Since the early days of mankind that water courses, rivers and lakes have not only attracted man but also caused fear in face of the unknown. In order to help him find his way man used natural signals but later on he understood that he had to place signs and light fires to indicate the presence of danger, the existence of pieces of land sticking out into the sea or the location of harbours.
Although incipient, this was the genesis of maritime signalling and of navigation safety. This signalling depended on specific interests and needs and was used only by people that were familiar with the several places and with the meaning of the signals.
Signals started to be given differentiated shapes and characteristics according to their relative position on the navigation courses. Later, when the signalling devices started to be equipped with a light source they began emitting a fixed light. However, it was easily confused with the lights on land on board the boats. Criteria were then gradually adopted since it was fundamental to distinguish a signal from another and understand what the right sequence of signals was. The fact that distinct characteristics were given to the several lighthouses has decisively contributed to the safety of navigation.
Nowadays, in spite of the large number and variety of electronic aids to navigation, the light of a lighthouse still conveys to the sailors a feeling of safety, a feeling of comfort and very often a feeling of hope in the middle of a storm.
(Direcção de Faróis)
