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Roman Rock Lighthouse

Coordinates: 34°10′52.4″S 18°27′36.4″E / 34.181222°S 18.460111°E / -34.181222; 18.460111
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Roman Rock Lighthouse
Map
LocationSimon's Town
Western Cape
South Africa
Coordinates34°10′52.4″S 18°27′36.4″E / 34.181222°S 18.460111°E / -34.181222; 18.460111
Tower
Constructed1861
Foundationstone basement
Constructioncast iron tower
Automated1919 Edit this on Wikidata
Height14 metres (46 ft)
Shapecylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markingswhite tower and lantern
Power sourcesolar power Edit this on Wikidata
RaconEdit this on Wikidata
Light
First lit16 September 1861 Edit this on Wikidata
Focal height17 metres (56 ft)
Range20 nmi (37 km; 23 mi) Edit this on Wikidata
CharacteristicFl W 6s.

Roman Rock Lighthouse is a lighthouse in False Bay, near Simon's Town. It is the only lighthouse in South Africa built on a single rock.[1][2]

The light was first exhibited on 16 September 1861.[3]

The light was electrified in 1992 at the request of the South African Navy.[4]

History

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Designed by Alexander Gordon of the British Lighthouse Authority,[5] the lighthouse was a difficult endeavor due to the harsh conditions of the area, with fierce winds and turbulent seas, limited construction to a mere 96 working days annually, stretching the build over four-year.[4] The original lighting mechanism was designed by James De Ville, a London-based lamp manufacturer, and consisted of a revolving platform that carried eight single-wick oil burners set in polished metallic reflectors. These burners made a full rotation every four minutes.[5] John Williams served as the first head lighthouse keeper, overseeing a small team of two other men that rotated shifts every seven days.[5] In 1914 the lighting mechanism was replaced the tower was no longer manned by lighthouse keepers,[4] the lighting mechanism was replaced by a acetylene gas cylinders that provided automatic flashes every six seconds.[5] The lighting mechanism was updated again in 1992 to be eclectic at the request of the South African Navy.[4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Roman Rock". Lighthouses of South Africa. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
  2. ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Western South Africa". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 2016-03-22.
  3. ^ Williams, Harold A (1993). Southern Lights. William Waterman Publications. p. 49. ISBN 0-9583751-1-9.
  4. ^ a b c d "Roman Rock Lighthouse". www.simonstown.org. Archived from the original on 2014-08-14.
  5. ^ a b c d "1861: Since Its Debut, This Lighthouse Has Been a Real Rock Star". Transportation History. 2019-09-16. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
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A flight around the Roman Rock Lighthouse just off Simonstown harbour we did while working on a documentary in False Bay.