Lighthouses of Seychelles

The Republic of Seychelles includes several groups of island scattered across the western part of the Indian Ocean, north of Madagascar. The Mahé group consists of rocky, fairly substantial islands and forms the core of the country; the other islands are mostly coral reefs. The first European settlements in the islands were by the French, in the 1700s. The islands seesawed back and forth between Britain and France during the wars between those countries, finally landing in British hands for good in 1814. They were administered from Mauritius until 1903, when Seychelles became a separate colony. The country has been independent since 1976. There is one substantial lighthouse on Denis Island (seen at right). Other aids to navigation in Seychelles are small; only a few, such as the Port Victoria Light shown below, might be considered lighthouses. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume D of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112. General Sources Phares d'Afrique A section of Le phare à travers le monde, the outstanding web site of Alain Guyomard and Robert Carceller; it includes links to several pages for Seychelles lighthouses. These photos were contributed by Jean-Michel Penin. Online List of Lights - Seychelles Photos by various photographers posted by Alex Trabas.

Denis Island Light, June 2012 photo copyright Dene Bebbington; used by permission

Denis Island Lighthouse

** Denis Island (3) 1910 (station established 1883). Apparently inactive; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); white flash every 5 s. 27 m (89 ft) skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, topped by a second skeletal tower. Access to the gallery is by an external stairway that zigzags up the legs of the tower. Lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands. Dene Bebbington contributed the photo at the top of this page, and Google has a satellite view. The skeletal extension was added in 1973; the two postage stamps at right show views before and after the extension. Lighthouse Explorer has Michel Forand's postcard view of the tripod-style lighthouse built in 1892 to replace the original wood tower, which had detriorated quickly in the tropical climate. Denis Island is a small, privately owned coral island about 85 km (53 mi) north of Mahé. The island has been developed as a resort. Daniel Luconi has forwarded a message from the resort's sales manager, who says that the lighthouse "is no longer used for this purpose [navigation] and only serves as a remembrance of the Denis Island history." Located at the northern point of the island. Site open, tower reported open for climbing to the gallery. ARLHS SEY-002; Admiralty D6860; NGA 32844.

1962 (left) and 1983 postage stamps; images courtesy of Klaus Huelse

Praslin Island Lighthouses

Pointe Zanguilles Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); quick-flashing white light. Approx. 6 m (20 ft) conical white concrete tower. Trabas has Klaus Potschien's photo, but clouds block Google's satellite view. Located on a rocky promontory on the north coast of Praslin Island, about 50 km (30 mi) northeast of Victoria. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SEY-009; Admiralty D6862.4; NGA 32828. Pointe Cabris (Praslin Island) Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white flash every 10 s. Approx. 7 m (23 ft) white masonry tower. Trabas has Douglas Cameron's photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the southeastern tip of Praslin Island, about 50 km (30 mi) northeast of Victoria. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SEY-006; Admiralty D6862; NGA 32824. Mahé Island Area Lighthouses Mamelle Island (2?) Date unknown (station established 1912). Active; focal plane 49 m (161 ft); white flash every 2.5 s. 6 m (20 ft) "white square stone structure" with a red roof, according to the NGA description. No photo available; in Google's satellite view there appears to be a ruined keeper's cottage northeast of the lighthouse. The original light here was the 1892 tripod tower (seen in Michel Forand's postcard view), which was relocated from Denis Island. Located on a small rocky island about 16 km (10 mi) northeast of the northern tip of Mahé. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SEY-005; Admiralty D6864; NGA 32820. [Cape Ternay] Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); two quick white flashes every 10 s. Approx. 5 m (16 ft) conical white concrete tower. Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located at the western tip of Mahé. Probably accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS SEY-001; Admiralty D6871; NGA 32816. Port Victoria Entrance 1877. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white flash every 6.7 s. 11 m (36 ft) masonry tower extended by a square skeletal tower. Masonry tower painted white, skeletal tower painted with red and white horizontal bands. Trabas has Douglas Cameron's photo (also seen at right), Guyomard and Carceller have Jean-Michel Penin's photo, Robert Wright has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse marks the entrance to the harbor of Victoria, the national capital, on the island of Mahé. In early 2007, the Ports Authority made repairs to the masonry structure. Located about 3 km (2 mi) northeast of the Victoria waterfront. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SEY-004; Admiralty D6868; NGA 32796.

Port Victoria Entrance Light photo copyright Douglas Cameron; used by permission

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: East: British Indian Ocean Territory | South: Madagascar

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Posted November 15, 2005. Checked and revised June 6, 2012. Lighthouses: 5. Site copyright 2012 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.