Ahelaid

Ahelaid in Hiiumaa islets Landscape Protection Area's Laidelahe protection zone

Hiiumaa islet from Muhu; from right to left: Kõverlaid, Heinlaid, Ahelaid, Kõrgelaid, Vareslaid, Hanerahu, Hanikatsi laid, Saarnaki laid, Moonsund

Ahelaid is a small uninhabited islet in Estonia. It lies in the Baltic Sea, south-east of Hiiumaa island. It has a surface area of 25 hectares. It is part of the Hiiumaa Islets Landscape Reserve.^[1]

Ahelaid lies 10.5 km from the Sarve peninsula on Hiiumaa, 14 km from the Salinõmme peninsula on Hiiumaa and 6.5 km from Tammiski nukk on Muhu. Although it is closer to Muhu than to Hiiumaa, it is administered as part of Hiiu County. Near the island are some smaller islets: to the north, stony Aherahu; to the west Ankrurahu, which has some vegetation; to the east Luigerahu and to the northeast a few stone piles barely above the sea level called Kajakarahud.

The average height of the islet is below 2 meters and the highest point is 4.6 meters.

There are 45 bird species nesting on the islet annually, including sedge warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus), Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) and whitethroat (Sylvia communis). Altogether 60 species of birds have been recorded.

The islet is also known as Hakilaid, probably from the common eider (Somateria mollissima) (Estonian: hahk).

There has been no habitation on the islet. People from both Muhu and Hiiumaa have gathered hay there in summer as until the end of the 19th century there was a shortage of land for hay. The islet may also have been used as pasture. There has been a fishermen's hut on the islet.

References

External links

• Map of Ahelaid

Islands of Estonia
Abruka Adralaid Aegna Ahelaid Aherahu Ahessäär Ahtra Aksi Allirahu Allu Anekäbrud Ankrurahu Annilaid Antsulaiud Anulaid Auklaid Eerikulaid Elmrahu Esirahu Hanemaa Hanerahu Hanikatsi laid Hara Harilaid Hellamaa rahu Hiiumaa Härjakare Härjamaa Hobulaid Hõralaid Hülgelaid Hülgerahu Imutlaid Innarahu Juksirahu Kadakalaid Kaevatsi Kajakarahu Käkimaa Käkirahu Kakralaid Kakrarahu Kassari Kasselaid Keri Kesselaid Kihnu Kitselaid Koerakuiv Kõinastu Koipsi Kõrgelaid Kõrksaar Kõverlaid Kreenholm Kriimi laid Kräsuli Külalaid Kullikare Kumari Kumbli Kunnatilaid Kurgurahu Küllisäär Laasirahu Laidu Läkumätas Langekare Leemetikare Liia Liisi Liivakari Liivanuka ots Linnusitamaa Lombimaa Loonalaid Luigerahu Maakrirahu Manilaid Mardirahu Maturahu Mihklirahu Mohni Mõndelaid Muhu Munaderahu Munasaar Mustarahu Nabralaid Naissaar Naistekivi maa Ninalaid Noogimaa Nootamaa Nosurahu Öakse Oitma Ojurahu Öörahu Oosäär Ooslamaa Orikalaid Osmussaar Paelaid Pakri Islands Pakulaid Paljarahu Papilaid Papirahu Pasilaid Pedassaar Pihlakare Pihlalaid Piirissaar Piiukaarelaid Pikknasv Piskumadal Pitkasääremaa Põdvalaid Põiksäär Pöörilaid Prangli Pühadekare Puhtu Rammu Rannasitik Reigilaid Riinurahu Ristlaid Rohurahu Rohusi Rooglaid Ruhnu Rukkirahu Rusulaid Saare ots Saaremaa Saarnaki laid Salava Sangelaid Seasaar Selglaid Sepasitik Siiasaar Siimurahu Sillalaid Sipelgarahu Sitakare Sokulaid Sorgu Suuregi laid Suurepoldi Suurlaid Suurrahu Sõmeri Tagarahu Taguküla laid Täkulaid Täkunasv Tarja Tauksi Telve Tiirloo Tondirahu Tondisaar Tõõdilaid Udrikulaid Uhtju islands Ulkkari Umalakotid Umblu Urverahu Uuemaarahu Uuemererahu Uuluti laid Uus-Nootamaa Vahase Vahelmisrahu Vaika islands Väike Siimurahu Väike-Tulpe Vaindloo Valgerahu Vareslaid (Käina) Vareslaid (Väinameri) Varesrahu Vasikalaid Vesiloo Vesitükimaa Viirelaid Vilsandi Vissulaid Vohilaid Võilaid Võrgukare Võrkrahu Vormsi

Coordinates: 58°44′N 23°09′E / 58.733°N 23.150°E / 58.733; 23.150