"As long it’s needed, it should exist,” explains Stanko Stojanovic
ADVERTISEMENTMeet Stanko Stojanovic, Montenegro's last lighthouse keeper.
Advances in navigation technology have rendered lighthouses virtually obsolete.
But Stojanovic believes his lonely job still serves a function.
"When it thunders, when it’s windy, it’s not so [pleasant]," he said. "You’re alone. Our nearest neighbour is two-and-a-half, three kilometres away from the [gate].”
The Cape Mendra lighthouse has been operating since 1886 and the waters around Ulcinj are notoriously treacherous
Sailors still depend on the lighthouse, claims Stojanovic.
"The lighthouse has to work," he added. "Any malfunction, lightning strike or other force majeure must be reported to warn that the lighthouse is down. The coastal station, then radios, all ships, they have to orient themselves to the other lighthouses.”
“[Sailors] say they feel safest when they see the lighthouse. They don’t trust GPS or any other navigation device until they see the lighthouse and its distinctive signal. Then they know they are near the coast. So, it still has a function. As long it’s needed, it should exist."