Lighthouses of Colombia: Caribbean Sea

The mainland of Colombia has two coastlines, one facing northwest on the Caribbean and another facing west on the Pacific. Colombia also administers the territory of San Andrés y Providencia, which includes a scattering of islands and banks in the southwestern corner of the Caribbean Sea, north of Panama and east of Nicaragua. This page includes the lighthouses of the Colombian Caribbean; there's a separate page for the Pacific Coast.

Aids to navigation in Colombia are owned by the Autoridad Marítima Colombia and maintained by the Dirección General Marítima (DIMAR). There are a number of lighthouses, but almost no information is available about them. The U.S. NGA lists for Colombia are sketchy and out of date, and DIMAR's web site has very little information about the nature of the light towers. This listing includes only those sites where it is certain or probable that a lighthouse exists. I am sure there are other lighthouses, and we need information about them.

One historical note is needed. The Quitasueño, Serranilla, Serrana, Bajo Nuevo, and Roncador Banks were formerly claimed and occupied by the United States. The U.S. gave up its claims to the Quitasueño, Serrana and Roncador Banks in a 1981 treaty with Colombia. It appears that the U.S. claims to Serranilla and Bajo Nuevo Banks are still in force. All four islands are also claimed by Nicaragua, and Bajo Nuevo, at least, is claimed by Jamaica.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume J of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals and U.S. NGA numbers are from Publication 110.

General Sources
División Señalización Marítima
Web site of the navigational aids division of DIMAR.
Online List of Lights - Vol. J - Columbia
Photos by Capt. Peter Mosselberger, posted by Alexander Trabas.
Lighthouse Pictures - Isla de San Andrés, Colombia
Photos taken in December 2008 by Rosalie Beasley.

Faro de Cartagena
Faro de Castillo Grande, Cartagena, September 2006
Creative Commons photo by Nihaar Gupta

