0111. Srilanka - Little Basses Lighthouse

Little Basses Lighthouse is an off-shore Lighthouse in the South of Srilanka.  The Lighthouse is located on a reef called Kuda Ravana Kotuwa.  The Lighthouse is named as Little Basses when British invaded Ceylon as the Lighthouse is in close proximity to Great Basses Reef Lighthouse.

These two Lighthouse(s), the Great Basses Lighthouse and Little Basses Lighthouse are among the most famous off-shore Lighthouse(s) of Asia.

The Lighthouse was designed by James Nicholas Douglass and built by William Douglass.  In 2004, the Lighthouse withstood to Tsunami with modest damage. 

Srilanka Post commemorated the Little Basses Lighthouse by the release of 0.50 cents postage stamp on 22-Jan-1996. 

Built in 1878, the Little Basses Lighthouse:

• Tower is ROUND granite
• Tower has a lantern and double gallery
• Tower painted WHITE with a BLACK HORIZONTAL band
• Height is 37 meters
• Colour scheme of LIGHT is WHITE
• Light character is 2 (two) quick FLASHES every 10 seconds
• Lighthouse is accessible only by boat

0110. Lithuania - Pervalka Lighthouse (Maxi Card)

Lithuania Post  commemorated  the  Pervalka  Lighthouse  by   the  release  of 1 Litas stamp on 15-Mar-2003. 

My sincere thanks to Rasa Mazeikiene of Lithuania for the Maxi Card.... 

NOTE : Details about this Lighthouse is available in my Post No.0060....

0109. India - Fort Aguada Lighthouse

Fort Aguada Lighthouse is located in Fort Aguada, a 16th century Portuguese fortification, about 10 km West of Panaji, the capital of the Goa State. 

The Fort Aguada built in 1612 comprises a Lower Fort with bastions all around and an Upper Fort.  It skirts the seashore and ascends the summit of the bare rocky, upland called Aguada Point.  The Upper Fort was built as a vantage point to serve the ships.  While the Lower Fort offers a safe berth to Portuguese Ships.  The Upper Fort comprises of Moat, an underground Water Storage Chamber, Lighthouse, Gun powder room and Bastions. 

The word Aguada means 'Watering Place' in Portuguese.  The Water Tank storage capacity is 23,76,000 gallons.  It has 5 division with a support of 16 huge columns and a staircase to descend.  The Lighthouse, at initial stage used to emit light once in 7 minutes. In 1834, updated to emit light creating eclipse every 30 seconds.

In 1841, an Oil lamp was exhibited from a mast erected inside Aguada Fort - built by the Portuguese.  The circular masonry Lighthouse tower was built in 1864 and an Wick Lamp with 6th order optic was placed on it.  In 1906, PV equipment with a 4th order optic replaced the oil lamp.  The equipment were of Portuguese origin.

The Lighthouse was a wonderful old building and was in service till 1970s. 

The Fort Aguada Lighthouse is seen in the backdrop in the postage stamp released by India Post on 19-Dec-2011 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee celebration of Goa (where the lighthouse is located) Liberation Day.

Built in 1864, the Fort Aguada Lighthouse:

• Tower is ROUND stone
• Tower, lantern and gallery are painted WHITE
• Height is 13 meters

0108. Guernsey - Les Casquets Lighthouse (Maxi Card)

Alderney is surrounded by sea and the Lighthouses provide the light for ships to pass safely through a group of rocks known as Les Casquets.  There are a group of rocks about 13 kms West of Alderney.

The active tower is the North-Westernmost of three towers built in 1723-24.  The remaining two towers have been inactive since 1877.  During World War II, the Germans used the light station as an observation post and transmitter site, which attracted commando raids by British forces in 1942-43.  The Lighthouse is accessible only by helicopter.

The Lighthouse started operation on 30-Oct-1724, and there were three towers each lit by Coal Fires called St Peter, St Thomas and the Dungeon.  Three stone towers were built to give the lights a distinctive appearance which would not be confused with Lighthouses in nearby France.

The towers were built by Thomas Le Cocq, owner of the rocks, under the licence from Trinity House and who was paid a Half penny per ton of ship when vessels passed the rocks and in turn he paid Trinity House 50 pounds per year for the right to run the lighthouses.  The Lighthouses were reverted back to Trinity House in 1785.

Guernsey Post commemorated the Les Casquets Lighthouse by the release of 6p (penny) postage stamp on 10-Feb-1976.

Built in 1723, the Les Casquets Lighthouse:

• Tower is CYLINDRICAL stone
• Tower is painted WHITE and RED HORIZONTAL bands
• Lantern painted RED
• Height is 23 meters
• Colour scheme of LIGHT is WHITE
• Light character is 5 (five) FLASHES separated by 3.7 seconds every 30 seconds

0107. Guernsey - Quesnard (Alderney) Lighthouse (Maxi Card)

The Quesnard (Alderney) Lighthouse is located in a small island, Alderney about 32 km North-East of Guernsey.  The Alderney island is accessible by air or by ferry.  The Lighthouse guards the Alderney Race, the 16km wide channel between Alderney and Cape de la Hague, the North-West corner of the Cotentin Peninsula.

