Roman Rock Lighthouse
Lighthouse in False Bay, near Simon's Town, South Africa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]
| |
 | |
| Location | Simon's Town Western Cape South Africa |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34°10′52.4″S 18°27′36.4″E |
| Tower | |
| Constructed | 1861 |
| Foundation | stone basement |
| Construction | cast iron tower |
| Automated | 1919  |
| Height | 14 metres (46 ft) |
| Shape | cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern |
| Markings | white tower and lantern |
| Power source | solar power |
| Racon | Q |
| Light | |
| First lit | 16 September 1861 |
| Focal height | 17 metres (56 ft) |
| Range | 20 nmi (37 km; 23 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl W 6s. |
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
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 and the tower was no longer staffed by lighthouse keepers,[4] replaced by an acetylene gas cylinders that provided automatic flashes every six seconds.[5] The lighting mechanism was updated again in 1992 to be electrical at the request of the South African Navy.[4]
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