fleet.wikisort.org - Lighthouse

Anchored firmly at the end of New Zealand's longest sand spit, the Farewell Spit Lighthouse guides vessels entering Cook Strait from the west and south.[1] The LED rotating beacon flashes white or red, once every 15 seconds. It has a range of 19 nautical miles (35 km; 22 mi).[2] Red is shown to warn approaching vessels of extensive shoaling.[2] Standing 27 metres (89 ft) tall, the tower raises higher than most lighthouses (on cliffs or headlands), because the shifting sands it is built on are almost at sea level.[3] It is constructed of an open steel lattice to withstand abrasive sand and salt-laden winds.

Farewell Spit Lighthouse

Location	Farewell Spit, Tasman District, New Zealand
Coordinates	40°32′46″S 173°00′34″E
Tower
Constructed	1896
Construction	metal (artificial physical structure)
Automated	1984
Height	27 m (89 ft)
Markings	grey (tower), orange (top)
Power source	solar power
Light
First lit	19 January 1897
Focal height	30 m (98 ft)
Lens	second order Fresnel lens
Light source	rotating LED beacon
Range	19 nmi (35 km; 22 mi) (red)
Characteristic	Fl WR 15s
Original lighthouse
Constructed	1870
Construction	lumber
Height	34.4 m (113 ft)
Markings	white (tower)
First lit	17 June 1870
Deactivated	17 January 1897
Focal height	36.6 m (120 ft)
Lens	second order Fresnel lens
Range	17 nmi (31 km; 20 mi)
Characteristic	Fl WR 60s

History

The need for a lighthouse was identified in 1856, in the days of early European settlement,[4] in response to a growing number of stranding and wrecks.[5] The drifting sand dunes, interspersed with fresh water lagoons, are low lying, with an extensive shoal area on the southern side.[6] The lighthouse is located near Bush End Point, almost at the end of Farewell Spit. Initially, in 1870, a wooden structure was built, however, it was no match for the abrasive sand and salt-laden winds. It was replaced by a new lighthouse on a steel lattice construction in 1897.[3]

The original oil-burning lamp was converted to a 1000-watt electric lamp in 1954, and the diesel power supply replaced by a buried mains electricity cable along the spit in 1966. The original lamp was changed to a modern rotating beacon with a 50-watt tungsten halogen bulb in 1999.[7] In 2019, the lighthouse was converted to solar power, and the mains supply disconnected.[8]

The spit was a barren and uninviting place to be a lighthouse keeper.[9] Sand got into everything. The lighthouse sits on a low vegetated dune; an oasis surrounded by an ever-changing landscape, reshaped by incessant wind and tide.[10] Early attempts at gardening were swamped during exceptional high tides, or plants were eaten by marauding weka.[4]

Since being de-manned and automated in 1984, the keeper’s houses are used by the Department of Conservation and tour groups.[11]

The keepers include: Alexander Greenlees McKinlay (2nd assistant, 1871–1872), James Nelson (c. 1870s), Robert Leighton (c. 1916), Hugh Jamieson (1946–1949).[12]

Access

The public is not permitted to climb the lighthouse structure. Farewell Spit / Onetahua is a wildlife sanctuary run by the Department of Conservation. The area is an important bird nesting area, especially for Australasian gannet. It is closed to casual visitors, and public access to the lighthouse site is restricted to people on an ecotour.[2]

Operations

The lighthouse is operated by Maritime New Zealand. With a focal height of 30 metres (98 ft) above sea level, the light can be seen for 19 nautical miles (35 km; 22 mi).[2] Its characteristic is either a white or red flash every fifteen seconds, depending on where you view it from. It is a sector light. The red flashes warn a vessel it is in a danger of hitting the shoal.[9] The white sector shines from 113° to 299° and 333° to 110°; the red from 299° to 333°.[13][14][15]

Gallery

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  Exposed to sand and salt-laden winds
• 
  Keeper’s houses
• 
  Open lattice structure
• 

References

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