A Globe-trotting CEO
of three tapering tiers and the lower part of the lighthouse is square, with a central core.
Inside the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse is a small lighthouse museum. Climb the 71 steps – including the rungs of a steep ladder – to the top of the lighthouse for a view over the boundaries of the Indian and Atlantic Ocean, as determined by the International Hydrographic Organisation.
Thereafter take a leisurely walk of about a kilometre along the boardwalk from the lighthouse to the stone cairn that marks the southernmost tip of the African continent, and the Agulhas Icon Sculpture by Strijdom van der Merwe.
Doringbaai (Thorn Bay) Lighthouse, West Coast
An old adage goes, “Once the lighthouse is seen, the rest of the sea is ignored.”
In the West Coast fishing village of Doringbaai, the cylindrical white lighthouse with its black band has long been admired, although visitors seem to lose interest as they head to Fryer’s Cove Winery on the pier. This wine-tasting venue is in a disused crayfish factory which – apart from adding to the charm – means that the cold sea water can be harnessed as a cooling system that saves energy too.
Sit on the jetty, sip on the Fryer’s Cove Doring Bay Sauvignon Blanc – with its distinctive turquoise label depicting a sardine-can opener – whilst looking out over the bay. Order a classic plate of fish and chips, calamari or a platter with snoek, figs and olives from the Jetty Restaurant, which is run by members of the local community.
Very few people get to see South Head Lighthouse up close, as the access road passes through an off-limits South African National Defence Force base. It is colloquially known as Donkergat [Dark Hole] Island after the old whaling station that existed there from about 1909 to 1967.
South Head Lighthouse is one of only three lighthouses in South Africa that features a yellow section. The other two are at Groenriviermond in the Northern Cape and Cape Vidal in Kwazulu-natal.
Seal Point Lighthouse, Cape St Francis
Seal Point Lighthouse is the tallest stone tower on the South African coast. This lighthouse, also called the Cape St Francis Lighthouse, is an elegant, all-white structure with a beautiful fanlight above the entrance.
A stone’s throw from the lighthouse, a large statue of a penguin beckons visitors to the SANCCOB Seabird Rehabilitation Centre. At this centre they treat and look after sick, injured or oiled African penguins and other coastal birds. Behind-the-scenes tours are on offer and the souvenir shop offers mementos of your visit.
Hood Point Lighthouse, East London
Hood Point Lighthouse is unique in quite a few ways: Its red lantern house resembles a Turkish fez, its windows are keyhole-shaped, and its balcony is more than a touch grander than those of other lighthouses.
In order to get to the lighthouse you have to pass through a quaint graveyard with graves dating from the early 1900s. If you do not fancy taking slightly macabre photos of a lighthouse juxtaposed with a cemetery angel, West Bank Golf Course is a short drive away. It is said that you can see the sea from every tee at West Bank.
Umhlanga Rocks, Kwazulu-natal
If you harbour the desire to view a lighthouse on eye-level, the only place to go is to the aptly named The Lighthouse Bar at The Oyster Box in Umhlanga Rocks.
From the terrace you have a 180-degree view of the coastline, with the top of the lighthouse smack bang in the middle. Try the Umhlanga Schling, their signature cocktail, made with local cane sugar and cane spirit, while surrounded by oversized Alice-inWonderland chairs echoing the red of the Umhlanga Rocks Lighthouse.
Lighthouses are icons of a bygone era – a time when light represented safety and saved the lives of many seamen. The South African coast is one of the most beautiful in the world, but also the most treacherous, and so is littered with lighthouses. Take a trip and discover some of them for yourself!