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If you have ever had a chance to actually see a lighthouse, then you can understand why people are fascinated by them. Standing by themselves like a beacon to guide ships safely to port, some of these buildings are hundreds of years old, and some can even be their own works of art. Being up close to these majestic building can give on a glimpse of our nautical past, when sailing ships roamed the Oceans in search of safe havens.
You may want to keep these images and feelings for yourself, and there is a way to do this, with collecting International lighthouses. There are many different companies and artists who painstakingly recreate lighthouses, with the rich detail that you find in the real thing.
The nice thing about International Lighthouse collectibles is that they are highly detailed, and you can buy them representing real lighthouses from all over the world. Here are a couple of examples:
Macquarie Lighthouse, Australia
Construction of this lighthouse began in 1881 and the light was first shown in 1883. James Barnet designed a replica of the original tower which had a larger crown which included a large lantern room and a larger apparatus with a gunmetal railing. This design became Barnet's trademark. The new light's giant lens was a sixteen sided dioptric holophotal revolving white light based on the Fresnel system, about two meters in diameter emitting an eight second flash every minute with a range of 25 nautical miles.
The builders, Chance Brothers, of Birmingham described the lighting apparatus as the most efficient in the world. It had an electric operation and the power was produced by two De Meritens magnets that weighed two and a half tons. Only one of the generators still exists today and is displayed at the Lighthouse. The original switchboard is owned by the museum.
The electric apparatus was only used in foul weather. Whenever there was really bad weather the second magneto was used. It produced a light of 6,000,000 candelas, the most powerful in the world at the time. In clear weather light was provided by a gas burner.
With the beginning of the new light, the lantern was removed from the old tower however the structure was not demolished for several years. The power generators for the new light became too expensive to run so in 1912 the apparatus was converted to a vaporized kerosene incandescent mantle system.
In 1933 the light was converted back to electricity with the connection of the city power supply. A smaller lens was installed and this is the type of operation you'll see today. The Macquarie Lighthouse was fully automated in 1976. The keepers were removed in 1989.
St. David's Lighthouse, Bermuda
This lighthouse was honored as the 2004 Winner's Choice. St David's Lighthouse is an integral part of the Bermuda landscape which is comprised of beautiful little islands that make a great vacation paradise. The lighthouse contains a sparkling white limestone tower with a wide red mid-section. It's situated at the easternmost tip of Bermuda, the east end of St. David's Island. It's been guiding mariners for more than 120 years. It was built in 1879 and has been working ever since.
St. David's Lighthouse is one of only two lighthouses on Bermuda. The beacon sits on top of a sturdy 55 foot tower. The Second Order Lens casts a fixed white light of approximately 30,000 candlepower. It's range is about 20 nautical miles and has a total height of 208 feet above sea level.
Besides being used as a sentinel to warn incoming ships, St. David's Lighthouse is also the destination for the famous Newport Bermuda Race. Sailing vessels traverse the 635-mile ocean race from Newport, Rhode Island to the foot of St. David's Lighthouse. Professional and amateur sailors participate in the biennial race.
St. David's Island is a very popular tourist attraction. From May to September the historic Lighthouse is open to the public. The lighthouse balcony offers a magnificent view of the rugged seascape to the east and a beautiful panorama of land and water to the west. If you visit St. David's Lighthouse it will surely be a memorable experience to treasure.
View our large variety of collectible lighthouses by visiting International Lighthouse Collectibles.
Frank Cassidy is the owner of Compass Rose, your online resource for Nautical Gifts.
http://www.compass-rose.com
Kit Fox Hills - Death Valley - Panorama