Lighthouses of the Bahamas

The Bahamas are an archipelago of several thousand islands and cays stretching southeast from Florida, north of Cuba. Settled by the British in the 17th century, the islands were a British colony until they became independent in 1973. At the far southeastern end of the archipelago, the Turks and Caicos Islands were separated from the Bahamas in 1874 and remain a British colony today. Lighthouse preservation is a matter of some concern in the Bahamas. Some of the lighthouses are well-known tourist attractions and seem well maintained, but others are isolated, rarely visited, and in poor condition. The active lighthouses are operated by the Bahamas Port Department. Photos and current accounts of visits to many of these lighthouses are scarce on the Internet. I'd be happy to receive information or photos you'd like to share. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from Volume J of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA numbers are from Publication 110. What's Hot: General Sources Bahamian Lighthouses in History An article by Hannah Solo and Neil Aberle traces the history of lighthouse building and preservation in the Bahamas. Lighthouses in Bahamas Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.

Elbow Cay Light, Hopetown, June 2006 Creative Commons photo by Ernest Lehmann

Great Abaco Lighthouses

**** Elbow Cay (Hope Town)

1864. Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); five white flashes every 15 s. 27 m (89 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted with horizontal red and white bands; lantern painted white; revolving 1º Fresnel lens (transferred from Gun Cay in 1936). An excellent closeup is available, plus a good view of the entire station, and Marinas.com has an aerial photo. The light is fueled by kerosene, and the keeper still hand-winds the clockwork mechanism. The Bahamas Lighthouse Preservation Society works for the maintenance of this historic light station. Located on Elbow Cay on the west side of the harbor at Hope Town. Island accessible by ferry from Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco Island. Site and tower open. Site manager: Bahamas Port Department. ARLHS BAH-010; Admiralty J4572; NGA 11800.

* [Little Harbour (2)] Date unknown (station established 1889). Inactive. Ruins of a 1-story concrete keeper's quarters, known locally as the "old lighthouse." A modern steel framework tower carries an active light (focal plane 19 m (62 ft); white flash every 4 s; a continuous white light is shown when conditions are dangerous and vessels should not enter). No closeup photo available. Located at the entrance to Little Harbour, about 25 km (15 mi) south of Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco Island. Accessible by a short walk to the end of the peninsula sheltering the harbor. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: unknown. ARLHS BAH-021; Admiralty J4576; NGA 11808. * Abaco (Hole-in-the-Wall) 1836. Active; focal plane 51 m (168 ft); white flash every 10 s. 28 m (92 ft) round British old-style stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to keeper's quarters buildings. Upper 2/3 of tower painted red, lower third white. Marinas.com has a fine aerial photo. The light station is leased to the Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organization as a marine research facility. The lighthouse itself was modernized and automated in 1995; the Center for Whale Research has a closeup photo (halfway down the page) taken before the restoration. In 1994, a large area surrounding the light station was set aside as the Abaco National Park. Located at the southern tip of Great Abaco Island; Google has a satellite view. Accessible by boat or over a rugged road by 4WD vehicles. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organization. ARLHS BAH-004; Admiralty J4580; NGA 11816.

Hole in the Wall Light photo copyright John Marshall; used by permission

Grand Bahama Lighthouse Note: The well-known Lucaya lighthouse at Freeport and the High Rock lighthouse at High Rock are not aids to navigation. Pinder's Point Date unknown. Inactive. 12 m (40 ft) round concrete tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. A. Hovestadt has contributed the photo at right, which shows that the light has been removed, although it is still listed by NGA. Sometime after this photo was taken, the tower was painted white, as seen in a November 2007 photo by Andrew John Conway. The tower is dwarfed by a modern industrial chimney. Recently some interest in restoring this lighthouse has been expressed on Grand Bahama, but nothing has come of this as yet. Located on a prominent cape on the southwestern coast of the island. Site status unknown. ARLHS BAH-024; Admiralty J4594; NGA 11848. Bimini Lighthouses Great Isaac 1859. Inactive since about 2000. 46 m (151 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. 1-story keeper's house, abandoned and falling into ruin, and other buildings. This lighthouse is a familiar landmark for cruise ship passengers en route to Nassau from Florida. Great Isaac is the scene of a famous lighthouse mystery: on August 4, 1969, the light station was discovered undisturbed but abandone. Its two missing keepers were never found. Gravely endangered: in 2005, Doug Nevitt visited the lighthouse and found it abandoned and rusting. A disheartening 2004 photo is available, and conditions have surely worsened since then. Marinas.com has an aerial photo showing the sad state of the station. The Bimini Cruising Guide has a closeup photo taken when the lighthouse was freshly painted and in service. Located on Great Isaac Cay at the north end of the Bimini archipelago. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Bahamas Port Department. ARLHS BAH-002; Admiralty J4620; NGA 11900.

