Herrvik Pilot Marker

Nice old pilot's mark from the 19th century, renovated in 1981.

At Kuppen, near Herrvik in Östergarnlandet, there is a seamark in the shape of a stone hake. It is called the Lotsmärket and was built in 1850. There was a pilot station in Herrvik and from there the pilotage was handled to the country harbour in Katthammarsvik. If you followed the straight line formed by the hake and a protruding cliff on Kuppen, you could get past the treacherous Skåne River. In 1930, i.e. a few years after the pilot station was closed down, the Pilots Directorate thought that the hake had also done its job and it was removed from the sea chart. Physically, however, it was still there, although it had fallen into disrepair over the years. In 1981, it was restored by the relatively newly formed Östergarn-Gammelgarns Hembygdsförening on the initiative of the legendary Harry Klingvall. Now, just over 30 years later, it was time for a facelift. The plaster that had not already fallen off was knocked and chiseled away last autumn. During the two fantastic days of June 9 and 10, the Pilot's Mark received a beautiful new surface of hydraulic lime mortar. With skilled masons like Jan Norberg and Ivan Hallin, assisted by a number of enthusiastic handymen, the work went quickly and the result was really good. During the coffee breaks, one could enjoy an extraordinary view of a mirror-like sea towards Östergarnsholm.
Source: Östergarn-Gammelgarns Hembygdsförening