Western Caribbean (San Andrés y Providencia) Lighthouses

Note: The islands of San Andrés and Providencia were settled by English buccaneers, and English is still spoken commonly in the islands as well as Spanish. Nicaragua formerly claimed the islands but surrendered its claims in 1928 in return for Colombia's recognition of Nicaragua's sovereignty over the Islas del Maíz (Corn Islands) and the Mosquito Coast of the mainland. Later Nicaragua attempted to renounce this agreement, but in 2007 the International Court of Justice upheld the 1928 treaty establishing Colombian sovereignty. The Court is continuing to consider the question of the maritime border between Nicaragua and Colombia, and in the meantime Nicaragua is continuing its claims to various uninhabited islands including the Serrana and Roncador Banks. Colombia has annexed all the disputed banks into its Departamento del Archipiélago de San Andrés, Providencia y Santa Catalina.
Northern Banks Lighthouses
Bajo Nuevo
1980. Active (?); focal plane 22 m (72 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 21 m (69 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. A somewhat fuzzy photo is available. Bajo Nuevo is a small reef far out in the Caribbean southwest of Jamaica. Wolfgang Schippke's statement that it is occupied by the Honduran Coast Guard was probably mistaken and is certainly obsolete, since Honduras gave up its claim in a 1999 treaty with Columbia. Nicaragua, Jamaica and the U.S. maintain claims to the reef. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed (special permission required for landing). ARLHS SAP-001; Admiralty J6020; NGA 15818 and 16482 (duplicate entries).
Banco Serranilla (2)
1996 (station established 1977). Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 33 m (108 ft) tower, including a square pyramidal skeletal tower mounted atop a 3-story concrete crew quarters. The crew building is painted in the colors of Clumbia's flag: upper half gold, lower half with one blue and one red horizontal band. The skeletal tower painted with red and white horizontal bands. A good photo is available, an older DIMAR photo appears at right; there's also another photo and a view from the sea. The lighthouse was designed by Guillermo Fonseca Truque. Serranilla, a reef about 110 km (70 mi) west of Bajo Nuevo, is claimed by the U.S. and Nicaragua. Located in the Caribbean Sea about 350 km (220 mi) northeast of the Honduran coast. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed (special permission required for landing). ARLHS SAP-013; Admiralty J6024; NGA 15816.
Quitasueño Norte (Banco Quita Sueño Norte) (2)
1977 (station established by the U.S. in 1919). Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 23 m (75 ft) square skeletal tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. No photo available. Quitasueño is a reef about 110 km (70 mi) north northeast of Isla Providencia and 70 km (45 mi) west of Banco Serrana. Located at the north end of the reef. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed (special permission required for landing). ARLHS SAP-009; Admiralty J6028; NGA 15820.
Quitasueño Sur (Banco Quita Sueño Sur) (2)
2008. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white light, 2 s on, 10 s off. 20 m (66 ft) square skeletal tower, painted with red and a white horizontal band. No photo available. Located at the south end of the reef. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed (special permission required for landing). Admiralty J6030; NGA 15821.
Serranilla
Faro Banco Serranilla; DIMAR photo
Banco Serrana (2)
1977 (station established by the U.S. in 1919). Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); white flash every 10 s. 25 m (82 ft) square skeletal tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Concrete keeper's quarters. Victor Sepulveda has a photo. The Serrana Bank is about 360 km (225 mi) east of Nicaragua. The U.S. renounced its claim to the Serrana and Roncador Banks in 1981, but the two banks are still claimed by Nicaragua. Located on Southwest Cay. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed (special permission required for landing). ARLHS SAP-012; Admiralty J6034; NGA 15824.
Banco Roncador (2)
1978 (station established by the U.S. in 1919). Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); white flash every 11 s. 24 m (79 ft) square skeletal tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. A very distant view is available. Wolfgang Schippke reports the original (U.S.?) lighthouse stands abandoned nearby, but there's no sign of this in available photos. Roncador Bank is about 215 km (135 mi) northeast of San Andres. Located at the northernmost point of the reef. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed (special permission required for landing). ARLHS SAP-010; Admiralty J6038; NGA 15828.

Isla Providencia Lighthouses
Low Cay
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white flash every 10 s. 20 m (66 ft) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower, painted with horizontal red and white bands. A photo and a distant view are available. Located on a low reef about 14 km (9 mi) north northeast of Isla Providencia. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SAP-006; Admiralty J6041; NGA 15832.7.
Cayo Palma (Isla Providencia)
1993. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); one long (1.5 s) white flash every 10 s. 25 m (82 ft) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower, painted with horizontal red and white bands. Enzo Molinari has posted a good photo, Juan Felipe Castaño has a 2008 closeup, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a reef off the northernmost point of Isla Providencia. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SAP-007; Admiralty J6041.5; NGA 15832.5.

Isla San Andrés Lighthouses
Haynes Cay (Cayo Cordoba)
1990. Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); yellow flash every 5 s. Approx. 20 m (66 ft) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Diego Azuaga has a good 2007 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the highest point of Haynes Cay, off the east coast of Isla San Andrés. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SAP-002; Admiralty J6043.5; NGA 15834.
* Punta Sur (Hoyo Soplador)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white flash every 9 s. 20 m (66 ft) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Julio Rueda has a photo, a second photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Hoyo soplador (blowhole) refers to a nearby occurrance of that phenomenon. Located at the southern tip of the island. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SAP-008; Admiralty J6043.6; NGA 15835.
* El Cove (Cove Rojo)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); red flash every 5 s. 20 m (66 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Beasley has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. El Cove (The Cove) is a section of the southwestern coast of San Andrés where there is deep water close to shore and larger vessels can anchor. Located on the beach about 8 km (5 mi) north of Punta Sur. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS COL-039; Admiralty J6043.7; NGA 15835.5.
* Punta Evans (Cove Verde)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); green flash every 3 s. 20 m (66 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Beasley has a photo, a closeup is available, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on the beach at a promontory about 2 km (1.2 mi) north of the El Cove light. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS COL-041; Admiralty J6043.8; NGA 15835.7.

