Jærens rev
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Jærens rev (Jæren's reef) is the westernmost sandbank on the coast of Jæren, located approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) off Reve in Klepp municipality, between Orrestranda and Borestranda.[1][2] Its location has been used to define the limits of the Norwegian fishery zone.[3]
The shoal
The shoal is a partly stony sandbar and extends almost 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) to the west in front of the Revtangen headland, the westernmost point of Jæren. It is very shallow: at Klausgrunnen, about 1.5 nautical miles (2.8 km) off the coast, the water depth is still only 3.5 metres (11 ft).[4] A light buoy is located about 1.8 nautical miles (3.3 km) off the coast at the western end of the shoal,[5] approximately at position 58 ° 45 'N, 5 ° 26' E, for safe passage making. A 16.5 metres (54 ft) high steel mark on Revtangen built in 2004 also serves as a navigational beacon; its top mark has a side length of 4 metres (13 ft). A first wooden navigation mark was set up here as early as 1854; it was replaced by a steel construction in 1911, which was dismantled in 1994 and only replaced by the current beacon ten years later.[6]
About 6 nautical miles (11 km) further north-northeast is the Feistein Lighthouse on the small Feistein archipelago, at 58°49′35″N 05°30′19″E.
Wildfowl
Jæren's rev is a very well known locality for waders, and since 1937 Stavanger Museum has had an ornithological station (Revtangen Ornithological Station) on the mainland nearby.[7] The Norwegian Air Force took possession of parts of the site in the 1950s as a target area for bombs and gunfire, and the ornithological station was therefore relocated in the autumn of 1954 about 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) further northeast, to a point near the Reve farms, where it is still located today. Every year between 6,000 and 12,000 waders and passerines are caught there, ringed and then released again.[7] Almost 300 different bird species have been observed there since its opening.[8]
Wrecks
The reef has been the scene of many shipwrecks along the harsh Jær coast. In his book «Skipsforlis rundt Jæren» (tr. "Shipwreck around Jæren"), Erik Bakkevig writes of 394 shipwrecks along the Jæren coast over the years.[9]
The Norwegian cargo ship MS Knute Nelson sank at Jærens rev on 27 September 1944, together with two other ships in the same Axis forces convoy, which encountered a French-laid minefield.[10]
Rescue station
A rescue station was established here in 1852, and remained in operation until 1993.[11][12][citation needed]
References
- ^ Jærens Rev: Norway National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Bethesda, MD, USA www.geographic.org, accessed 17 January 2021
- ^ Jæren geographical region, Norway "Unlike most of the Norwegian coast, the plain is not protected by islands; instead, a dangerous reef, Jærens Rev, lies about 3 miles (5 km) offshore." www.britannica.com, accessed 17 January 2021
- ^ Royal Decree of 18 July 1952 relating to the Baselines for theNorwegian Fishery Zone as regards that part of Norwaywhich is situated to the south of 66°28'8 N Latitude Page 2, Point 86, "Jaerens Rev 58°45'05°29'6" 18 July 1952 www.un.org, accessed 17 January 2021
- ^ Jærkysten er drøy (tr. "The Jær coast is rough")[dead link]
- ^ Jærens rev lysbøye Klepp tr. "Jærens rev light buoy Klepp" www.yr.no, accessed 17 January 2021
- ^ Day mark: See description at Wikimedia Commons picture: "Dagmerke ved Jærens rev. Konstruksjon i rustfritt stål reist av grunneigarar, Klepp historielag og Jærens kystlag 25. august 2004. Høgd 16,5 meter, vekt meir enn 3 tonn. Merket har ein sidekant på fire meter. Første gong reist i 1854 (av tre), andre gong av stål i 1911 og tatt ned i 1994" tr."Daymark at Jærens rev. Stainless steel construction erected by landowners, Klepp history team and Jæren's coastal team on 25 August 2004. Height 16.5 meters, weight more than 3 tonnes. The mark has a side edge of four meters. The first marker was erected in 1854 (of wood), the second marker of steel in 1911 and taken down in 1994
- ^ a b About Revtangen Bird Observatory revtangen.no, accessed 17 January 2021
- ^ Birdwatching at Revtangen and Orrevatnet www.birdingbed.no (Lists some 40 regular visitors and 40 rarer breeds seen at Revtangen and Orrevatnet), accessed 18 January 2021
- ^ Forlis-konjakk gjekk for fem øre literen tr. "Shipwreck cognac went for five øre a liter" 11 November 2008 "In the book «Skipsforlis rundt Jæren» (Shipwreck around Jæren), the author Erik Bakkevig tells about 394 shipwrecks along the Jæren coast." www.aftenbladet.no, accessed 17 January 2021
- ^ MV Knute Nelson (+1944) www.wrecksite.eu, accessed 17 January 2021
- ^ Refve redningsstasjon tr. "Refve rescue station" 15 May 2019, lokalhistoriewiki.no, accessed 19 January 2021
- ^ Klepp Historielags årsskrift 2001 tr. "Klepp History team yearbook 2001"