Pinder's Point Light photo copyright Ad. Hovestadt; used by permission

Gun Cay

1836. Active; focal plane 24 m (80 ft); white flash every 10 s. 15 m (50 ft) round old-style stone tower surmounted by a short square pyramidal skeletal tower; upper half of tower painted bright red, lower half white. Two 1-story keeper's houses are abandoned and falling into ruins. The original lantern was transferred to Elbow Cay in 1936. Matt Lepkowski's photo shows the lighthouse freshly painted in 2003; a second closeup (though identified as Cat Cay Light) shows the ruined keeper's houses. A July 2006 photo is also available, and Marinas.com has an aerial photo. Located at the south end of the cay, in the Bimini group. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS BAH-009; Admiralty J4610; NGA 11916.

* North Cat Cay Breakwater

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 3 m (10 ft); white flash every 2 s. 3 m (10 ft) round old-style masonry tower with lantern, painted white. No recent photo available. Built by Capt. Leroy Smith for the owners of the island, the lighthouse is now owned by the Cat Cay Club. The island is just south of Gun Cay in the Bimini Group. Located at the end of the north breakwater. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS BAH-023; Admiralty J4608; NGA 11920.

Berry Islands Lighthouses

Great Stirrup Cay

1863. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 17 m (56 ft) round stone or brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. An aerial photo (misidentified as "Great Harbor Light") shows two 1-story keeper's quarters and an oil house, apparently in poor repair. A 2005 closeup shows the lighthouse in fresh paint and appearing in good condition; a February 2007 photo is also available, and Marinas.com has an aerial photo. Located at the northern end of the Berry Islands. The cay is a regular stop for Norwegian Cruise Lines ships; perhaps the cruise line has helped keep this lighthouse in good condition. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Bahamas Port Department. ARLHS BAH-008; Admiralty J4624; NGA 11940.

Whale Point (Whale Cay)

Date unknown. Clearly inactive, although still listed as active by NGA. Approx. 11 m (36 ft) 3-story masonry tower attached to a 1-story keeper's house. Mark Turuk has posted a photo that shows the building abandoned and open to the elements. WhaleCay.com also has a photo. Located on Little Whale Cay at the extreme southern end of the Berry Islands. The island is a privately owned resort. The lighthouse was restored in the 1930s by the founder of the resort. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Little Whale Cay Resort. ARLHS BAH-022; Admiralty J4626; NGA 11952.

Andros Island Lighthouse *** Andros 1892. Inactive. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) square masonry tower with a crenellated top. A good closeup is also available; it shows that the date 1892 is carved above the door of the tower. A June 2005 photo is also available. No information on the history of this odd stucture is available. Located in Coakley Town (Fresh Creek) north of Andros Town on the east side of the island. Site and tower open. Site manager: unknown. ARLHS BAH-017. Nassau Lighthouses * Paradise Island (Hog Island, Nassau Harbour) 1817. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); flash every 5 s, generally white, but the light changes to red when conditions are dangerous for entry. 19 m (63 ft) round old-style brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof red. Joost Keesing has contributed a closeup photo, and Marinas.com has an aerial photo. This is the oldest lighthouse in the Bahamas and probably the oldest in the West Indies. Located at the western end of Paradise Island (formerly Hog Island) marking the northwest entrance to Nassau Harbor; Google has a satellite view. Site status unknown. Good view from cruise ships entering the harbor. Site manager: Bahamas Port Department (?). ARLHS BAH-014; Admiralty J4655; NGA 12084. * Government House Active; focal plane 37 m (122 ft); red flash every 3 s. Light displayed from the cupola of Government House in downtown Nassau. The building is painted pink with white trim. Another photo is available. Site open. Site manager: Government of the Bahamas. ARLHS BAH-019; Admiralty J4658; NGA 12096.

Hog Island Light, September 2006 Creative Commons photo by T. Hall

Eleuthera and Exumas Lighthouses

Egg Island

1891 (?). Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); white flash every 3 s. 18 m (59 ft) round cast iron tower. No photo available. Located at the highest point of the island off the northwestern tip of Eleuthera. Site status unknown. ARLHS BAH-006; Admiralty J4678; NGA 12200.

** North Palmetto Point

1992. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); continuous white light with a more intense flash every 5 s. Square cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery rising from the roof of a three-bedroom house. Building available for vacation rentals. Built privately by David Steigelman; Lighthouse Digest has a short article describing its construction. Located 4 miles south of Governor's Harbor on the easternmost point of Eleuthera Island. Site open, tower open to paying guests. Site manager: Palmetto Point Lighthouse. ARLHS BAH-013; Admiralty J4705; NGA 12158.

[Eleuthera Point (Lighthouse Point) (2)]

Date unknown (station established 1903). Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); white flash every 4.6 s. 7.5 m (25 ft) post light adjacent to a 1-story square unpainted keeper's house. A closeup photo is available, also a small photo (at the bottom of the page), and Marinas.com has an aerial photo. The keeper's house was in ruins until recently, but the aerial photo shows that someone is restoring it. Older light lists show the station originally had two lights on skeletal towers. Located atop a bluff on Lighthouse Point, at the southern tip of Eleuthera; a Google satellite view shows how remote this location is. Site open. Admiralty J4704; NGA 12208.