The Alderney Race has some of the fastest and most dangerous tidal currents in the World.

Guernsey Post commemorated the Quesnard (Alderney) Lighthouse by the release of 11p (penny) postage stamp on 10-Feb-1976.

Built in 1912, the Quesnard (Alderney) Lighthouse:

• Tower is stone
• Tower is painted WHITE with single broad BLACK HORIZONTAL band
• Height is 32 meters
• Colour scheme of LIGHT is WHITE
• Light character is 4 (four) FLASHES separated by 2.3 secs, every 15 seconds

0106. Guernsey - Les Hanois Lighthouse (Maxi Card)

The Les Hanois Lighthouse is located on a rocky reef at the South-Western point of the Guernsey Island, marking the Westernmost point of the Channel Islands.  The Lighthouse was the first to be built with granite blocks interlocking both laterally and vertically.  The Lighthouse was designed by James Douglass.  For Wave swept Towers, this became the standard.

Guernsey Post commemorated the Les Hanois Lighthouse by the release of 4p (penny) postage stamp on 10-Feb-1976.

Built in 1862, the Les Hanois Lighthouse:

• Tower is TAPERED granite
• Tower has keeper's quarters, lantern, gallery and a helipad above lantern
• Tower is painted WHITE
• Height is 36 meters
• Colour scheme of LIGHT is WHITE
• Light character is 2 (two) FLASHES separated by 3.2 secs, every 13 seconds
• Lighthouse is accessible only by helicopter

0105. Argentina - De Mayo Lighthouse

The De Mayo erected by Argentina in 1942 was the first Argentine Lighthouse in the Antarctic.

Argentina Post commemorated the De Mayo Lighthouse by the release of 75 Argentine Centavo stamp under its Argentina Lighthouse Series-III on 18-Mar-2006.

0104. Argentina - Año Nuevo Lighthouse

 

The Año Nuevo Lighthouse built with British support in connection with Antarctic expeditions and this Lighthouse is declared a National Historic Monument.  This building near the Lighthouse tower housed a Meteorological and Geophysical Observatory.  The Observatory was staffed continuously from 1902 to 1919.

The Lighthouse is in poor condition.  Studies in progress to determine how best to restore the Lighthouse.  The Lighthouse is located on the Isla Observatorio, a small island off the North coast of the Isla de los Estados.  The Lighthouse is accessible by boat.

Argentina Post commemorated the Año Nuevo Lighthouse by the release of 75 Argentine Centavo stamp under its Argentina Lighthouse Series-III on 18-Mar-2006.

Built in 1902, the Año Nuevo Lighthouse:

• Tower is ROUND cast iron
• Tower is with a Lantern and double gallery ; Upper gallery is narrower than the lower
• Tower painted WHITE and BLACK horizontal stripe
• Height is 66 meters
• Colour scheme of LIGHT is WHITE
• Light character is 3 (three) FLASHES, separated by 8 secs. every 32 seconds

0103. Jersey - Grève d'Azette Lighthouse

The Grève d'Azette Lighthouse is located on a coastal road about 2.5 km South-East of St.Helier of the Jersey Island.

Jersey Post commemorated the Grève d'Azette Lighthouse by the release of 44p stamp on 5-Oct-1999

Built in 1896, the Grève d'Azette Lighthouse:

• Tower is SQUARE PYRAMIDAL cast iron skeletal
• Tower is mounted on a SQUARE concrete and stone base
• Tower painted WHITE and carries RED vertical stripe day-mark range line
• Height is 23 meters
• Colour scheme of LIGHT is WHITE
• Light character is a OCCULTING every 5 seconds

0102. Croatia - Prisnjak Lighthouse

The Prisnjak Lighthouse (shown with an arrow mark) is located on a small island off the North-West end of the much larger island Murter archipelago.  The island is special and diverse as it is covered by pine, oak and wild olive trees and curative plants.  North-West from Prisnjak, there are in sequence of islets Murvenjak, Visovac and Maslinjak.  The people from Murter during centuries sailed for fish in this channel.  The Lighthouse Prisnjak marked the returning route for the people.

The glass dome in the Lighthouse building reflects the sun rays miles away and the seafarer used to say that it lights also by daylight.  Old, mechanic light mechanism was changed with automatic technology in 1990.   Presently, the Lighthouse was renovated as tourist apartment.

The Prisnjak Lighthouse is one of the most visited lighthouses on the Adriatic Sea.

Croatian Post commemorated the Prisnjak Lighthouse by the release of 3.10 kn (Croatian currency kuna) postage stamp on 18-Oct-2011.

Built in 1886, the Prisnjak Lighthouse:

• Tower is OCTAGONAL stone
• Tower attached to a 1-storey Keeper's house
• Tower is painted WHITE
• Height is 15 meters
• Colour scheme of LIGHT is WHITE
• Light character is 3 (three) FLASHES every 10 seconds
• Lighthouse is accessible only by boat