Roman rock
| Roman rock | ||
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 |
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| Place: |
 South Africa , False Bay |
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| Location: | East of Simon's Town on a rock | |
| Geographical location: | 34 ° 10 '52.4 " S , 18 ° 27' 36.4" E | |
| Fire carrier height : | 14 m | |
| Fire height : | 17 m | |
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| Identifier : | Fl.W.6s | |
| Scope knows: | 20 nm (37 km ) | |
| Construction time: | 1857-1861 | |
| Operating time: | since September 16, 1861 | |
| International ordinal number: | D 6140 | |
Roman Rock is a lighthouse in South Africa . It stands on a rock in False Bay , about a nautical mile from the port of Simon's Town . He warns shipping about the reefs in this area.
history
The lighthouse was built at the urging of the Royal Navy . She had been using Simon's Town as a naval base since 1806 and needed a navigational aid to approach the port. From 1823 to 1853 different locations were investigated and the decision was made to go for Roman Rock, a granite boulder that can only be seen at low tides .
The cast iron parts were prefabricated in England and transported by ship to Simon's Town. Construction of the tower began in 1857 and it took four years before it could be put into operation on September 16, 1861. The exposed location and the weather conditions only allowed 96 working days during this period. The cost of construction ranged from £ 3,000 to £ 3,500 . Until 1914 the tower was manned by two beacon keepers who were each replaced after a week.
The reefs around Roman Rock are now also an area for scuba divers .
Furnishing
The first beacon consisted of eight reflectors that took four minutes to complete one revolution. It was replaced in 1914 by a new optics with carbide lamps . The beacon keepers were no longer needed and the gas bottles only had to be replaced after three to four months.
At the request of the South African Navy , the beacon was electrified in 1992. Power is supplied via a submarine cable and, if it fails, via an emergency power system with diesel generator and solar modules installed in the tower . Additional equipment includes a radar beacon and an AIS transmitter .
Web links
- Roman rock. Retrieved April 25, 2015 .
- Roman rock lighthouse. Simons's Town Historical Society, accessed April 25, 2015 .