Lighthouses

[hakz2007]

News, photos and discussions of light stations (lighthouses) in the Philippines!

Allow me to quote wikipedia:

A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.

Lighthouses mark dangerous coastlines, hazardous shoals, reefs, safe entries to harbors, and can also assist in aerial navigation. Once widely used, the number of operational lighthouses has declined due to the expense of maintenance and replacement by modern electronic navigational devices.

Post away, folks

Full listings of Philippine light stations here

[hakz2007]

Batanes Light Stations

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Basco Lighthouse by bongbajo, on Flickr

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Mahatao Lighthouse by bongbajo, on Flickr

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Mahatao Lighthouse by bongbajo, on Flickr

[hakz2007]

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Cape Bojeador Light House by Storm Crypt, on Flickr

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, also known as Burgos Lighthouse, is a cultural heritage structure in Burgos, Ilocos Norte, that was established during the Spanish Colonial period in the Philippines. It was first lit on March 30, 1892 and is set high on Vigia de Nagparitan Hill overlooking the scenic Cape Bojeador where early galleons used to sail by. After over 100 years, it still functions as a welcoming beacon to the international ships that enter the Philippine Archipelago from the north and guide them safely away from the rocky coast of the town.

The light marks the northwesternmost point in Luzon. The northeasternmost being Cape Engaño Lighthouse in Palaui Island, Santa Ana, Cagayan.

The 65-foot-tall (20 m) octagonal stone tower, the most prominent structure in the vicinity, can be seen from as far away as Pasuquin town in the south and Bangui on the east on a clear day. Contrary to popular belief, it is not the highest-elevated or tallest lighthouse in the Philippines. Corregidor Lighthouse is higher at over 600 feet and among the Spanish Colonial lighthouses, the tower of Cape Melville Lighthouse is the tallest at 90 feet. In Mindoro Strait, the recently erected modern tower at the Apo Reef Light Station rises to a height of 110 feet.

History

The Cape Bojeador lighthouse was part of the Spanish government's master plan of illuminating the Philippine archipelago. The project commenced with the execution of the lighthouses in the northern and western part of the Philippines and those around Iloilo and Cebu. The Burgos lighthouse was first lit on March 30, 1892.

Design

The lighthouse was first designed by Magin Pers and Pers in 1887 and was finished by the Lighthouse Service under Guillermo Brockman.[3] It is typical of the Spanish Colonial lighthouses which is all masonry made with bricks that are widely used and produced in the area. The octagonal tower is topped with a bronze cupola and the viewing gallery is surrounded by decorative iron grill works.

Lighting Apparatus

The lighthouse was originally fitted with first-order Fresnel. The intense earthquake of 1990 that hit most of Luzon damaged the lenses and displaced the mechanism alignment of the original first-order apparatus making it inoperable.[4]

The beam now comes from a modern electric lamp that is powered by solar panels. The light before was provided by pressurized kerosene lamps very much like "Coleman lamps". In 2005, the old pressure vessels and wicks for the light could still be found in the shed.

Historical Markers

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse was declared a National Historical Landmark on August 13, 2004 and a National Cultural Treasure on June 20, 2005 by the Philippine Government.

Visiting the lighthouse

Cape Bojeador lighthouse is the most accessible of all the lighthouses in the island of Luzon .Access to the lighthouse is through a two-lane narrow concrete road that starts from the Maharlika Highway in Brgy. Paayas, Burgos, about 35 km. north from Laoag City, capital of Ilocos Norte. After passing Paayas, a sign on the right side of the highway indicates the winding road that leads to the base of the lighthouse.

At the parking lot, visitors climb a flight of concrete stairs to the perimeter wall which offers a good view of Cape Bojeador and South China Sea and enter the courtyard. Look for the lighthouse keeper and inform him of your intentions. The service buildings and the cistern are located in the courtyard. The elegant T-shaped stairway leads you up to the verandah of the main pavilion. The hallway of the main pavilion takes you to the foot of the covered stairs that lead to the entrance of the tower. A spiral staircase leads the visitor to the lantern room on top. Only a certain number of people are allowed in the tower at a time. Access to the gallery depends on the outside wind condition.

The pavilion has now been transformed into a small museum as well as lodging for people seeking basic accommodation, though except from shared cooking facilities and water from the cistern, no other amenities are provided.

Visiting the area is recommended in the months of November to January, when the cold winds from winter China are felt throughout the normally hot Ilocos Region.

[hakz2007]

image hosted on flickr

Bagacay Point Lighthouse by -Glench-, on Flickr

This Lighthouse stands at a towering height of 72 feet in an uphill area overlooking the splendid Mactan Channel. It sits on an elevated 5,000-sq m government property, 22 km from the main road. The Tower has an active focal plane of 146 feet. The Present tower built in 1908 is white, octagonal and concrete made. The landmark was built in 1904 by virtue of an executive order issued on July 28, 1903 by William Howard Taft, who came to the country in 1900 as president of the Philippine Commission and later appointed US governor general. This light point was originally established in 1857. The Light point flashes white light source at every 5 seconds. For the past 101 years, this white octagonal tower has provided guiding light to mariners, navigators and fishermen from coastal towns in northern Cebu.

