Barra Rio Grande Lighthouse

Barra Rio Grande Lighthouse
Location	São José do Norte; Rio Grande do Sul; Brazil
Coordinates	32°07′04″S 52°04′37″W / 32.11778°S 52.07694°W
Tower
Constructed	1820 (first); 1842 (second)
Foundation	concrete base
Construction	cast iron tower
Height	31 metres (102 ft)
Shape	cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markings	black and white horizontal band tower, white lantern
Operator	Brazilian Navy
Racon	K
Light
First lit	1852 (current)
Deactivated	1842 (first); 1852 (second)
Focal height	32 metres (105 ft)
Light source	main power
Range	30 nautical miles (56 km; 35 mi)
Characteristic	Oc (6) W 21s.
Brazil no.	BR-4008

Barra Rio Grande Lighthouse is an active lighthouse located on a sandy strip between the Lagoa dos Patos and the South Atlantic Ocean in the municipality of São José do Norte, Brazil.

History

The first lighthouse, a lantern atop the tower of the Commander of the Port, was established since 1 December 1820, but went out of order at the first storm. Since then a fire was lit in order to direct safely the ships to the harbour. In 1827 was asked to Pedro I of Brazil to rebuild the lighthouse, only on 2 August 1842 it was relit. In 1847 a new cylindrical prefabricated cast iron lighthouse, 31 metres (102 ft) high, was commissioned in London and on 18 January 1852 was lit. At first the lantern was equipped with a catoptrics system replaced in 1886 by a 2nd order of Fresnel lens built by Barbier and Fenestre. The lighthouse was painted in red, then in dark red and at last with black and white horizontal bands. The lantern emits a white occulting light (Oc (6) W 21 seconds) visible up to 30 nautical miles (56 km; 35 mi). The lighthouse is managed by Brazilian Navy and is identified by the country code number BR-4008. ^[3]