Isla Alto Velo Lighthouse
Isla Alto Velo Lighthouse has a focal height of 163 metres and a range of 13 nautical miles. It was built in about 1915.
- Focal height
- 163 metres
- Range
- 13 nautical miles
- Built
- about 1915
- Coordinates
- 17.47819, -71.63469
Isla Alto Velo Lighthouse is located on Alto Velo Island, the southernmost point of the Dominican Republic. The island is part of the Pedernales Province in the Caribbean Sea, approximately 220 kilometers southwest of Santo Domingo.
The lighthouse on Alto Velo Island is a quadrangular tower with a balcony and lantern. It has a height of about 152 meters above sea level. The island itself has an area of 1.02 square kilometers and is 1.4 kilometers long, being oval in shape. The island is uninhabited and is part of the Jaragua National Park, the largest protected area in the Caribbean region.
The island has a rich history, dating back to Christopher Columbus' second voyage in 1494. His crew caught and killed seabirds and ate Caribbean monk seals on the island, which he named Alta Vela because it resembled a tall ship at sail from a distance. In 1863, the Confederate commerce raider CSS Alabama captured and burned the Boston-based schooner Chatelaine off the coast of Alto Velo Island. The lighthouse itself does not have a specific history mentioned, but it likely serves as a navigational aid for nearby ships and boats.
Light and tower
It has a quadrangular tower with balcony and lantern tower. The light has a focal height of 163 metres. The light has a range of 13 nautical miles. The NGA list of lights numbers it 14388. The Admiralty list of lights numbers it J5482.
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Details
- Range Nm
- 13
- Nga Number
- 14388
- Year Built
- 1915 est.
- Description
- '''Alto Velo Island''' (; also called '''Alta Vela Island''') is a small uninhabited island south of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea. Its maximum height is about above sea level. It lies on an underwater mountain range which continues to Beata Island (about away, separated by the Alto Velo Channel) and the southwestern coast of the Dominican Republic. It has an area of and is long, being oval in shape.
- Tower Shape
- quadrangular tower with balcony and lantern
- Focal Height M
- 163
- Admiralty Number
- J5482