Coastal Landmarks and Navigation Aids of the North Sea — A Sailor’s Visual Guide

Last Updated on 13 August 2025 by Johan

The North Sea’s coastline is a patchwork of cliffs, sandy beaches, industrial harbors, and fishing villages. For centuries, sailors have relied on its lighthouses, lightships, and daymarks to guide them through shifting sandbanks and busy shipping lanes. Even in the era of GPS and AIS, these physical aids remain essential, especially when technology fails or poor weather limits satellite reception.

This guide takes you along the coast from the Dover Strait to the Skagerrak, highlighting key landmarks and navigation aids, with the kind of local knowledge that comes from years on these waters.

1. Dover Strait — The White Cliffs & South Foreland Lighthouse

Visual Cue: The chalk cliffs of Dover, rising over 100 meters, are visible for more than 20 nautical miles in clear weather.

Navigation Aid: South Foreland Lighthouse flashes a distinctive white light every 30 seconds, marking the entrance to the English Channel from the North Sea.

Local Insight: Dover pilots note that at sunrise, the cliffs can appear pink due to the angle of light, making them more visible than at midday.

2. Belgian Coast — Nieuwpoort West Head & Zeebrugge Mole

Visual Cue: The twin piers at Nieuwpoort are a welcome sight for small craft, with red and green lights marking safe entry.

Navigation Aid: At Zeebrugge, the long breakwater (“mole”) extends nearly 2 kilometers into the sea, with a prominent lighthouse at its head.

Local Insight: Belgian fishermen use the mole as a windbreak when setting nets close inshore during westerly blows.

3. Dutch Coast — Scheveningen Harbour Light & Maasvlakte Light

Visual Cue: The red-and-white Scheveningen lighthouse stands close to the promenade, with green and red sector lights marking the harbor entrance.

Navigation Aid: Maasvlakte Light, at the entrance to the Port of Rotterdam, has a white flash every 10 seconds, visible up to 28 nautical miles.

Local Insight: In strong northwesterlies, the seas at Scheveningen’s harbor entrance can be steep; local skippers time entry with the slack tide to reduce risk.

4. German Bight — Borkum Lightship & Alte Weser Lighthouse

Visual Cue: The Borkum Lightship serves as a floating beacon, marking the approach to the Ems estuary.

Navigation Aid: Alte Weser Lighthouse, a modern offshore structure, flashes white every 4 seconds and stands directly in the German Bight shipping lane.

Local Insight: Local pilots advise plotting courses that give Alte Weser a wide berth during summer weekends when leisure traffic is heaviest.

5. Danish West Coast — Blåvandshuk Lighthouse

Visual Cue: Situated on Denmark’s westernmost point, Blåvandshuk Lighthouse is painted white with a single red stripe and rises 39 meters.

Navigation Aid: The lighthouse’s white flash every 20 seconds is visible from more than 20 nautical miles offshore.

Local Insight: On exceptionally clear days, locals say you can see as far as Horns Rev Offshore Wind Farm from the top of the lighthouse.

6. Norwegian South Coast — Lindesnes Lighthouse

Visual Cue: Perched on a rocky headland, Lindesnes Lighthouse marks Norway’s southernmost point and the entrance to the Skagerrak.

Navigation Aid: It shows a white, red, or green sector light depending on approach angle, plus a powerful fog signal in poor visibility.

Local Insight: The surrounding waters are prone to confused seas where the North Sea meets the Baltic outflow; Norwegian fishermen often hug the coast to avoid rougher patches.

Tips for Navigating by Landmarks & Aids

Always cross-check visual bearings with GPS coordinates to confirm identity—many lights look similar from a distance.
Use paper charts to note light characteristics; battery failures can leave you without electronic references.
Learn local pronunciation of landmark names—VHF calls are clearer when pilots and coastguards understand immediately.

References & Official Resources

United Kingdom