Molo de Abrigo, Valparaiso, Chile

While going through some old photos, noted that I had photographed this light which sits at the end of the naval pier in Valparaiso harbour.  I have seen the name of the light listed as simply Punta Molo and also as Molo de Abrigo. Date the light was established could not be determined. It is a skeletal white and red tower with a beacon. Photo was taken in March 2009.

Port Alberni Lighthouse, Port Alberni, British Columbia

The Port Alberni Lighthouse sits in the harbour at Port Alberni at the head of the Alberni Inlet, a twenty five mile inlet (fjord) that stretches inland from Barkley Sound on the Pacific Coast of Vancouver Island. The lighthouse is active but is privately owned. The lantern is from the original 1981 Chrome Island Lighthouse. The lighthouse was established in 2001.  It is owned and maintained by the Alberni Valley Marine Discovery Centre. Photos taken in May 2014.

Whiffin Spit Lighthouse, Sooke, British Columbia

The Whiffin Spit Lighthouse sits at the end of a 1.5 km spit of land that protects the entrance to Sooke Harbour Inlet. There has been a light at this location since @ 1906, but the date of the current structure is not known.  The spit is named after a crew member on the Royal Navy vessel 'Herald' that surveyed Sooke Harbour in 1846. The spit, which is a popular place for walks, protects the harbour from breakers coming in from the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  This light is an active beacon atop a 21 foot tall cylindrical tower. The site also has a fog signal and a weather station.  Photos were taken in May 2014.

Boatswain Point Light, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

The Boatswain Point Light is a beacon that is located in a residential area in the northwest part of the island of Grand Cayman. It is a 20 foot skeletal tower on a concrete base. A light was first established in this area in approximately 1930, but the date of construction of the current beacon is not known. Photos taken in March 2014.

Punta Langosta Lighthouse, San Miguel de Cozumel, Isla de Cozumel, Mexico

It is believed that a light was established at this point near the centre of the town of San Miguel de Cozumel on the Isla de Cozumel, Mexico in the early 1900's. The date of the current Punta Langosta Lighthouse is not known. It was active until the construction of the Punta Ealetita Lighthouse about 1 mile south in around the year 2000. It currently sits in a shopping/restaurant complex at the base of the Punta Langosta Pier and cruise ship dock. The light is now privately owned but has been reactivated to assist boats in the harbour.  Photo was taken in March 2014.

Punta Ealetita Lighthouse, San Miguel de Cozumel, Isla de Cozumel, Mexico

The 121 foot tall Punta Ealetita Lighthouse is situated just south of the centre of the town of San Miguel de Cozumel on the west side of the Isla de Cozumel, Mexico. It is a fairly new lighthouse and may have been constructed around the year 2000. The light is active. Apologies for the water spots on the rainy day closeup photo.  Photos taken in March 2014.

Punta Celerain Lighthouse (El Faro de Punta Celerain), Isla de Cozumel, Mexico

The Punta Celerain Lighthouse is located at the South West tip of the Isla de Cozumel, Mexico. It is in the Parque Punta Sur, an ecological park. The site was established in around 1908 and the current 85 foot concrete tower was constructed in 1934. The light remains active. There are remains of perhaps two previous lighthouses near the current tower. It is now also a tourist attraction and small museum and visitors are able to climb the tower. Photos taken in March 2014.

Key West Lighthouse, Key West, Florida

The U.S. established a naval base in Key West in 1823 which caused there to be a need for lighthouse. The first lighthouse was established in 1823 but destroyed by a hurricane in the 1840's. The current 65 foot tall lighthouse was opened in 1848 and was decommissioned in 1969. It now serves as a museum. The grounds are very well kept and there are a number of sculptures/statues to add to the ambience. The photos were taken in March 2014.

Keeper's Quarters

Grand Cayman Memorial Light, George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

The Grand Cayman Memorial Light sits in the harbour in George Town on Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands. It is a concrete tower topped with a skeletal mast and a red beacon. It was constructed in 1980 as a memorial to the Caymanian Seamen who have lost their lives following the Caymanian tradition of going down to the sea in ships.  The beacon is active.  Photos taken in March 2014.

