Lighthouse of Ponta Negra

Lighthouse of Ponta Negra
*Farolim da Ponta Negra*
Location	Corvo, Vila do Corvo
Coordinates	39°40′11.74″N 31°6′52.73″W / 39.6699278°N 31.1146472°W
Tower
Constructed	1910
Construction	concrete tower
Automated	February 1987
Height	3 metres (9.8 ft)
Shape	hexagonal tower with balcony and beacon
Markings	white tower
Power source	mains electricity
Operator	Directorate for Lighthouses; (Direcção de Faróis)
Heritage	Unclassified
Light
Focal height	22 metres (72 ft)
Range	6 mi (9.7 km)
Characteristic	Fl W 5s.

The Lighthouse of Ponta Negra (Portuguese: Farolim da Ponta Negra) is a beacon/lighthouse located along the cliffs of promontory of Ponta Negra, in the municipality of Vila do Corvo, on the Portuguese island of Corvo, in the archipelago of the Azores.

History

The small lighthouse was constructed in November 1910, with a sixth order diotropic ^{[check spelling]} light, providing a fixed white light, that ranged to 10 miles (16 km), supported by acetylene gas.^[2]

In 1955, construction began on a modernization of the light. By May 1956, the new light was inaugurated, this time using a fourth-order dioptric light, in groups of double clarions, with a 15 miles (24 km) range.^[2]

Its power source was changed in February 1987, to photovoltaic panels, and converted to a solar panel-battery reserve system by the first decade of the 21st century.^[2]

Architecture

This light is located on the clifftop promontory of Ponta Negra, on the southern coast of Corvo (west of the port of Boqueirão) alongside the traditional windmills; it is at the edge of the Caminho dos Moinhos near the westernmost windmill of the group.^[2]

Originally the illuminating tower was an ironwork structure 6 metres (20 ft) high, with small cabana-like metal annex, painted in red.^[2] The modern building consists of a beacon mounted to a hexagonal tower, constructed of reinforced concrete.^[2] The small tower is 3 metres (9.8 ft) high, and the current light is 23 metres (75 ft) above sea level, providing a range of sight to 6 miles (9.7 km), using a simple white beacon with five second interval.^[2]

References

Notes

^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Portugal: Azores". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Costa, Patrícia; Gavinha, José A.; Ferreira, Teresa (2012), SIPA (ed.), Farol da Ponta Negra (IPA.00015925/PT072001010001) (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: SIPA – Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitectónico, retrieved 30 August 2015

Sources

Eduardo Carvalho Vieira, Furtado (2005), Guardiães do Mar dos Açores: uma viagem pelas ilhas do Atlântico [Guardians of The Azores’ Seas: One Direction On These Atlantic Islands] (in Portuguese), p. 289, ISBN 972-9060-47-9
"Faróis de Portugal", Ciência Viva (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: Ministério da Marinha Portuguesa, Direcção de Faróis, 2005

External links

Picture of Lighthouse of Ponta Negra

[1] Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Portugal: Azores". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 2016-03-18.

[SIPA-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Costa, Patrícia; Gavinha, José A.; Ferreira, Teresa (2012), SIPA (ed.), Farol da Ponta Negra (IPA.00015925/PT072001010001) (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: SIPA – Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitectónico, retrieved 30 August 2015

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