Danger Point

LIGHTHOUSE DETAILS

Name	Danger Point
Structure	Octagonal masonry tower painted white
Other Features
Date Installed	1 January 1895
Description	Situated on the Southern point of Walker Bay, near the village of Gansbaai, Danger Point originally named Ponte de Sao Brandao by Bartholomew Dias on 16 May 1488. The light house received its name because of the treacherous reef and submerged rocks that reach out to sea from the point making it hazardous for ships hugging the coast. Forty three years before the establishment of this hexagonal tower The British troopship H.M.S. "Birkenhead" carrying troops and their families to Port Elizabeth was wrecked on the reef of Danger Point on the 25 February 1852. A commemorative plaque recording this event has been set into the wall of the tower. The original optic was 1st order(920mm) dioptric triple flashing system with four sets of three panels, making one revolution every two minutes and forty seconds. The illuminant was a six wick Trinity House Douglas Burner of 715 candles producing a white beam of 45 000 candle power. A parafin vapour mantle burner was introduced in 1910. The light was electrified in 1937 and the candle power output increased to 4750 000 candelas. This was later updated in 1970 to a 250 mm revolving optic employing a 1 500 watt lamp with a resulting candle power of 1 700 000 at peak flash intensity.

LIGHT DETAILS

Light Type	Revolving electric
Light Character	Three flashes every 40 seconds
Light Range	25 sea miles
Light Power	1 700 000 CD
Height of focal Plane	45 metres above high water

POSITION

Position

34 37 48.8 South, 19 18 10.9 East