. The rock witnessed the end of sail and advent of steam, and the lighthouse keepers would have admired famous ships like the Great Eastern and Royal Charter, as well as seen numerous wrecks. Yachts and kayaks sometimes visit the rock and this Anglesey Lighthouse, while a large tern colony exists on the rock.
