Cape Recife Lighthouse

The rock upon which the Cape Recife Lighthouse is built was named D'Urban Rock during 1835 by permission of the visiting Governor, Sir Benjamin D'Urban.

It was upon the D'Urban Rock that he Cape Receife Lighthouse, the first to guide ships into Algoa Bay was erected and it's light first kindled on 1 April 1851.

The lighthouse consists of a twenty four (24) metre high octagonal stone tower painted originally with alternate white and red bands (now black and white). The light revolves once per minute and is visible in clear weather for approximately twenty nine (29) nautical miles (53.7 kilometres). The light is partially obscured inshore by reflectors to intensify the light seaward.

The lighthouse, situated within the Cape Recife Nature Reserve marks the turning point into the safe harbour of the bay and warns mariners of Thunderbolt Reef and other hazards which have to be given a wide berth.

The warning system is equipped with a fog signal, radio beacon, a red light (28º) and a flashing white light (332º) that shines every 30 seconds at a focal plane height of 28 meters above the high water mark. The current sighting range is 29 nautical miles with a light power of 4 000 000 Candelas.

Thunderbolt Reef, a patch of rocks with depths less than 2m, lies 1.4 kilometres SSW of the light. The sea generally breaks on this reef, which extends up to 1.1 kilometres SE of Cape Recife.

The Cape Recife Lighthouse was the first to be built as it would serve the dual purpose of allowing all ships running 3 to 4 leagues (15.5 to 21 kilometres) south of the lighthouse to also avoid Doddington Rock off of Bird Island which lies almost on the same parallel as Cape Recife.

The cost of this light in its day was £17 537.10.2 Sterling.

Position: 34 01 43.97 South, 25 42 03.90 East