Cape Bojeador Lighthouse

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse
Philippines
Location Burgos
Ilocos Norte
Philippines
Coordinates 18°30′44.3″N 120°35′52.6″E / 18.512306°N 120.597944°E / 18.512306; 120.597944Coordinates: 18°30′44.3″N 120°35′52.6″E / 18.512306°N 120.597944°E / 18.512306; 120.597944
Year first constructed 1892
Construction brick masonry tower
Tower shape octagonal prism tower with balcony and lantern
Markings / pattern white tower and lantern
Height 20 metres (66 ft)
Focal height 118 metres (387 ft)
Original lens First-Order Fresnel lens
Characteristic Fl (3) W 5s.
Fog signal none
Admiralty number F2722
NGA number 14000
ARLHS number PHI-012[1][2]

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, also known as Burgos Lighthouse, is a cultural heritage structure in Burgos, Ilocos Norte, that was established during the Spanish Colonial period in the Philippines. It was first lit on March 30, 1892, and is set high on Vigia de Nagpartian Hill overlooking the scenic Cape Bojeador where early galleons used to sail by. After over 100 years, it still functions as a welcoming beacon to the international ships that enter the Philippine Archipelago from the north and guide them safely away from the rocky coast of the town.[3]

The light marks the northwestern-most point in Luzon. The northeastern-most being Cape Engaño Lighthouse on Palaui Island, Santa Ana, Cagayan.

The 66-foot-tall (20 m) octagonal stone tower, the most prominent structure in the vicinity, can be seen from as far away as Pasuquin town in the south and Bangui on the east on a clear day. Contrary to popular belief, it is not the highest-elevated nor tallest lighthouse in the Philippines. But the highest elevated still original and active Spanish era lighthouse in the country. Corregidor Lighthouse is higher at over 600 feet (180 m), and among the Spanish Colonial lighthouses, the tower of Cape Melville Lighthouse is the tallest at 90 feet (27 m). In Mindoro Strait, the recently erected modern tower at the Apo Reef Light Station rises to a height of 110 feet (34 m).

History

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse during construction in the 1890s.

The Cape Bojeador lighthouse was part of the Spanish government's master plan of illuminating the Philippine archipelago. The project commenced with the execution of the lighthouses in the northern and western part of the Philippines and those around Iloilo and Cebu. The Burgos lighthouse was first lit on March 30, 1892.

Design

The lighthouse was first designed by Magin Pers y Pers in 1887 and was finished by the Lighthouse Service under Guillermo Brockman.[4] It is typical of the Spanish Colonial lighthouses which is all masonry made with bricks that are widely used and produced in the area. The octagonal tower is topped with a bronze cupola and the viewing gallery is surrounded by decorative iron grill works.[5]

Lighting apparatus

Pressure vessel for the light

The lighthouse was originally fitted with first-order Fresnel. The intense earthquake of 1990 that hit most of Luzon damaged the lenses and displaced the mechanism alignment of the original first-order apparatus making it inoperable.[5]

The beam now comes from a modern electric lamp that is powered by solar panels. The light before was provided by pressurized kerosene lamps very much like "Coleman lamps". In 2005, the old pressure vessels and wicks for the light could still be found in the shed.

Historical markers

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse was declared a National Historical Landmark on August 13, 2004 and a National Cultural Treasure on June 20, 2005 by the Philippine Government.[4]

Visiting the lighthouse

Cape Bojeador lighthouse is the most accessible of all the lighthouses in the island of Luzon .[6] Access to the lighthouse is through a two-lane narrow concrete road that starts from the Maharlika Highway in Brgy. Paayas, Burgos, about 40 km. north from Laoag City, capital of Ilocos Norte. After passing Paayas, a sign on the right side of the highway indicates the winding road that leads to the base of the lighthouse.[7]

Lighthouse tower in March 2012

At the parking lot, visitors climb a flight of concrete stairs to the perimeter wall which offers a good view of Cape Bojeador and West Philippine Sea and enter the courtyard. Look for the lighthouse keeper and inform him of your intentions. The service buildings and the cistern are located in the courtyard. The elegant T-shaped stairway leads you up to the verandah of the main pavilion. The hallway of the main pavilion takes you to the foot of the covered stairs that lead to the entrance of the tower. A spiral staircase leads the visitor to the lantern room on top. Only a certain number of people are allowed in the tower at a time. Access to the gallery depends on the outside wind condition.

The pavilion has now been transformed into a small museum as well as lodging for people seeking basic accommodation, though except from shared cooking facilities and water from the cistern, no other amenities are provided.[5]

It is recommended to visit the area in the months of June to August when the moderate monsoon revitalizes the surrounding vegetation that adds to the scenic view of the area. November to January is not advisable for the weather is very wet and cold due to the effect of the Siberian Winds (Cold front from Siberia, Russia) affecting the northernmost tip of Luzon Island.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Cabo Bojeador Light. Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society World List of Lights. Retrieved on 2010-08-30.
  2. ↑ Cape Bojeador Lighthouse The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved March 12, 2016
  3. 1 2 Burgos Ilocos Norte. Pasyalan Ilocos Norte. Retrieved on 2010-04-23.
  4. 1 2 Coronado, Cynthia (2008). Cape Bojeador Lighthouse Marker. Waypointsdotph. Retrieved on 2010-04-23.
  5. 1 2 3 Noche, Manuel (2006-07-27. Cape Bojeador Lighthouse. Heritage Conservation Society. Retrieved on 2010-04-23.
  6. ↑ Noche, Manuel (2005). Lonely Sentinels of the Sea: The Spanish Lighthouses in the Philippines. Manila: U.S.T. Publishing House. p.111.
  7. ↑ Perez, Paul D. (2005). Cape Bojeador Light House. Waypointsdotph. Retrieved on 2010-08-30.

External links

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