7 cool facts about the uMhlanga lighthouse

LIGHTHOUSES have towered across many beaches throughout the globe for centuries, warning sailors of fog, reefs, rocks and other dangers along the coastline.

These silent, but bright, guardians are celebrated annually on 7 August.

One of the world’s most iconic lighthouses is without a doubt the uMhlanga Lighthouse.

ALSO READ: uMhlanga lighthouse: A beacon of light for six decades

In celebration of Lighthouse Day the Northglen News explored the history of this famous landmark.

Here are seven things you might not have known about the uMhlanga Lighthouse:

1. The uMhlanga lighthouse was completed in 1954.
2. Construction was completed in four days and 19 hours.
3. The circular concrete tower, painted white with a red band at the top, stands 21 metres above the beach and has a focal plane height of 25 metres.
4. The fixed red light enables ships waiting to anchor in the outer anchorage, to monitor its position. If the red light is undetectable, it suggests the ships anchors have probably dragged and is too close to shore.
5. The lighthouse has never had an official ‘keeper’. The Oyster Box Hotel, which was built in 1869, has been the tower’s custodian.
6. The construction of the lighthouse cost R23 838.
7. There are 95 steps to the top of the uMhlanga Lighthouse.

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