Lighthouses of The Bahamas

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.

General Sources
Online List of Lights - Bahamas
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas.
Lighthouses in the Bahamas
Photos by various photographers available from Wikimedia.
World of Lighthouses - Bahamas
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Bahamas Lighthouses
Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Leuchttürme Mittelamerikas und der Karibik auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard views posted by Klaus Huelse.
Bahamas and the West Indies
Historic postcard views posted by Michel Forand.
U.S. NOAA Chart 11013
Navigational chart for Florida Straits, Cuba, and Bahamas.
GPSNavigationCharts
Online navigation charts for the Bahamas.
Navionics Charts
Online navigation chart for the Bahamas.


Elbow Cay Light, Hopetown, July 2023
Google Maps photo by We Snap Real Estate

Abaco Islands Lighthouses
The Abaco Islands are at the northeastern corner of the Bahamas archipelago. The narrow island chain is about 200 km (125 mi) long and had a permanent population of about 13,000 when it was devastated by Hurricane Dorian in September 2019. The strongest hurricane ever to strike the Bahamas and one of the strongest on record anywhere, Dorian had winds of as much as 295 km/h (185 mi/h), destroying or heavily damaging nearly every structure on the islands. However, the historic lighthouses survived. Marsh Harbour on Great Abaco Island is the largest town. In good times the Abacos are accessible by air and cruise ships often call there.

****
Elbow Cay (Elbow Reef, Hope Town, Great Abaco)
1864. Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); five white flashes every 15 s. 27 m (89 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted with horizontal red and white bands; lantern painted white with a gray metallic dome. Revolving 1st order Fresnel lens (transferred from Gun Cay in 1936). Ernest Lehmann's photo is above, an excellent closeup and a view from the harbor are available, Bruce Tuten has a good view of the entire station, Trabas has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, James Grove has a 2015 street view from the gallery, and Google has a satellite view. Before the hurricane this was probably the most often visited lighthouse of the Bahamas. The light is fueled by kerosene and keepers still hand-wind the clockwork mechanism every two hours throughout the night. The Elbow Reef Lighthouse Society (formerly The Bahamas Lighthouse Preservation Society) works for the restoration and maintenance of this historic light station. In 2015 volunteers restored the lantern roof, and in 2016 the lantern glass was replaced. The 150th anniversary of the lighthouse was celebrated in June 2014. The lighthouse was reactivated September 11, 2019, ten days after the storm struck. The Society is working hard to restore the light station, beginning with the principal keeper's house, and in 2020 a new dock replaced the old one completely distroyed by the hurricane. The lighthouse reopened to visitors in April 2021. In February 2022 the U.S. State Department's Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation granted $472,000 toward the continuing restoration effort and in October the lighthouse closed for restoration. It has since reopened and restoration work is expected to finish by November 2023. Located on Elbow Cay on the west side of the harbor at Hope Town. The island is normally accessible by ferry from Marsh Harbour. Site open, tower open daily except Sundays. Site manager: Elbow Reef Lighthouse Society . ARLHS BAH-010; Admiralty J4572; NGA 11800.
* [Little Harbour (1 and 2)]
Date unknown (station established 1889). Probably inactive but listed by the Admiralty and NGA with focal plane 19 m (62 ft); white flash every 4 s. Ruins of a 1-story concrete keeper's quarters, known locally as the "old lighthouse." A modern steel framework tower carried an active light until it was blown over by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. Trabas has Darlene Chisholm's photo of the toppled light and Google has a satellite view. The light was restored later but probably blown over again by Hurricane Dorian. Nicholas Kreucher's 2022 photo and Steve Powell's 2023 video show no active light. Located at the entrance to Little Harbour, about 25 km (15 mi) south of Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco Island. Accessible by a short walk to the end of the peninsula sheltering the harbor. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: unknown. ARLHS BAH-021; Admiralty J4576; NGA 11808.
* Abaco (Hole-in-the-Wall)
1836. Active; focal plane 51 m (168 ft); white flash every 10 s. 28 m (92 ft) round British old-style stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to keeper's quarters buildings. Upper 2/3 of tower painted red, lower third white. Dexter Russell's photo is at right, Craig Nash has a 2010 photo, Trabas has a view from the sea by Capt. Theo Hinrichs, Capt. Peter Mosselberger contributed the same photo to Lightphotos.net, Marinas.com has fine aerial photos, Benjamin Eddy has a street view from the base of the tower, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse, built in 1836 to mark the entrance to the Northeast Providence Channel, is one of the best examples of old-style British lighthouse architecture in the New World. It is not the oldest lighthouse in the country (the 1817 Paradise Island Light in Nassau has that honor), but it was the first lighthouse built in the Bahamas by the Imperial Lighthouse Service. As late as 1995 it was still fueled by kerosene and lit every night by resident keepers. Today the light station is leased to the Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organization as a marine research facility. The lighthouse itself was modernized and automated in 1995. In 1994 a large area surrounding the light station was set aside as the Abaco National Park. Endangered. Although the lighthouse was far enough from the center of Hurricane Dorian to escape serious damage, it appears battered and inactive in Brian Albury's 2022 drone view. The name "Hole-in-the-Wall" referred to a limestone arch at land's end near the lighthouse. Unfortunately, the arch collapsed in October 2012 as Hurricane Sandy raged over the island. Located at the southern tip of Great Abaco Island. Accessible by boat or over a rugged road by 4WD vehicles. Site open, tower reported open. Site manager: Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organization. . ARLHS BAH-004; Admiralty J4580; NGA 11816.
Hole in the Wall Light
Hole in the Wall Light, South Abaco, January 2009
ex-Panoramio photo copyright Dexter Russell; used by permission

