Cabo Frio Lighthouse

Active lighthouse in Brazil

Lighthouse

22°59′53″S 41°59′20″W / 22.998°S 41.989°W / -22.998; -41.989TowerConstructed1836

Constructionstone

Height5 m (16 ft)

Shapecylinder

LightFirst lit17 February 1836

Deactivated1861

Focal height395 m (1,296 ft)

Lenscatoptric lens

Second lighthouse

Constructed1861

Constructionstone (tower)

Height16 m (52 ft)

Shapecylindrical tower with balcony and lanternFirst lit7 September 1861

Deactivated1925

Focal height159 m (522 ft)

Lensfirst order Fresnel lens (1893–), catoptric lens (–1893)

Range20 nmi (37 km; 23 mi)

Current lighthouse

Constructed1925

Constructioncast iron (tower)

Height16 m (52 ft)

Shapecylindrical tower with balcony and lanternMarkingswhite (tower), white (lantern)

OperatorBrazilian Navy

Focal height144 m (472 ft)

Range49 nmi (91 km; 56 mi)

CharacteristicFl W 10s

Brazil no.BR-2400^[1]

Cabo Frio Lighthouse is an active lighthouse located on the southern point of the Ilha do Cabo Frio, called Focinho do Cabo, in the municipality of Arraial do Cabo, Brazil.^[1]^[2]

History

The first lighthouse, a cylindrical stone tower 5 metres (16 ft) high, was lit on 17 February 1836 and was built on the highest hill of the island, at an altitude of 395 metres (1,296 ft). The lantern was equipped with catoptrics lens and parabolic reflectors lit by 18 oil lamps. As the top of the island was frequently covered by fog, due to the cold Antarctic currents, the lighthouse was not always operational. It was decided to build another lighthouse on the southern point of the island at a lower altitude.

The second lighthouse was a cylindrical stone tower, 15 metres (49 ft) high, with balcony and lantern and it was inaugurated on 7 September 1861. The lantern was equipped with catoptrics lens and it had a range of 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi); in 1893 the equipment was changed with the 1st order of Fresnel lens built by Barbier, Benard, et Turenne.

The current lighthouse, built in 1926, is settled on a lower level respect to its nearby predecessor; it is a white cylindrical cast iron tower 16 metres (52 ft) high with balcony and lantern. The lantern emits a white flash every 10 seconds) visible up to 49 nautical miles (91 km; 56 mi). The lighthouse is managed by Brazilian Navy and is identified by the country code number BR-2400. Because of the difficulty of reaching the lighthouse from the pier, an helipad was built nearby the keeper's housing.^[3]^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Southeastern Brazil". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
^ List of Lights, Pub. 110: Greenland, The East Coasts of North and South America (Excluding Continental U.S.A. Except the East Coast of Florida) and the West Indies (PDF). List of Lights. United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
^ "Cabo Frio". Farois Brasileiros. Archived from the original on 8 October 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
^ "Farol de Cabo Frio". Centro de Sinalização Náutica Almirante Moraes Rego. Marinha do Brasil. Retrieved 5 July 2017.