At Hawkcraig Point a hundred years ago this would have been a very busy place with almost 800 people living in sixteen wooden huts.  In 1915 the Admiralty set up a research unit (which subsequently was named HMS Tarlair) and was used for developing and training in underwater microphones receivers or hydrophones during the First World War.  The German U boats (Unterseeboots) were a major threat not only for the destruction of many merchant ships but also it was believed that Britain would be starved of food and materials so the base was established to try to find ways of defeating the U boats.  The site was chosen as there was a deep water channel protected by an anti-submarine boom immediately to the south. Today very little evidence remains of the important research station which produced the forerunner to today’s sophisticated sonar systems.
The red and white tower is one of two navigation beacons on the site and guides tankers going to Braefoot Bay. The people would probably have had few opportunities then to enjoy the nearby beautiful Silver Sands beach at Aberdour.(extra)  Edinburgh can be seen in the distance across the Forth.