Ile Aux Galets, Octagonal lighthouse on Skillagalee Island, Lake Michigan, Michigan, US
Ile Aux Galets is an octagonal white brick lighthouse on Skillagalee Island that rises about 18 meters above Lake Michigan's surface. It flashes a white light every six seconds to guide ships through the waters and operates using solar power after being automated decades ago.
This lighthouse was constructed in 1888 to replace two earlier structures from 1850 and 1868 that had deteriorated from the harsh lake conditions. It was built to provide safer passage through the treacherous Grays Reef area where ships faced navigation hazards.
The lighthouse sits on a small gravel island and has become a recognizable landmark for boats navigating these waters. It represents the human effort to make shipping safer in a challenging part of the lake.
The lighthouse sits on a low gravel island that is difficult to reach and requires a boat trip to visit. Its light can be seen from about eleven nautical miles away, making it effective for guiding ships through this section of the lake.
The lighthouse uses a fourth-order Fresnel lens, a sophisticated optical system that concentrates light into a beam visible from great distances. This type of lens was a technical innovation of its era, significantly improving how far ships could see the light.
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