The Commonwealth of The Bahamas is an archipelago of hundreds of islands and cays stretching southeast from Florida and north of Cuba. Settled by the British as early in 1648, the islands became a notorious pirate hangout in the early 1700s. Britain cleaned out the pirates and re-established a colony in 1718. The islands then remained under British sovereignty until they became independent in 1973. At the far southeastern end of the archipelago the Turks and Caicos Islands were separated from The Bahamas in 1874 and remain a British overseas territory today. All the islands are low and sandy; their beautiful beaches have made them a mecca for vacationers from the U.S. and many other countries. The most heavily developed islands are at the northern end of the archipelago, closest to the U.S. The capital, Nassau, occupies New Providence Island and has more than 70% of the population of the country. Lighthouse preservation is a matter of considerable concern in the Bahamas. A few of the lighthouses are well-known tourist attractions and seem well maintained, but many others are isolated, rarely visited, and in poor condition. Aids to navigation in The Bahamas are operated by the Bahamas Port Department. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from Volume J of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA numbers are from Publication 110.
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Hole in the Wall Light, South Abaco, January 2009 ex-Panoramio photo copyright Dexter Russell; used by permission |
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East End Point Light, Nassau, December 2011 photo copyright Darlene Chisholm; used by permission |
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Eleuthera Point Light, Eleuthera, November 2008 ex-Panoramio photo copyright jpotratz; permission requested |
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Great Inagua Light, 2007 photo copyright Patrick Wilson; used by permission |
Information available on lost lighthouses:
Notable faux lighthouses:
Adjoining pages: East: Turks and Caicos Islands | South: Eastern Cuba | West: Eastern Florida
Return to the Lighthouse Directory index
Posted May 2005. Checked and revised November 15, 2023. Lighthouses: 31. Site copyright 2023 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.