Cabra Island Lighthouse

For the lighthouse in Puerto Rico's Cabras Island, see Cabras Island Light.
Cabra Island Lighthouse
Location Cabra Island, Lubang, Mindoro Occidental, Philippines
Coordinates 13°53′19″N 120°01′24″E / 13.88861°N 120.02333°E / 13.88861; 120.02333Coordinates: 13°53′19″N 120°01′24″E / 13.88861°N 120.02333°E / 13.88861; 120.02333
Year first constructed 1889
Year first lit 1889
Automated No, a new tower replaced the old light
Deactivated n/a
Construction Brick masonry
Tower shape Square tower on west angle of a rectangular dwelling
Markings / pattern Tower and dwelling are red with white cupola (original)
Height 67 feet (20 m)
Focal height 216 feet (66 m)
Original lens First-order Fresnel lens
Current lens Inactive
Range 25 nautical miles (29 mi; 46 km)
Fog signal none
Admiralty number PHI-030[1]
NGA number 14256
ARLHS number F2620

The Cabra Island Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse built on Cabra Island, the north-westernmost of the Lubang group of islands in Occidental Mindoro, Philippines. International vessels entering the Philippines from South China Sea were welcomed by the Cabra Light and directed either towards Manila Bay or the center of the archipelago through Verde Island Passage, one of busiest sea routes of the Philippines.

Cabra Island

The island is the north-westernmost among the Lubang Group of islands and is an island-barangay of Lubang, Occidental Mindoro. With a length of about 2.8 miles (4.5 km) and about 1.8 miles (2.9 km) at its widest, the island has a flat terrain with the highest elevation at around 200 feet. The lighthouse complex is situated about 656 yards (600 m.) from the west end of the island.[2]

The community in Cabra was established by the Spaniards in 1885, the year they started building the lighthouse. It was named Cabra (goat) after the Spaniards saw herds of goats when they landed.[3][4]

History

The lighthouse of Cabra was the first completed during Spain's revitalized program of lighthouse construction in the Philippines. Construction was started on May 3, 1885, and it was first lit on March 1, 1889.[3] It was also the first of the five first-order lighthouses built by the Spaniards in the latter part of their colonization of the archipelago.

Cabra Island Lighthouse, March 2014

Description

The original light, visible for 25 nautical miles (29 mi; 46 km), was shown from a 67-foot (20 m) high square tower on the west angle of the station. It is visible around the entire horizon except where obscured by Lubang and Ambil Islands.

Current condition

The original lighthouse was replaced by the Philippine Coast Guard with a new solar-powered tower located next to the previous tower under its Maritime Safety Improvement Project.[5] After the replacement, the lighthouse was abandoned and left open for thieves and vandals. The expensive first-order lens were vandalized with the large front Fresnel lenses all gone.[6] The original bronze marker were stolen by thieves and is now replaced by the locals with a white board with the original inscriptions.[7] The roof of the keeper's house and utility rooms have since collapsed.[8][9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Isla Cabra Light. Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society's World List of Lights. Retrieved on 2010-06-06.
  2. ↑ U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, "United States Coast Pilot, Philippine Islands Part 1", p.158. Washington Government Printing Office, 1919.
  3. 1 2 Noche, Manuel M., "Lonely Sentinels of the Sea, The Spanish Lighthouses in the Philippines", p.55. U.S.T. Publishing House, 2005.
  4. ↑ "Cabra Island". Lubang Island. Retrieved on 2011-11-01.
  5. ↑ de Lara, MJ (2008-01-10). "Old vs new : Faro de Punta de Isla Cabra standing beside its modern counterpart". Flickr. Retrieved on 2011-11-01.
  6. ↑ Neikirk (2009-02-19). "Old lighthouse, Cabra Island, Philippines". Flickr. Retrieved on 2011-11-01.
  7. ↑ "Isla de Cabra Lighthouse (Original marker)". Flickr. Retrieved on 2011-11-01.
  8. ↑ "Cabra Island Lighthouse".
  9. ↑ "Derelict, Abandoned. But still breathtaking". Flickr. Retrieved on 2011-11-01.

External links

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