Latest on the ILLW 2014 fun-event

A friendly tussle between three countries for the leaderboard is being fought out in the 17th International Lighthouses and Lightship Weekend, held on August 16-17.

The USA on 55 registrations is followed closely by Germany 54 and Australia 53. Organisers have the fun-event well ahead of this time last year. The three have about 50% of all 330 registrations. With such proud coastline shipping navigation histories, last year saw Germany having 72 registrations outstripping Australia with 69, and the USA on 66. These three try to grab supremacy each year. In the USA there are a staggering 14 new or virgin lighthouses. These include South East Light on Block Island Rhode Island K1L. Among the many other new ones is Chatham Lighthouse in Massachusetts, with the Barnstable Amateur Radio Club K1KBO.

In the Americas this year there's also Barbados, Canada, Chile, Curacao, Falkland Islands, Honduras, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Uruguay. Australia has four virgin lighthouses. The Whaler's Bluff Lighthouse at Portland Harbour in Western Victoria with Johnno VK3FMPB, up the coast from Griffiths Island Lighthouse, Port Fairy and Peter VK3ZPF. The Fingal Head Lighthouse on one of Australia's eastern points is activated by Grant VK2GEL. And at Cape Tourville Lighthouse Eastern Tasmania will be Ken VK7HKN and wife Lyn VK7FROG.

In Spain is the Faro de Cabo de Silleiro Lighthouse, this year's 200th entry, to be put on air by Hans EA1/DK6EA and Heike DC2CT. And another first-timer is the Eckwarden Oberfeuer Lighthouse in Germany on the North Sea, registered by Sebastian DM1SW. Out of 38 countries already registered this year, England is doing well with 24. Also in greater Europe there's Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Northern Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Wales.

The Asian region has registrations so far from Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand. In 2013 the final total of 526 was a record. The last 200-odd registrations are due in a few weeks. Maybe the event will again break through the 500 barrier? Who will score the prestigious 400 registration?

Already a dozen have registered for the 2015 annual event that helps increase the public awareness of historic marine navigation, their preservation and promotes portable Amateur Radio activity. To read the simple guidelines, see reports from others having at this event that began two decades ago, or to register for the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend on August the 16th and 17th, see the dedicated website www.illw.net

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