Buck Island Lighthouse, Buck Island, U.S. Virgin Islands

The Buck Island Lighthouse is found on Buck Island which is situated approximately two miles South of the island of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.  The island is now the Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge.  The original lighthouse is a colonial style square steel tower that was built by the Danish Government in 1913 when the island was part of the Danish West Indies. The island became part of the U.S. Virgin Islands in 1919.  The original lighthouse was active until the 1990's when a new taller steel tower was build a short distance away (as seen in the photos).  At the time of taking these photos in March 2014, the original lighthouse appears in poor condition. It is on the endangered list of lights.  

Grand Turk Lighthouse, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos

The Grand Turk Lighthouse sits at the northern tip of the island of Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean. The sixty foot tall cast iron light was constructed in England and then shipped to Grand Turk where it was assembled in 1852.  The light was automated in 1972 and was reactivated in 1998. Photos taken in March 2014.

Aloha Tower, Honolulu, Hawaii

The Aloha Tower was considered a minor light in Hawaii. The tower was opened in 1926 and had a bright navigation light atop it to assist arriving ships. At the time of its construction, it was the tallest structure in Hawaii. The light was active from 1926 until approximately 1975.  The tower remains as a popular landmark and houses part of the Aloha Tower Marketplace with shops and restaurants.

Photos were taken in November 2006.

Lighthouse Art - Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands

I don't usually add photos other than lighthouses that I have photographed, however in going through my pictures from a recent trip, I found this one of a painting that I took at the newly re-opened Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The painting is titled 'Lighthouse In Breaking Waves' and the artist is Hendrick Willem Mesdag (1831-1915). It is a striking work of art and I thought it appropriate to share it on my blog.

Farol de Ponta da Piedade, Lagos, Portugal

This lighthouse sits on a beautiful point of land approximately 2.5 km south of the town of Lagos, Portugal in the Barlavento region of the Algarve. Ponta da Piedade (Point of Piety) is a popular tourist stop with beautiful sandstone cliffs and sandstone towers being much photographed. The lighthouse itself is active dates to 1913. Prior to that time a chapel sat at the location. Photos were taken in April 2013.

Ponta do Altar Lighthouse, Portimao, Portugal

This schoolhouse style light sits on a high bluff overlooking the east side of the entrance to the harbour of Portimao, Portugal. It is actually on the Ferragudo side of the harbour. The lighthouse dates to 1893 and is now dwarfed by a large communications tower built directly to the east of the lighthouse. These somewhat distant photos taken in April 2013.

Lagos West Mole Lighthouse, Lagos, Portugal

The Lagos West Mole Light is located on a jetty at the west side entrance to the channel to the harbour at the town of Lagos, Portugal. It is a pyramidal shaped concrete structure and is striped red and white. The green and white east mole light can be seen as well in the bottom photo. Photos taken in April 2013.

Portimão East and West Mole Lights, Portimão, Portugal

These two lights sit on long jettys that mark the entrance to the harbour at Portimão, Portugal. The west mole light is red and white stripes while the east mole light is dark green and white. Photos taken in April 2013.

Castillo de San Sebastián, Cadiz, Spain

This light which is situated in the fortress Castillo de San Sebastián at the south end of the Bay of Cadiz is an impressive 121' skeletal tower. It dates to 1913 however it is believed that there was a station here as early as the late 1700's. The fortress is joined to the city by a long  easily walkable jetty. Unfortunately when I visited in April 2013 and photographed the light, the fortress was closed to the public, "undergoing renovations". A previous light (circa 1855) on the site was a 128' stone tower that was demolished by the Spanish at the time of the Spanish American War.

El Hank Lighthouse, Casablanca, Morocco

This impressive light sits on a point of land on the west side of Casablanca approximately 1.5 km from the Hassan II Mosque and 4 km from the main port. It is also known as the Pointe d'el-Hank lighthouse.  The light, that dates to 1919 (although there was a station at this point as early as 1905), stands 161' tall and remains active. Unfortunately due to time constraints I was only able to photograph the light from a distance and while on the bus. Photos were taken in April 2013.

Dique de Léon y Castillo, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain

This active light is located on Léon y Castillo wharf in the container ship terminal in the Port of Las Palmas on Gran Canaria, Canary Islands.It is also known as the Dique del Generalissimo Franco Light. It is situated at the far south end of the container ship wharf adjacent to the main harbour. Photos were taken in April 2013.