Faro de Cayo Palma, January 2008
anonymous Creative Commons photo

Southern Banks Lighthouses
Cayos del Este Sudeste (Courtown Cays, Cayo Bolívar)
1968. Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); white flash every 15 s. 29 m (95 ft) tower, presumably skeletal, painted orange. No closeup photo available. Located on Cayo Bolívar, one of several small cays about 22 km (14 mi) east southeast of Isla San Andrés. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SAP-004; Admiralty J6044; NGA 15840.
Cayos de Albuquerque
1980. Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 29 m (95 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. A view from the sea is available. Albuquerque is a reef about 35 km (22 mi) southwest of Isla San Andrés. The lighthouse is on cayo del Norte, the larger of two small cays at the south end of the reef. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SAP-003; Admiralty J6045; NGA 15844.

Caribbean Coast Lighthouses

Northwestern Coast Lighthouses
Cabo Tiburón
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 104 m (341 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. Approx. 25 m (82 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. The top of the tower is visible in a distant view of the cape. This lighthouse marks the Panamanian border and the west side of the entrance of the Gulf of Urabá. Site status unknown. ARLHS COL-017; Admiralty J6144; NGA 16632.
Matuntugo
2001. Active; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); three white flashes every 8 s. Approx. 35 m (115 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located at Matuntugo on the west side of the Gulf of Urabá. Site status unknown. ARLHS COL-027; Admiralty J6148; NGA 16639.
Punta Yarumal
2001. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white flash every 5 s. Approx. 17 m (56 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. No photo available, but the lighthouse is probably seen in a Google satellite view. Located on a long spit leading to the town of Turbo on the east side of the Gulf of Urabá. Site status unknown. ARLHS COL-047; Admiralty J6147.5; NGA 16638.
Punta Caimán
2001. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); white flash every 7.5 s. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. No photo available. Located on a prominent cape on the east side of the Gulf of Urabá, about 25 km (15 mi) north of Turbo. Site status unknown. ARLHS COL-035; Admiralty J6146.5; NGA 16652.
Punta Caribana
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 84 m (276 ft); one long (1.2 s) white flash every 12 s. Square skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. No photo available. Located on a prominent cape at the east side of the entrance of the Gulf of Urabá. Site status unknown. ARLHS COL-018; Admiralty J6145; NGA 16660.
** Isla Fuerte (2)
1968 (station established 1939). Active; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); white flash every 10 s. Approx. 35 m (115 ft) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower with gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. A good photo is available, and Alejandro Cock-Peláez has a 2008 closeup. Isla Fuerte is an island about 10 km (6 mi) off the coast at the southern entrance to the Golfo de Morrosquillo. Resorts on the island are popular with scuba divers. Located on the east side of the island. Site open, tower open for climbing. ARLHS COL-025; Admiralty J6152; NGA 16664.
* Punta de Piedra
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. Approx. 5 m (17 ft) square skeletal tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands, mounted atop a 10-story condo building. Giraldo Nelson has a good photo, César Olmos also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located in the Punta de Piedra resort area, about 130 km (80 mi) south of Cartagena. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS COL-061; Admiralty J6153.9; NGA 16672.

