Feuerschiff Fehmarnbelt, LüBECK

Today satellites and other modern navigation devices guide the ships through the waters of the Baltic Sea but of course it wasn't always like that. For many decades lightships were stationed far off the coast - floating lighthouses with crews marking rocks and showing the way to the vessels. The "Fehmarnbelt" was one of those lightships. Built as a three-mast-schooner in 1908 she was fitted with a Diesel engine and a signal light device in 1931 and afterwards stationed at several positions in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. Her last station was the Fehmarnbelt strait where she was stationed from 1965 onwards until her time was over in 1984. A fully automatic light buoy took her place and she was to be wrecked. But the private society "Feuerschiff für Lübeck" rescued her. She was restored and then found her last port in the Holstenhafen harbor. There are only few lightships left today so the "Fehmarnbelt" is an important reminde r of technology. The ship is open to visitors.