Ahtopol Lighthouse And Waves Crushing Rocks Stock Photography

A wave crushing into a rock island with a Lighthouse on it in the Black Sea near Ahtopol, BulgariaPerched atop a reef, the lighthouse of Ahtopol is a serene summertime sight. In winter, however, the structure has to endure rough waves and strong winds.This explains the long list of repairs and dramas that filled the first decades of its existence. In 1936 it was made almost four metres taller, at 15 metres, because high winter waters were going over its top and making it freeze. In 1945 the concrete base was badly damaged by the water and had to be reinforced. Two years later, a boat with four people carrying fuel for the lighthouse sank during a winter storm. Luckily, the men survived.The problems continue. Ensuring the lighthouse gets electricity from the mainland especially in stormy weather has proved an unattainable feat of engineering, and today the lighthouse is powered by a battery.