Cartagena Area Lighthouses
Isla Múcura
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. Approx. 22 m (72 ft) square skeletal tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. In a view of the beach, the top of the tower is visible at full magnification to the left of center. Isla Múcura is a small island resort in the Islas de San Bernardo, about 80 km (50 mi) southwest of Cartagena. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS COL-029; Admiralty J6157; NGA 16680.
Isla del Tesoro
Date unknown (station established 1922). Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); three white flashes every 12 s. 34 m (112 ft) square skeletal tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Trabas has Capt. Peter's distant view. Located on a small island about 25 km (15 mi) southwest of Cartagena. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS COL-009; Admiralty J6160; NGA 16688.
Banco Salmedina (2)
1978 (station established 1937). Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); white flash every 10 s. 22 m (72 ft) tower, presumably skeletal, painted orange. No photo available. This light marks the beginning of the approach to Cartagena. Located on a low bank about 8 km (5 mi) off the coast and 16 km (10 mi) west of Cartagena. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS COL-012; Admiralty J6164; NGA 16728.
Isla Tierra Bomba
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 107 m (351 ft); two white flashes every 3.5 s. Approx. 30 m (98 ft) square skeletal tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Trabas has Capt. Peter's distant view, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Tierra Bomba is a large island sheltering the harbor of Cartagena. Located on one of the highest points of the island. Site and tower closed. ARLHS COL-052; Admiralty J6166; NGA 16700.
* Castillo Grande (Cartagena)
1973. Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); white flash every 7 s. 22 m (72 ft) unpainted concrete block tower with white lantern. Nihaar Gupta's photo appears above, another good photo is available, Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo, Hugo Narvaez Fuentes has a 2008 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Castillo Grande is an upscale neighborhood accessible to tourists. Located at the end of a peninsula sheltering the inner harbor of Cartagena. Site appears open, tower presumably closed. ARLHS COL-037; Admiralty J6167.6; NGA 16726.
* Punta Canoa (Punta Canoas)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 96 m (315 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. Approx. 30 m (98 ft) square skeletal tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. No photo available, but there is a photo of the view from the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a steep bluff overlooking the Caribbean about 25 km (15 mi) north of Cartagena. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS COL-036; Admiralty J6174; NGA 16736.
Galerazamba (Punta Galera) (2)
1968 (station established 1921). Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white flash every 6 s. Approx. 22 m (72 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower, painted orange-red, adjacent to a 1-story keeper's house. José Alfonso Meléndez has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a headland about halfway between Cartagena and Barranquilla. Site and tower closed. ARLHS COL-026; Admiralty J6176; NGA 16740.

Barranquilla Area Lighthouses
Punta Hermosa (2)
1969 (station established 1925). Active; focal plane 134 m (440 ft); three white flashes, separated by 3 s, every 20 s. 12 m (39 ft) square pyramidal tower, painted orange, rising from or adjacent to a 1-story keeper's house. No photo available, but a Google satellite view probably shows the light station. Located on a headland near Barranquilla. Site status unknown, tower closed. ARLHS COL-045; Admiralty J6180; NGA 16744.
Río Magdalena (West Breakwater)
Date unknown (station established 1937). Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); red flash every 5 s. 22 m (72 ft) square skeletal tower, pyramidal below and cylindrical above, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Capt. Peter's photo is at right, Rodolfo Useche Melo also has a photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This is the entrance light for the Magdalena estuary, which leads to the port of Barranquilla. The rubblestone west breakwater at the mouth of the estuary is nearly 8 km (5 mi) long. Located at the end of the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS COL-049; Admiralty J6188; NGA 16748.