Grand Bahama Island Lighthouse
Among the major islands of the Bahamas Grand Bahama is the closest to the U.S., lying about 90 km (55 mi) east of Palm Beach, Florida. The island is nearly 160 km (100 mi) long west to east and has a population of about 75,000. It has numerous resorts very popular with Americans. Tourists often photograph the Lucaya lighthouse at Freeport and the High Rock lighthouse at High Rock, but these are faux lighthouses, not aids to navigation. Like the Abacos, Grand Bahama suffered severe damage from Hurricane Dorian in September 2019.

*
Pinder's Point (2)
Around 1960 (station establishment date unknown). Inactive ca. 2006-2009 and since 2014; charted by Navionics as a disused lighthouse. 12 m (40 ft) round cinder block tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Larry Myhre contributed the photo at right, Andrew Conway has a closeup photo, Kandi Tetley has a 2022 closeup, Terrance Roberts has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. According to a historical marker at the site there was a 19th century lighthouse at or near this location; older Admiralty lists describe a short skeletal tower listed as Eight Mile Rock Light. The historical marker also says the current tower was built in the "mid 1900s." Probably this was in connection with the development of Freeport Harbour, which began in the late 1950s. Sometime before 2007 the light was removed from the lighthouse and during 2007 its traditional red and white bands were covered by white paint, as seen in Conway's November 2007 photo. The lighthouse had this same appearance as late as September 2008, as seen by another photo. In early 2009 the tower was restored and relit and benches and the historical marker were installed. In 2013 the lighthouse was designated a Grand Bahama Heritage Site. However, the Admiralty reported in April 2014 that the light has been deactivated once again. Located on a prominent cape on the southwestern coast of the island, about 2 km (1.25 mi) southeast of the entrance to Freeport Harbour. Site status unknown. . ARLHS BAH-024; ex-Admiralty J4594; ex-NGA 11848.

