Cape Reinga Light is a lighthouse at Cape Reinga in Northland on New Zealand 's North Island. It is administered by Maritime New Zealand. The lighthouse is a well-known tourist attraction in New Zealand, although the tower itself is inaccessible.
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| Cape Reinga Light North Island New Zealand |
The Cape Reinga Lighthouse presents an impressive sight. It is located at the northernmost point of the North Island and is one of the most emblematic points of the Island for its serene beauty and departure point for the souls of the deceased on their final journey to Hawaiiki-A-Nui, the land of the ancestors. It is a place of great spirituality.
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| Cape Reinga Light North Island New Zealand |
The height of its tower is 10 meters. His flash is every 12 seconds. Its nominal range is 19 nautical miles (35 kilometers).
The lighthouse was first lit in 1941 and automated in 1987.
This lighthouse replaced the lighthouse on nearby Motuopao Island, the Maria Van Diemen Lighthouse was built in 1879, was designed by John Blackett and was identical to the one that was erected in the center of the Foveaux Strait island. Their access had always been a problem and a "cable car" was built between the island and the mainland to be able to deliver food and whatever else was needed on the island. The "cable car" was a cable that joined the two points where a wicker basket moved, which should not be used to transport people. In 1933 a wave swept away the wife of the assistant lighthouse keeper and it was decided to build a new lighthouse on the mainland.
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| Cape Reinga Light North Island New Zealand |
Cape Reinga Light was the last guarded lighthouse to be built in New Zealand.
During the first years it saw little use due to light restrictions during the war.
In April 2000 the original light was replaced with a modern rotating beacon with a 50 watt tungsten halogen bulb, powered by solar panels. The light is controlled remotely from the Wellington office.
Cape Reinga lighthouse was one of the least accessible in New Zealand when it was built, requiring two keepers. Over time, access improved.
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| Cape Reinga Light North Island New Zealand |
Today you can walk to the lighthouse, there is a parking lot for cars and you have to walk about 300 meters, but you can't visit inside.
Next to the lighthouse there is an international sign that indicates the distances and the direction of other cities in the world, it is one of the favorite snapshots of tourists and a distinctive image of Cape Reinga.
In addition, from this point you can see a spectacular swirl of currents as it is where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean.