Amédée Lighthouse
Location | Nouméa, New Caledonia |
---|---|
Coordinates | 22°28′38″S 166°28′05″E / 22.477330°S 166.467952°E |
Tower | |
Constructed | 1865 |
Construction | cast iron tower |
Automated | 1985 |
Height | 56 metres (184 ft) |
Shape | 16-side tapered tower with balcony and lantern |
Markings | white tower and lantern |
Power source | solar power |
Operator | French lighthouses and sea-marks service |
Light | |
Focal height | 52 metres (171 ft) |
Lens | 250 mm lens |
Intensity | 30,000 candela |
Range | 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi) |
Characteristic | Fl (2) W 15s. |
The Amédée Lighthouse (French: Phare Amédée) is an iron lighthouse located on Amédée Island in New Caledonia, 24 kilometres (15 mi; 13 nmi) from Nouméa on Grande Terre.[1]
The metal components were made by Rigolet in North-East Paris in 1862 and the tower was constructed in
History
In 1859, the acting Commandant of New Caledonia, Jean-Marie Saisset, asked the government in Paris to build a lighthouse to help ships navigating into the port of Nouméa (then Fort-de-France), particularly as the colony had been chosen as a new destination for French convicts.[4]
Taking into account the lack of
Reynaud followed Gordon in making the pieces out of puddled iron, and in keeping the lighthouse narrow enough to be constructed without scaffolding. He innovated by keeping the internal structure independent of the external envelope: this was intended as protection against corrosion in the humid tropical environment for which he was designing the lighthouse. The plans were exhibited at the 1862 International Exhibition in London.[4]
The metalwork was fabricated in four months by Rigolet, who were then required to construct the tower near their works in the 19th arrondissement of Paris as a demonstration of its stability. The lighthouse remained in Paris from July 1862 to June 1864 and became a popular destination for Parisians' walks. The pieces, packed in 1,200 crates and weighing 388 tonnes (382 long tons; 428 short tons), were transported to Le Havre by barge and then shipped to New Caledonia, arriving in November 1864.[4]
The lighthouse was constructed on Amédée island by a mixed team of French soldiers and local workers under the direction of
Important Bird Area
The 4-hectare (9.9-acre) Amédée Island has been recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports a breeding colony of some 240 fairy terns, as estimated in 2012.[5]
See also
References
- ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of New Caledonia". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
- ^ a b c "Amedee Lighthouse - Mary D". Archived from the original on 28 April 2010. Retrieved 8 April 2010.
- ^ "Amedee Island – Map, Photos, and Information". virtualoceania.net. Archived from the original on 19 November 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
- ^ Ifremerarticle, 5 September 2005
- ^ "Amédée Island". BirdLife Data Zone. BirdLife International. 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
External links
- Amédée Lighthouse in Lighthouse Digest's Lighthouse Explorer Database