[hakz2007]

Basco Lighthouse

Basco Lighthouse is a lighthouse in the town of Basco in Batanes, the northernmost province in the Philippines. Located in Naidi Hills in Barangay San Antonio, the lush green hills and the open sea provide a beautiful backdrop for the lighthouse. The place can easily be reached by a 1.2-Km (3/4 mile) hike from the Port of Basco.

Basco Lighthouse is one of the three lighthouses proposed by former Congressman Florencio Abad of Batanes, not only as working lighthouses, but possibly as tourist attractions. The other two are in Sabtang and Mahatao. The Basco structure was the first completed in 2003.

The location chosen is where the first lighthouse of Basco was built. It was also the site of the American period telegraph facilities that connected Batanes with the central government until it was destroyed by the Japanese Imperial Army bombings at the start of World War II. A few of the buildings survived and some have been converted into businesses like a café - resulting from the area becoming popular because of the lighthouse.

The structure is a 6-story building with a gallery or viewing deck on the fifth floor. Located next to the 66-ft tower is a dwelling of vernacular architecture. Traditional Ivatan houses are made with stone or rubble masonry.

The viewing deck is a perfect location to view the whole of Batan Island (the main island where Basco is located) from end to end, including Mount Iraya. One can also have a clear view of Sabtang Island in the south of Basco and Itbayat Island to the north.

[mAiNsTrEaMhunter]

BAGACAY LIGHTHOUSE, LILOAN, CEBU

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photo by MalNino - Let's GO KNICKS!

[okalimable]

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Bolinao Lighthouse by gerardcastaneda, on Flickrimage hosted on flickr

cape bolinao lighthouse by laz'andre, on Flickrimage hosted on flickr

Cape Bolinao Lighthouse 2 by sweetsexything, on Flickr

[okalimable]

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Bolinao + Hundred Islands by lanz29mike, on Flickr

[hugodiekonig]

from a blog by oooneh at http://ooohneh.blogspot.com/2011/06/...ighthouse.html

Poro Point lies northwest of Luzon within San Fernando City in the Province of La Union. Approximate travel time from Manila is 5hrs by land travel and less than an hour by plane. A lighthouse was built at Poro Point in 1905 during the American occupation.

The Poro Point Lighthouse is 8 meters (27 ft) high, its tower made up of concrete tower which consists a gallery but it has no lantern. It has a focal plane of 33meters (107ft) and has two white flashes every 10seconds.

The lighthouse is not accessible to tourist because it is inside a military airfield/base. Plans to develop the lighthouse as a tourist destination is being considered.

[hugodiekonig]

image hosted on flickr


Photo by: The Point Residencies http://www.flickr.com/photos/thunder...n/photostream/

[hugodiekonig]

By Jerome Aning
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:05:00 01/09/2011

Filed Under: Tourism, Philippines - Metro, Waterway & Maritime Transport, history, Culture (general), Government Aid

MANILA, Philippines—The future of the “lonely sentinels of the sea”—as architectural historian Manuel Maximo Noche Lopez del Castillo calls the network of 19th-century lighthouses in the Philippines—is looking brighter with the much-improved finances of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

With an increased budget this year, the PCG said it can now intensify its lighthouse repair program and thereby promote the safe navigation of ships and fishing boats in the country’s numerous waterways.

read more at La Union Heritage Watch Thread / source link

[hugodiekonig]

Originally Posted by hakz2007

Batanes Light Stations

image hosted on flickr

Basco Lighthouse by bongbajo, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

Mahatao Lighthouse by bongbajo, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

Mahatao Lighthouse by bongbajo, on Flickr

And the first one was the SSC banner few weeks ago. Nice!

[kiretoce]

Lighthouses in the Philippines

[hugodiekonig]

Originally Posted by kiretoce

Lighthouses in the Philippines

Ngee wala yung Poro Point lighthouse

[hugodiekonig]

Philippine Lighthouses I: http://www.philippine-trivia.com/tri...ippines-i.html

Philippine Lighthouses II: http://www.philippine-trivia.com/tri...ppines-ii.html

[ydderf101]

photo by winks101:

toledo city, cebu lighthouse

[ydderf101]

by mbb8356
image hosted on flickr

tabuelan,cebu lighthouse

[hakz2007]

The Guisi Lighthouse is an 18th century Spanish-colonial lighthouse built beside the beach. It was built to guide mariners passing the Iloilo and Guimaras strait. The lighthouse can be reached by following a light trail. The 15-minute uphill trek to the Guisi Lighthouse also provides a great view of the beach.

At the top of the hill are the ruins of a Spanish-colonial outpost and the rotting remains of the metal lighthouse structure. Although the condition of the old lighthouse is already in disarray the Guimarasnons take pride in having the second oldest lighthouse, next to the old lighthouse in Aparri, Cagayan.

by Arn Santos

[astiguys]

Ozamiz Cotta Lighthouse

image hosted on flickr

image hosted on flickr

[hakz2007]

gandang akyatin ng lighthouse na yan...mukhang thrilling