Cape Race - Cape Race Lighthouse

Cape Race Lighthouse

Cape Race
The second Cape Race Lighthouse from 1907
Location Southeastern Newfoundland, Avalon Peninsula
Coordinates 46°39′31.43″N 53°04′22.27″W / 46.6587306°N 53.0728528°W / 46.6587306; -53.0728528Coordinates: 46°39′31.43″N 53°04′22.27″W / 46.6587306°N 53.0728528°W / 46.6587306; -53.0728528
Year first constructed 1906-1907
Construction Concrete
Tower shape Cylindrical
Markings / pattern White with red lantern
Height 29 metres (95 ft)
Focal height 52 metres (171 ft)
Original lens Hyperradiant Fresnel lens by Chance Brothers
Range 24 nautical miles
Characteristic Fl. 7.5s
Fog signal Horn (2) 60s
Admiralty number H0444
NGA number 1904
ARLHS number CAN-118
National Historic Site of Canada
Official name: Cape Race Lighthouse National Historic Site of Canada
Designated: 1975

In 1856, the first lighthouse was installed by the British Government's Trinity House. It was a cast iron tower with a coal oil lamp turned by clockwork. It was replaced in 1907 by a 29 metres tall concrete tower and a light with a massive hyperradiant Fresnel lens made by Chance Brothers in England. It had a massive optic emitting a one million candle power flash. Great landfall lights, like those at Cape Race provided the first sight of land for Atlantic or Pacific travellers. The original lighthouse was then moved to Cape North; it now stands in front of the National Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa. The light's characteristic is a single white flash every 7.5 seconds, additionally a foghorn may sound a signal of two blasts every 60 seconds. There is also a high-power LORAN-C transmitter at Cape Race, whose mast was, until the completion of CN Tower, the tallest structure of Canada.

The lighthouse was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1975.

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