Date visited: 2 December 2012
(click photo for a bigger view)
I was pleasantly suprised to see the Lighthouse, freshly painted, and it's immediate surroundings at low tide on Sunday. I have seen so many photo's and heard of it's beauty before, so I had go and find out for myself! With all the rocks and reef exposed by the low tide, we could take long walks and view the Lighthouse from a "different" angle.
You will find the 161 years old (2012) Lighthouse in the Cape Recife Nature Reserve, located off Marine Drive in Schoenmakerskop.
The 24 meter high octagonal shaped tower striped in broad black and white bands, was commissioned on 1 April 1851 (April's Fool Day!) Lots of information about this lighthouse are available on the web, but just in short:-
- The Cape Recife Lighthouse is built on a rock foundation, known as D’Urban, and it situated on a headland in the midst of a large expanse of sandy beach.
- It warns mariners of a large spine of rocks, known as Thunderbolt reef. Thunderbolt Reef is the graveyard of numerous ships, the last being the Kapodistrias on 29th July 1985.
- The initial range of the light was 12 miles, however with the development of technology it is now 29 sea miles.
- The warning system is equipped with a fog signal, radio beacon, a red light (28º) and a flashing white light (332º) that shines every 30 seconds at a focal plane height of 28 meters above the high water mark. The current sighting range is 29 nautical miles with a light power of 4 000 000 Candelas.
- It'sPosition: 34 01 43.97 South, 25 42 03.90 East
More information @
www.lighthouses.co.za
Good to know:
Entrance permits (annual or weekly) are available from Pine Lodge Resort located at entrance to Cape Recife Nature Reserve. Entrance only with permit!
There is visible security in the
reserve during daylight hours. Picnicking is allowed and also dogs but they
must be on a lease at all times.
www.pinelodge.co.za
Tel: +27 41 583-4004
Contact information and links to websites were correct at the time of blogging.
