Kribi lighthouse

Kribi lighthouse
Location Cameroon Kribi, southern Cameroon
Coordinates 2°56′37.05″N 9°54′23.22″E / 2.9436250°N 9.9064500°ECoordinates: 2°56′37.05″N 9°54′23.22″E / 2.9436250°N 9.9064500°E
Year first lit 1906
Tower shape Circular[1]
Height 15 metres (18 metres above sea level)
Admiralty number D4134
NGA number 25236
ARLHS number CAM-003,[1] CAM-007[2]

Kribi lighthouse is located in Kribi, in the southern part of Cameroon near the Gulf of Guinea. It is a currently active lighthouse in a tourist destination, even though the historic structure is closed to tourists.

History

The lighthouse was built in 1906[1][3] by the German colonialists who had occupied Kamerun (the lighthouse and a church are the legacy of German colonial construction in the town[4]); today it is part of Francophone Cameroon.[5] In the early days there was a keeper's cottage by the lighthouse, but that has been removed today.[3] Today it is by the beach resort of Kribi and just north of the tourist destination[6] Lobe waterfall.[7] The location of the lighthouse at Kribi matched the town's status as the centre of trade for the southern region, which was notable for rubber and ivory.[8][9]

Location

The local Hotel du Phare,[10] is termed as the "host hotel" of the lighthouse by the travel industry,[11] at the Kienké River.[5][12][13] Douala is a few hours' drive away.[5][14]

The lighthouse, after it was constructed, with the keeper's cottage.

Specifications

The tower circular and painted white with a red top where the gallery is located. It is 15 metres tall by itself, but 18 metres above sea level. Its three white flashes every 12 seconds are visible up to 14 nautical miles away.[1] From the rear there is a continuous green light visible on the range line[3] to the steeple of the village church.[15] The year round wind averages are 83% onshore towards 45 degrees north.[16] Since the first half of 2006 it has been listed as historic in the World List of Lights.[2]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Lighthouse Explorer Database ... Kribi Front Light". Lighthousedigest.com. Retrieved 2012-05-02.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Kribi Range Rear Light - ARLHS CAM-007". Wlol.arlhs.com. Retrieved 2012-05-02.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Lighthouses of Cameroon". Unc.edu. Retrieved 2012-05-02.
  4. ↑ "British Amateur Radio Teledata Group". 57.5871167013916;-4.11922931671143: BARTG. 2004-10-20. Retrieved 2012-05-02.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Dixon, David J. (2005-10-07). "Technical Expert Visit to Mauritania, Cameroon and Republic of the Congo". IOC/GLOSS. Retrieved 2012-05-02.
  6. ↑ "Kribi Travel Information and Travel Guide - Cameroon". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
  7. ↑ "Cameroon: The Bradt Travel Guide - Ben West". Books.google.co.in. Retrieved 2012-05-04.
  8. ↑ "Basel Mission Image Archive - 12. Kribi with the lighthouse and the trading company buildings". Digitallibrary.usc.edu. Retrieved 2012-05-02.
  9. ↑ "Kribi (Cameroon) - Britannica Online Encyclopedia". Britannica.com. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
  10. ↑ "Hotel du Phare (Kribi) - Hotel reviews, photos, rates - TripAdvisor". Tripadvisor.in. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
  11. ↑ "Hotel du Phare Kribi - Cameroon". Southtravels.com. Retrieved 2012-05-02.
  12. ↑ Juan Miguel Artigas Azas (2001-06-30). "Introducing the slender krib Pelvicachromis taeniatus by Kurt Zadnik". The Cichlid Room Companion. Cichlidae.com. Retrieved 2012-06-07.
  13. ↑ "Cameroon - Prime Minister Philemon Yang - Worldfolio - AFA PRESS". Worldfolio. 2012-03-18. Retrieved 2012-06-07.
  14. ↑ "Distance Between Douala and Kribi". Distancefromto.net. Retrieved 2012-05-04.
  15. ↑ "Lighthouse Explorer Database ... Kribi Range Rear Light". Uslighthouseservice.com. Retrieved 2012-05-02.
  16. ↑ "Kribi Surf and Wind Quality Comparison (Cameroon - South, Cameroon)". Surf-forecast.com. Retrieved 2012-05-02.