Sõru leading line lighthouses

Navigation in the waters surrounding Hiiumaa is made easier by 28 larger sea marks and lighthouses which can be warning beacons or leading and guiding marks. The latter include also Sõru leading line lighthouses. Sõru leading line together with Emmaste leading line marks the axis of the lane going through Soela Sound.

The leading comprises two or sometimes three lighthouses, navigation beacons or lights which are positioned at certain distance on one line which goes through their axes of symmetry and forms an axis of the leading line. When sailing along a leading line, the ship must be kept on the axis of symmetry of lighthouses or sea marks. Thus, it is sailing along the axis of the leading line.

In 1913, two pairs of wooden leading marks were put up on the coast of Hiiumaa by Soela Sound: one pair in Sõru to help ships navigate through the eastern channel and another pair in Emmaste to take ships through the western channel. In 1934 the first pair of sea marks was rebuilt into lighthouses. Both are reinforced concrete towers with the diameter of 2 meters. The front lighthouse which stands 16 metres tall with the height of light 18 metres.

Emmaste sea marks were rebuilt in 1935 one of them is a round 11 metres high monolithie reinforces concrete lighthouse and another is a 19 meters high metal frame tower with a square shield.