THE LIGHTHOUSE

A lighthouse is a tower topped with a very bright light called a beacon. The
beacon is used by sailors to help guide their ships to port at night and alert
sailors about sandbars, reefs, and rocky coastlines.

Lighthouses come in all shapes and sizes. They are usually located on the
coast, on islands, or in the middle of busy harbors. No matter where it is
located the purpose of a lighthouse is always the same; to warn ships of
danger and guide them safely on their way. The world’s first recorded
lighthouse was the Pharos Lighthouse in Alexandria, Egypt. Built in 280
B.C., the Pharos Lighthouse was more than 450 feet tall and had a giant
statue of Poseidon (the Greek god of the sea) at the top. A huge bonfire
was lit every night at the top of the tower and was visible from more than
thirty miles away! The Pharos Lighthouse was so huge that it was named
one the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The tower was used for
more than 1,500 years before it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1303
A.D.

Each lighthouse features a large lamp on top of the building. At night, it

lights up when everything around is dark. The lamp, installed in the lantern
room with glass windows, works as a flashlight and allows boats and ships
to sight land from far away at sea.
The light beam system is so powerful and effective that it helps sailors lost
at sea find their way back to shore even during storms and foggy nights.
Modern lighthouses use automated, high-intensity lights that emit brief and
omnidirectional flashes and coded aids to navigation (color, period, and
phase).
Lighthouses are generally erected slightly above sea level and near the
shoreline. However, some are built on top of high cliffs, further inland or
offshore, depending on the geomorphology of the site.
The distance from which you can see the light beam varies from 20 miles
(32 kilometers) to 50 miles (80 kilometers).
Every lighthouse has a lighthouse keeper. The lighthouse keeper is the
person responsible for keeping the structure working 24/7, 365 days a year.
Lighthouse keepers, also known as "wickies," have to make sure the
equipment, the lamps, the lenses, and the rotation mechanism are working
properly.
Today, there are 45 lighthouses in South Africa. The Green Point
Lighthouse, Cape Town is an operational lighthouse on the South African
coast. First lit on 12 April 1824, it is located on Mouille Point. The
lighthouse was the first solid lighthouse structure on the South African
coast and the oldest operational lighthouse in South Africa.