Navassa Island Light

The Navassa Island Light is a deactivated lighthouse located on Navassa Island in the Caribbean Sea. The island is situated at the south end of the Windward Passage, between the islands of Hispaniola and Cuba and Jamaica to the west. The lighthouse was built in 1917 and was an important aid to navigation, particularly after the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, which increased shipping traffic in the area.

The Navassa Island Light is a significant structure, standing 162 feet tall and 395 feet above sea level. A wireless telegraphy station was also established on the island at the same time as the lighthouse. The lighthouse was originally manned by a keeper and two assistants, but was automated in 1929. The US Coast Guard serviced the light twice a year after absorbing the Lighthouse Service in 1939, and the US Navy set up an observation post on the island during World War II.

The Navassa Island Light was deactivated in 1996, and the US Department of the Interior assumed responsibility for the civil administration of the island. The lighthouse has been gradually deteriorating due to lack of maintenance, with the keepers' house now being roofless and in ruins. Despite its current state, the Navassa Island Light remains a significant historical landmark, with the twelfth-highest tower and fourth-highest focal plane of all US lights, highlighting its importance before the advent of GPS technology.

Light and tower

It was first lit in 1917. It was automated in 1929.

Videos

The Ghost Signal of Navassa Island

The Island the U.S. Forgot for Decades | The Mystery of Navassa Island

Navassa Island

Navassa Island