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Saturday, April 16, 2016

Cabo San Lucas South Breakwater Light - Cabo San Lucas, Baja, Mexico

The Cabo San Lucas South Breakwater Light sits on a short breakwater on the south side of the entrance to the marina/small boat harbour of Cabo San Lucas. It is a green light atop a skeletal tower. Date of activation is not known and the light appears to have been modified since earlier photos I have seen of it several years ago.  Photos taken in April 2016.

Cabo San Lucas North Breakwater Light - Cabo San Lucas, Baja, Mexico

The Cabo San Lucas North Breakwater Light is located at the end of a short breakwater on the north side of the entrance to the yacht harbour at Cabo San Lucas, Baja, Mexico. It is a skeletal tower painted white and sits on a concrete base. Light is active, however it is not known the date that this light was activated. The red light sits on a pole above a small gallery. Photos taken in April 2016. It appears the light has changed slightly from photos I had seen that were taken several years previously.




San Juan del Sur Lighthouse - San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

The San Juan del Sur Lighthouse is located on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean just southwest of the town of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. A light station was established at this location in 1900, however the date of construction of the current light is not known. The light is a round cylindrical concrete tower with a beacon. Current light is active.  Photos taken in April 2016.


Puntarenas Pier Light - Puntarenas, Costa Rica

The Puntarenas Pier Light is found at the end of the long cruise ship pier at Puntarenas, Costa Rica. It is a light mounted on a 5 metre (17 foot) metal post painted red and white. Date of activation is not known, however probably was activated at the time the pier was constructed. Puntarenas is found on the Pacific side of Costa Rica and is a long spit of land that juts out into the Gulf of Nicoya.  Photo taken from the Island Princess in March 2016.

Balboa Southbound Rear Lighthouse - Balboa, Panama

The Balboa Southbound Rear Lighthouse is located on the bank of the west shore of the channel under the Bridge of the Americas at Balboa, Panama. It is just to the south of the bridge footings. The light is a 13 metre (43 foot) tall faded black concrete tower. It was built during the construction of the Panama Canal (1904-1914) and activated at the opening of the canal in 1914. It was deactivated at the time the Bridge of the Americas was constructed in the 1960's.  It is approximately 100 metres to the south of the old Southbound Front Light that sits in the channel north of the bridge. It would have been the last light for southbound traffic to the Pacific Ocean for the canal. Photos taken in March 2016.


Balboa Southbound Front Lighthouse - Balboa, Panama

The Balboa Southbound Front Lighthouse sits on a square concrete base in the water of the channel just north of the Bridge of the Americas.  It was a guide for southbound ship traffic leaving the Panama Canal and heading to the Pacific Ocean. It is approximately 4 km south of the Miraflores locks. The light is a 9 metre (30 foot) black concrete tower. This light was deactivated and replaced by a newer light a short distance north in the channel.  It is believed it was deactivated at the time of the opening of the bridge in the 1960's. Photo taken in March 2016.

Gamboa Southbound Front Range Lighthouse - Gamboa, Panama

The Gamboa Southbound Front Range Lighthouse is located on the west side of the River Chagres at the start of the Gaillard (formerly Culebra) Cut section of the Panama Canal. It is just south of the town of Gamboa and north of the bridge that spans the Chagres River. The light was constructed between 1904 and 1914 during the construction of the canal. It was activated at the opening of the canal in 1914. The lighthouse is a 14 metre (45 foot) grey concrete tower. This light was deactivated (year unknown) and replaced by a newer light on a pole nearby.  Sadly, it appears to be abandoned, not maintained and has been tagged with graffiti. Photos taken in March 2016.



Friday, April 15, 2016

Gamboa Northbound Rear Lighthouse - Gamboa, Panama

The Gamboa Northbound Rear Lighthouse is located along the Chagres River approximately 6 km (4 miles) west of the town of Gamboa, Panama. It marks the approach to Gatun Lake from the south as ships transit the Panama Canal. The lighthouse is an 18 metre (60 foot) tall concrete tower. It is painted white on the front side (unsure about the rear). As with other lighthouses along the route of the canal, it was constructed between 1904 and 1914 during the original construction of the canal and was activated in 1914. It remains an active light. Photos taken in March 2016 and the bottom photo shows its proximity to the Gamboa Northbound Front Lighthouse. 

Gamboa Northbound Front Lighthouse - Gamboa, Panama

The Gamboa Northbound Front Lighthouse is located on the Chagres River approximately 6 km (4 miles) west of the town of Gamboa marking the northbound approach into Gatun lake on the Panama Canal transit. The light was constructed during the original construction of the Panama Canal (between 1904 and 1914) and activated in 1914. It remains an active light. The lighthouse is a 14 metre (45 foot) tall concrete tower painted white on the front and black on the back. The bottom photo shows its proximity to the Gamboa Northbound Rear Lighthouse. Photos taken in March 2016.



Gatun Northbound Rear Lighthouse - Gatun, Panama

The Gatun Northbound Rear Lighthouse is located at the Gatun Locks on the Panama Canal south of the city of Colon. It is the rear range light for ships approaching the locks from Gatun Lake to the south. The light is a 27 metre (89 foot) tall white concrete tower with a blue base. The light remains active. It was built during the original construction of the Panama Canal (between 1904 and 1914) and was activated in 1914.  Photos taken in March 2016.



Atlantic Entrance Range Middle Lighthouse - Gatun, Panama

The Atlantic Entrance Range Middle Lighthouse is an active light located about 100 metres to the north east of the Gatun Locks, the first set of locks encountered when entering the Panama Canal from the Caribbean/Atlantic side. It is south of Limon Bay and the city of Colon, Panama. This light was constructed during the original construction of the Panama Canal (between 1904 and 1914) and activated in 1914.  It is a 23 metre (75 foot) tall white concrete tower.  Photos taken in March 2016.



Limón Bay East Breakwater Light - Colon, Panama

The Limon Bay East Breakwater Light is an active light found on a long breakwater that extends from the east side of Limon Bay. It is a 33 metre (108 foot) steel mast on a tripod with a concrete base. It has a green slatted day marker attached to it. It marks the east side of the Caribbean/Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. Photos taken in March 2016.

Limón Bay West Breakwater Light - Colon, Panama

The Limon Bay West Breakwater Light is an active light found on a long breakwater that extends from near the Toro Point Lighthouse on the west side of Limon Bay near Colon, Panama. This light is one of two breakwater lights that mark the Caribbean/Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. This light is a 31 metre (102 foot) steel mast on a tripod and cement base. It also has a slatted red day mark attached to it. Photos taken in March 2016.

Toro Point Lighthouse (Punta Toro) - Bahía Limón, Panama

The Toro Point (Punta Toro) Lighthouse is located on the west side of Limon Bay at the entrance to the Panama Canal in Panama. It is across from the city of Colon. It sits on the property that was Fort Sherman which was a U.S. Army base and their training centre for jungle warfare. The light sits at the base of the long west breakwater marking the entrance to the canal from the Caribbean/Atlantic side.  The light was constructed in 1893 and is a 27.5 metre (90 foot) steel skeletal tower. The light is active.  Unfortunately the photos are quite distant when taken in March 2016.

 

Castillo Grande Lighthouse - Cartagena, Columbia

The Castillo Grande Lighthouse sits at the end of a peninsula that extends from the Boca Grande area of Cartagena and marks the entrance to the main harbour at Cartagena. This lighthouse that was built in 1973 is a 22 metre (72 foot) concrete block tower. The light is active and sits on property owned by the Columbian navy.  Photos taken in March 2016.