Danger Point Lighthouse

The area where Danger Point Lighthouse is was first called (Ponte de Sao Brandao) Danger Point, by  Bartolomeu Dias in 1488. More than 140 ships have been wrecked here as the area is treacherous for shipping. One of the most well-known was the Birkenhead in 1852.  A lighthouse commission in 1890 stressed the need for a lighthouse here. It was eventually built in 1895. Danger Point Lighthouse is an octagonal masonry tower that is 17 metres tall although this is unusual, 4 other towers in South Africa are also octagonal. The lighting apparatus consisted of a first-order lens with a six-wick Trinity House burner giving out a triple flashing white light. The lens had 12 panels weighed 3 tons, and was housed in a lantern room supplied by Chance Brothers The lighthouse which is powered by electricity and has an intensity of 1,700,000 CD emits three beams of light every forty seconds. The light can be seen from 27 nautical miles.

Inside the lighthouse are some interesting exhibits from shipwrecks. In 1936 a plaque commemorating the Birkenhead was affixed to the base of the lighthouse tower by the Navy League of South Africa

Danger Point does offer accommodation on the premises, in the form of a single self-catering cottage which has been named “Misty Waves”. It sleeps a maximum of 6 in 3 bedrooms and features a living/dining area, a full kitchen, and 2 bathrooms.

 34°37’49.3″S 19°18’08.6″E