Pinder's Point Light, Freeport, March 2009
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Larry Myhre
Pinder Point (Freeport) Range Front (2)
2013. Active; focal plane 49 m (161 ft); continuous green light. Approx. 45 m (148 ft) triangular skeletal tower painted with red and white horizontal bands. The tower carries two rectangular daymarks painted red with a white vertical stripe. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. The range guides vessels into the container port and cruise ship harbor of Freeport. These range towers replaced a pair of much shorter towers. Located at the end of the container ship channel west of Pinder's Point. Site status unknown, but the tower can be seen from nearby. Admiralty J4595; NGA 11880.
Pinder Point (Freeport) Range Rear (2)
2013. Active; focal plane 81 m (266 ft); continuous green light. Approx. 77 m (253 ft) triangular skeletal tower painted with red and white horizontal bands. The tower carries two rectangular daymarks painted red with a white vertical stripe. A street view is available and Google has a satellite view. Located beside the highway at the rear of the container port, 1139 m (0.71 mi) north northeast of the front light. Site status unknown, but the tower can be seen from nearby. Admiralty J4595.1; NGA 11884.

Bimini Lighthouses

The Bimini Islands are a group of small islands on the northwestern edge of the Great Bahama Bank, barely 80 km (50 mi) due east of Miami, Florida.

Great Isaac
1859. Reactivated (inactive ca. 2000-2009?). 46 m (151 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. 1-story keeper's house, abandoned and falling into ruin, and other buildings. Michael King's 2017 photo is at right, Trabas has Capt. Peter Mosselberger's photo, Enno Camenzind has a 2020 photo, Dawn Stewart has a 2022 view, a 2023 photo is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos showing the sad state of the station, and Bing has a satellite view. Clearly endangered, the photos showing steady deterioration. Marking the entrance to the Northwest Providence Channel, this lighthouse is a familiar landmark for cruise ship passengers en route to Nassau from Florida. Great Isaac is the scene of a famous lighthouse mystery: on 4 August 1969 the light station was discovered undisturbed but abandoned. Its two missing keepers were never found. The lighthouse appeared to be gravely endangered in recent years: in 2005 Doug Nevitt visited the lighthouse and found it abandoned and rusting. Anthony Rue's 2007 photo at right and a photo taken on New Years Eve 2007 show similar troubling conditions. Apparently the lighthouse was repainted and relit sometime in 2008-09, although the lantern remains in poor condition with most of its panes missing. Located on Great Isaac Cay at the north end of the Bimini archipelago. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower open but the lower section of the stairway was removed to discourage climbing the tower. Site manager: Bahamas Port Department. . ARLHS BAH-002; Admiralty J4620; NGA 11900.

Great Isaac Light, Bimini, May 2017
Google Maps photo by Michael King
Gun Cay
1836. Active; focal plane 24 m (80 ft); white flash every 10 s. 15 m (50 ft) round old-style stone tower surmounted by a short square pyramidal skeletal tower; upper half of tower painted red, lower half white. Two 1-story keeper's houses are abandoned and falling into ruins. The original lantern was transferred to Elbow Cay in 1936. A photo is at right, Trabas has Capt. Peter Mosselberger's photo, a 2014 closeup is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Bing has a satellite view. The lighthouse is visible from North Cat Cay. Located at the south end of the cay, one of the smaller islands in the Bimini group. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower reported open. . ARLHS BAH-009; Admiralty J4610; NGA 11916.
* North Cat Cay Breakwater
1933. Active (privately maintained); focal plane 6 m (10 ft); white flash every 2 s. 6 m (20 ft) round old-style masonry tower with a small open lantern. Lighthouse painted white with a black cat on the seaward side, lantern painted gold. Bruce Langereis has a distant street view and Trabas has Darlene Chisholm's fuzzy aerial photo and Google has a satellite view. Built by Capt. Leroy Smith for the owners of the island, the lighthouse is now owned by the Cat Cay Club. The original rubblestone breakwater has been replaced by a broad artificial peninsula that includes a landing strip for small planes. The island is just south of Gun Cay in the Bimini Group. It is privately owned but the marina area is open to all boaters. Located at the east entrance to the harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS BAH-023; Admiralty J4608; NGA 11920.
South Riding Rock
Date unknown. Active (?); focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white flash every 5 s. This was a 9 m (30 ft) square stone tower topped by a skeletal tower. The masonry tower is painted with red and white vertical stripes. A 2003 photo is available, the skeletal tower is missing in Capt. Peter Mosselberger's view from the sea, and Bing has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a reef about 35 km (22 mi) south of Gun Cay. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty J4604; NGA 11924.

