Ahelaid

Ahelaid is an islet with surface area of 25 hectares in the Baltic sea, South-East of Hiiumaa island. Islet belongs to Hiiumaa Islets Lanscape Reserve. Ahelaid got it's name most probably of a bird called hahk in Estonian Common Eider ("Somateria mollissima"). Sometimes the islet is called also Hakilaid.

Islet lies 10.5 km of Sarve peninsula and 14 km of Salinõmme peninsula, being more close to Muhu island (6.5 km of Tammiski nukk) than to Hiiumaa island. In North of the islet lies stony Aherahu, in West Ankrurahu, which has also some vegetation. In east there is Luigerahu and in North-East there are 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. Altogether 60 species of birds have been registered. Most numerous of nesting birds has been Sedge Warbler ("Acrocephalus schoenobaenus"), also are numerous Arctic Tern ("Sterna paradisaea") and Whitethroat ("Sylvia communis")

There has been no habitation on the islet. Both people from Muhu and Hiiumaa have gathered hay there in summer as until the end of 19'th century there was shortage of land and hay. Islet could have been used as pasture. There has been a hut for fishermen on the islet.