Little Pipe Cay

Date unknown. Active; characteristics unknown. Approx. 7 m (23 ft) conical rubblestone tower, unpainted. Located on a reef of Little Pipe Cay, about 12 km (7.5 mi) northwest of Staniel Cay in the Exumas. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed.

San Salvador Island Lighthouse **** San Salvador (Dixon Hill) 1887 (station established 1856). Active; focal plane 50 m (164 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 22 m (72 ft) round tapered brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A photo appears at right, Mike Boardman has posted a good photo, another closeup is available, and Marinas.com has an aerial photo. The two original 1-story keeper's houses are still occupied by keepers, who also conduct tours of the tower. The lighthouse is fueled by kerosene and refueled, by hand, every 2 hours and 15 minutes. Located on the highest point of the island of San Salvador, on the northeastern side of the island. Site and tower open. Site manager: Bahamas Port Department. ARLHS BAH-015; Admiralty J4738; NGA 12288. Acklins Island Area Lighthouses Bird Rock 1876. Reactivated (inactive ca. 1980-1999); focal plane 34 m (112 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 30.5 m (100 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, painted white, centered on round 1-story keeper's quarters. A closeup photo is available. The lighthouse is being privately restored by the owners of the Pittstown Point Landings Resort on Crooked Island. Four vacation suites in the light station are available for rental. Located on a small island off the northwestern tip of Crooked Island in the southern Bahamas. Site and tower open to paying guests. Site manager: Bird Rock Lighthouse. ARLHS BAH-005; Admiralty J4792; NGA 12296. Castle Island 1868. Active (solar-powered); focal plane 40 m (131 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 34 m (112 ft) round brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands; 1° Fresnel lens (1934). Geoff Schultz has posted 2007 photos; the lighthouse is freshly painted on the outside but appears deteriorated inside. Marinas.com has a good aerial photo. Located on a small island off the southwest tip of Acklins Island; Google has a good satellite view of this location. Accessible only by boat. Site open; Schultz found the tower open. Site manager: Bahamas Port Department. ARLHS BAH-001; Admiralty J4782; NGA 12324.

Dixon Hill Light, January 2006 Creative Commons photo by Steve Nerat

Southern Channels Lighthouses

Cay Sal

1839. Inactive since the 1940s. Approx. 18 m (60 ft) ruined round stone tower with lantern and gallery. This abandoned lighthouse formerly marked the southern entrance to the Florida Straits from the Gulf of Mexico. It was briefly reactivated during the 1970s, when Bahamas police had a post on the island to watch for drug smugglers. The tower is badly deteriorated. Gregory Gulik has a report from his visit in 2001. Located on Elbow Cay, at the western end of the Cay Sal Bank about 80 km (50 mi) off the Cuban coast and 130 km (80 mi) southeast of Key West. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower open but extremely hazardous. Site manager: unknown. ARLHS BAH-018.

Cay Lobos

1869. Active; focal plane 44 m (145 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 45 m (148 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A closeup photo of the cay and lighthouse is available. Located on a tiny but very dangerous cay in the Old Bahama Channel only 50 km (30 mi) from Cuba. Site and tower closed. Site manager: Bahamas Port Department. ARLHS BAH-011; Admiralty J4774; NGA 12344.

Great Inagua Area Lighthouses Hogsty Reef Inactive. Abandoned stone tower, probably in ruins. The modern light is a 7 m (23 ft) post light (focal plane 9 m(29 ft); white flash every 4 s). Located on Northwest Cay, the largest island of the reef, which is halfway between Acklin's Island and Great Inagua Island. Site open, tower status unknown. ARLHS BAH-020; Admiralty J4802; NGA 12356 *** Great Inagua (Southwest Point) 1870. Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 34 m (112 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Two octagonal keeper's houses occupied by keepers. Lighthouse fueled by kerosene and turned by hand-cranked mechanism. The U.S. Coast Guard website has a photo of this lighthouse; a reduced size version appears at right. A University of Florida archaeological report also contains a photo of the lighthouse (nearly halfway down the page). Located at Matthew Town on Great Inagua Island, at the southern end of the Bahamas archipeligo. Site and tower open (free, donations requested). Site manager: Bahamas Port Department. ARLHS BAH-007; Admiralty J4804; NGA 12360.

Great Inagua Light; U.S. Coast Guard photo

 

Notable faux lighthouses:

• High Rock (1998), Grand Bahama, was built by Rev. Cecil Kemp of the nearby Lighthouse Chapel; it is not an aid to navigation
• Lucaya, also on Grand Bahama, is purely decorative and not an aid to navigation.

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Posted May 2005. Checked and revised October 12, 2007. Site copyright 2007 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.