Río Magdalena West Breakwater Light
photo copyright Capt. Peter Mosselberger
used by permission
Río Magdalena East Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); yellow light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 13 m (43 ft) square skeletal tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty J6191.3; NGA 16762.
Río Magdalena E-3 (Entrance Range Rear)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); yellow light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 20 m (66 ft) square skeletal tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. The tower also carries a slatted daymark painted white with a red vertical stripe. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo. The front light is on a much shorter skeletal tower. Located beside the east breakwater at the entrance to the Magdalena. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty J6191.1; NGA 16760.
Río Magdalena E-8 (Range Rear)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 22 m (72 ft) square skeletal tower, mounted on a square platform. Lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands. The tower also carries a slatted daymark painted white with a red vertical stripe. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo, and Google has a satellite view. The front light is on a much shorter skeletal tower. Located in a lagoon just west of the Magdalena channel. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty J6191.91; NGA 16788.
San Nicolas Range Common Rear (Río Magdalena E-12)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 23 m (95 ft); green flash every 2 s. 22 m (72 ft) square skeletal tower, mounted on a square platform. Lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands. The tower also carries two slatted daymarks painted white with a red vertical stripe. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo, and Google has a satellite view. This tower carries the rear lights for both upstream and downstream ranges. Located on an embankment west of the Magdalena channel. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty J6192.1; NGA 16790.5.
Morro Grande (Santa Marta) (2)
1971 (station established 1870). Active; focal plane 82 m (269 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. Approx. 24 m (80 ft) hexagonal tower on a 2-story square base; the lighthouse is built of cement blocks with a frame of reinforced concrete. Lighthouse painted gray with white trim; the lantern has red and white vertical striping. Capt. Peter's photo is at right, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a steep-sided island in the entrance to the harbor of Santa Marta. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower presumably closed. ARLHS COL-028; Admiralty J6256; NGA 16832.

Guajira Peninsula Lighthouses
* Riohacha (Río de la Hacha) (2)
1986. Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); white flash every 10 s. 30 m (98 ft) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on the waterfront on the west side of Riohacha, the capital of the department of La Guajira in the northeastern corner of Colombia, about 150 km (90 mi) east of Santa Marta. Site appears open, tower closed. ARLHS COL-050; Admiralty J6262; NGA 16836.
* Riohacha (Río de la Hacha) (1)
1857. Inactive at least since 1986. Light formerly mounted on the tower of the cathedral of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios. A photo of the church and a closeup of the tower are available. Located in Riohacha. Site and church open, tower closed.
Punta Manaure
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 21 m (69 ft) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. No photo available. Located on a promontory on the east side of Manaure, a salt-mining town on the west side of the Guajira Peninsula. Site status unknown. ARLHS COL-044; Admiralty J6260; NGA 16840.
* [Cabo de la Vela] (2)
1955 (station established 1928). Active; focal plane 88 m (289 ft); white flash every 10 s. Approx. 10 m (33 ft) square skeletal tower, painted red. A closeup photo is available, Sebaxtian Echeverry has a 2008 photo, Emilie Baird de Vargas has posted a distant view, and Google has a satellite view. Foundation ruins near the tower must be from the earlier lighthouse and/or keeper's house. Cabo de la Vela is a resort area, and tourists often hike to the lighthouse to enjoy the spectacular view. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS COL-016; Admiralty J6266; NGA 16844.

Faro de Santa Marta
photo copyright Capt. Peter Mosselberger
used by permission
Punta Gallinas
1989. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); white flash every 10 s. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) square skeletal tower, painted with horizontal red and white bands. A photo and a second photo are available, Edgar Martínez Londoño has a closeup in silhouette, and Google has a satellite view. The ruined building nearby is presumably a former keeper's house. This modest tower is the northernmost lighthouse of South America, standing at latitude 12° 27.5' north. Located on the cape, at the northern tip of the Guajira Peninsula, about 18 km (11 mi) north of Inosu. Accessible by 4WD. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS COL-042; Admiralty J6267; NGA 16848.
Punta Espada
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 50 m (164 ft); white flash every 8 s. Approx. 30 m (98 ft) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. A photo is available, as well as a photo taken from atop the tower, but the tower is inconspicuous in a Google satellite view. The lighthouse marks the easternmost point of the Guajira Peninsula. Located on a bluff above the cape. Site status unknown. ARLHS COL-040; Admiralty J6267.8; NGA 16849.
Castilletes
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); white flash every 9 s. Approx. 28 m (92 ft) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. A 1-story border control station stands a short distance north of the lighthouse. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located about 600 m (3/8 mi) north of the Venezuelan border on the southeast side of the Guajira Peninsula. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS COL-019; Admiralty J6268; NGA 16850.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

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Posted February 13, 2004. Checked and revised August 7, 2009. Lighthouses: 44. Site copyright 2009 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.