To sound the Foghorn, a valve is opened and air whooshes along the pipe to the Foghorn where it passes over a siren. It takes around 25psi to power the foghorn compressed air is stored in the receiver tanks, which are connected to the Foghorn via an underground pipe. The Sumburgh Foghorn is powered by low-pressure compressed air, generated in the engines and compressors in the Engine Room. During the refurbishment of Sumburgh Head the Foghorn was restored to working order and will now sound again on special occasions. Recently restored and re-painted, the bright red trumpet points out to sea as it has since it was built in 1905 and put into operation in 1906. The Foghorn would have been heard for miles around (image by Frank Bradford) The Sumburgh Head Foghorn is a striking landmark.
Providing aids to navigation is just one of the tools that assist with the safe and efficient movement of traffic in our waters that’s external to the vessels,” said Evans.COMPETITION TIME 2022: Win the chance to sound the foghorn! “Our top priorities are definitely safety of life at sea, the protection of the marine environment and the efficient movement of marine traffic in our waters. While these reviews occur on a five-year cycle, Evans said that the Coast Guard also conducts ad hoc reviews if there are marine incidents or changes to the conditions in a certain area. Other aids to navigation include floating buoys and beacons. That will play into our analysis of where, when and what we provide for the users.” “That’s why we do the cyclical reviews, we look at traffic patterns and the size of the vessels, the number of vessels that are transiting certain areas. “We continually strive to ensure that the aids to navigation meet the needs of our mariners and promote safe and efficient movement of the vessels,” she said. Evans said they would also be looking at other navigational aids on the coast. “The sound patterns to vary with the different horns, but they typically use low frequency so the sound will travel further,” she said.įoghorns - of which there are three in the area: Cape Mudge, Chatham Point and Pulteney Point near Port McNeill - are only part of the ongoing review. Evans said that fog can even reflect sound backwards, so lower frequencies are preferred.
The sound of fog horns have to meet certain parameters to cut through the fog that surrounds the island.
“We have heard that some people would like us to go back to the old horns, but unfortunately that’s not a feasible option for us.” They’re set for when visibility is less than two nautical miles, and they automatically go off,” said Glenna Evans, regional superintendent for the aids to navigation and waterways program. Technology is such that we went and moved to the electronic horn. “The old diaphone air horn had that low noise. However, as part of their five-year cyclical review of navigational aids up and down the coast they want to hear from locals for their opinions on the matter. The Coast Guard switched to a cheaper electronic horn in the late 1990s. The main reason is that the classic fog horn sound actually requires a machine the size of a building. The Canadian Coast Guard wants feedback on the Cape Mudge foghorn, but won’t be going back to the classic long low sound of the old days.
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