Tag Archive | lighthouse

Hood Point Lighthouse, East London

Oct27

Hood Point Lighthouse, East London is surrounded by a golf course, a cemetery and the sea.

Before the internet, it was usual to give paper greeting cards to people, birthdays, Christmas and any other significant occasion was celebrated by the giving and receiving of cards. We also gave cards showing love, sadness and so on. I bought a card once with one of DH Lawrence’s poems on the front called “Trust”.  I wasn’t brave enough to give the card. The confidence of youth? Not always………

And be, oh be
a sun to me,
not a weary, insistent
personality

but a sun that shines
and goes dark, but shines
again and entwines
with the sunshine in me

till we both of us
are more glorious
and more sunny.

..

“So fine was the morning except for a streak of wind here and there that the sea and sky looked all one fabric,

as if sails were stuck high up in the sky, or the clouds had dropped down into the sea.”

― Virginia Woolf, To the Lighthouse

Akaroa Lighthouse

Mar25

Akaroa Lighthouse

Akaroa is on the Banks Peninsula, South Island, New Zealand. The weather was beautiful when we visited and the town was buzzing with tourists just off two cruise ships in the harbour.

After strolling around we found an ice cream parlour. I was so engrossed with various flavours, I tripped up a step, fell over and hit my head on the Tip Top ice cream fridge.

It was only that evening, after I recovered from my mishap, that I realised I’d missed photographing the Akaroa Lighthouse. Fortunately my son was happy to drive back into Akaroa the next day so as I could have a close look at the lighthouse and take some photos.

This very attractive Victorian lighthouse was built in about 1879.

The structure is wooden and six sided. It was originally situated on Akaroa Heads and was moved to its present location in 1980. In 1977 an automated lighthouse was installed. The lighthouse has six sides and four levels.

Akaroa Lighthouse from a distance

“A lighthouse is not interested in who gets its light

It just gives it without thinking

Giving light is its nature”

Mehmet Murat ilden

Akaroa

Port Edward Lighthouse

Mar9
..

Port Edward Lighthouse situated at 130 Milford Road, Port Edward on the Lower South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal

We visited the Port Edward Lighthouse on a beautiful summer’s day. It’s not on the beach, as I had imagined, but is built amongst the houses in a residential area.  It is fully operational so my first thought was for the neighbours. I wondered how they slept at night as the lighthouse has two beams, is powered by half a million candlewatts and is visible for 40 kms!

It’s official name is “North Sand Bluff Lighthouse”.  Here are some interesting facts:

  • It is 24 metres tall;
  • Was originally built in 1968;
  • And rebuilt in 1999;
  • It is about 5 storeys high;
  • And has a spiral staircase;
  • The lighthouse is owned and operated by the Transnet National Port Authority.

 

“Sometimes amidst all of the wars,

all you need is to become the lighthouse,

not the sword”

Akshay Vasu

dsc_0294

..

Port Shepstone Lighthouse

Feb27
dsc_0245

Port Shepstone Lighthouse

Although I lived in Port Shepstone for a long time, I never took much notice of the lighthouse. I rectified this on a recent trip down to the South Coast when we stopped off to take some photographs of this attractive building.

The lighthouse is situated near the mouth of the Umzimkulu River and is about 8 metres high. It is made of cast iron and was shipped from the UK to South Africa in the 1890’s.  On its arrival on South African shores, it was erected at Scottburgh where it was used to indicate part of the reef of the Aliwal Shoal.  It was moved from Scottburgh to Port Shepstone in about 1906 where it has stood for over a century.

The lighthouse is a National Monument and is well maintained. It is painted in black and white checkerboard style which looks beautiful and distinctive. The lighthouse’s revolving electrical light flashes once in every 6 seconds and it has a light range of 26 sea miles.

Apart from it being essential to the safety of seagoing vessels, it is also a perfect landmark which says “Welcome to Port Shepstone”.

dsc_0255

Black and White, checkerboard style