Western Cape Coast : Danger Point
Latitude: 34° 37’ 48,8” S
Longitude: 19° 18’ 10,9” E
Date commissioned: 1 January 1895
Architect/builder: R Cochrane (Contractor), John Bruce (Clerk of Works)
Primary structure material of construction: Octagonal masonry tower painted white, fitted with a white lantern house and red dome.
Height of tower: 18.3 metres
Character of light: Group flashing 3 every 40 seconds
Heritage status: Being older than 60 years, the lighthouse is protected under the National Heritage Resources Act 25 of 1999.
Inhabited/manned: Yes
Open to public: Yes
In 1852, the HMS Birkenhead struck an unchartered rock, one-and-a-half kilometres off Danger Point. The vessel sank, with 445 souls on board. The Birkenheadrock, as it is now called, has claimed many a vessel. The Birkenhead Memorial is also located on site.
Gansbaai offers some of the finest boat-based and land-based whale watching in the world. Great white sharks can be viewed up-close by undertaking a cage dive.
Danger Point Lighthouse offers:
· Tours of the lighthouse
· Curios and memorabilia on sale
· Self-catering accommodation
Danger Point Lighthouse is open from Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays), from 10h00 to 15h00.
Glossary
Aid to navigation: A device or system, such as a lighthouse, buoy, beacon or electronic system that is designed and operated to enhance the safe and efficient navigation of vessels and/or vessel traffic.
Character of light: The distinctive colour or periodic (regular) rhythm of a navigation light, enabling it to be identified.
Composite group flash: A light similar to a group flashing light, except that successive groups in a period have different numbers of flashes.
Daymark: A daytime marker of specific visual characteristics, such as shape and colour, serving as an aid to navigation.
Group flashing: A combined group of flashes, each including the same number of flashes, which are repeated at regular intervals.
Manned: All lighthouses are automated. “Manned” implies that we have a presence at the lighthouse, either to accommodate visitors or to optimise maintenance and travelling.
Nautical mile: Unit of linear measure mainly used at sea (one nautical mile is equal to 1 852 metres).
Occulting light: A light in which the total duration of light in each period is clearly longer than the total duration of darkness and in which the intervals of darkness are all of equal duration