Cape Agulhas

LIGHTHOUSE DETAILS

Name	Cape Agulhas
Structure	27 metre white round tower painted with red bands
Other Features
Date Installed	1 March 1849
Description	The Cape Agulhas lighthouse is situated at the southern most tip of Africa, and celebrated its 150th birthday over three years ago. The lighthouse has some very interesting history as it was modelled on one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Pharos of Alexander. It was the second solidly built lighthouse in South Africa. This site is known as L'Agulhas - Cape of Needles, and was named by the Portuguese navigator Bartholomew Dias in 1488. The reference for this was that the compass needle always swung in various directions when Portuguese vessels rounded the Cape. It is also said that this is where the Benguela and the Mozambique currents meet. The ocean around this area is only 60 fathoms deep for some 250 km, thereafter the ocean floor plunges to a depth of 18 000 fathoms stretching all the way to the Antarctica. This unique geographical formation is known as the Agulhas Bank. In 1962, the sandstone from which the lighthouse was built started crumbling and a new aluminium lighthouse was erected nearby. The original lighthouse has been restored and now boasts a small museum and one can visit the Shipwreck museum in Bredasdorp, which exhibits relics dating back to the wreck of the Haarlem in 1647.

LIGHT DETAILS

Light Type	Revolving electric
Light Character	One flash every 5 seconds
Light Range	30 sea miles
Light Power	7 500 000 CD
Height of focal Plane	31 metres above high water

POSITION

Position

34 49 08 South, 20 00 33 East