Gun Cay Light, Bimini, May 2017
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Yamaha Watercraft Group

Berry Islands Lighthouses
The Berry Islands are a chain of small islands in the central northern part of the Bahamas, roughly 100 km (60 mi) northwest of Nassau and the same distance southwest of Great Abaco Island. The permanent population is only about 700 but there are a number of resorts in the islands.

Great Stirrup Cay
1863. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 17 m (56 ft) round stone or brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Two 1-story keeper's quarters and an oil house are in ruins. Kate Webster's photo is at right, Trabas has Douglas Cameron's closeup photo, David Smith has a 2009 closeup, Ken Cobb has a February 2007 photo, Lightphotos.net has a photo by Robert English, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Bing has a satellite view. The cay is owned by Norwegian Cruise Lines as a regular stop for their ships, so presumably the cruise line has kept this lighthouse in good condition. Located at the northern end of the Berry Islands. Site open, tower closed. Owner: Bahamas Port Department. Site manager: Norwegian Cruise Lines. ARLHS BAH-008; Admiralty J4624; NGA 11940.
Little Whale Cay
1930s(?). Possibly reactivated (charted as active by Navionics). Approx. 9 m (30 ft) square pyramidal rubblestone tower, unpainted, topped in recent years by a flagpole. Coral Tallant has a distant view, a closeup and another photo are available, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Little Whale Cay is a small island developed in the 1930s as a private island residence by Wallace Groves, a US businessman. He obviously intended this tower as a lighthouse, but no information is available on when or even if it was active. Located on the southeastern tip of the island. Site and tower closed (private property).
Whale Point (Whale Cay)
1920. Clearly inactive although still listed as active by the Admiralty and NGA. Charted as inactive by Navionics. Approx. 13 m (43 ft) 3-story masonry tower attached to a 1-story keeper's house. The tower has been freshly painted white. Pascal Gademer has a 2012 closeup photo and a view from the sea, Trabas has Darlene Chisholm's aerial photo, and Google has a satellite view. The island is a privately owned resort. The lighthouse was restored in the 1930s by the founder of the resort. Located at the southwestern tip of Whale Cay at the extreme southern end of the Berry Islands. Site and tower private but open to resort guests. Site manager: Bahamas Port Department. ARLHS BAH-022; Admiralty J4626; NGA 11952.

Great Stirrup Cay Light, Berry Islands, January 2008
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Kate Webster

Andros Island Lighthouse
Located southwest of Nassau, Andros is the largest island of the Bahamas, over 160 km (100 mi) long and as much as 65 km (40 mi wide). However, it is thinly populated and not well known to tourists.

***
Coakley Town (Andros)
1895. Inactive. Approx. 9 m (30 ft) square masonry tower with a crenellated top. Tower painted white, except for several narrow red bands on a short tower at the top. Dale Johnston has a June 2005 photo, Jesper Jurcenoks has a 2007 photo, Sherrine Thompson's 2010 photo shows the date 1892 carved above the door of the tower, and the tower is centered in a Google satellite view. Very little information on the history of this odd stucture is available, but it is listed as active in the Jenkins 1904 light list. According to one source the short tower painted with red horizontal bands was added to the top of the tower in 1952. Located on the south side of the entrance to Fresh Creek in Coakley Town, about 5 km (3 mi) north of Andros Town on the east side of the island. Site and tower open. Site manager: unknown. ARLHS BAH-017.

Nassau Lighthouses
Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, has a population of nearly 300,000 -- 75% of the population of the country. The metropolitan area encompasses all of New Providence Island. In addition to the official lights Nassau has several well known faux lighthouses, including Solomons and Crystal Cay.

Goulding Cay
1922. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white flash every 2 s. 15 m (49 ft) triangular skeletal mast. Trabas has Darlene Chisholm's photo, the tower is near the right edge of a 2023 view from the sea, and Bing has an indistinct satellite view. Goulding Cay, a well known scuba diving site, is about 2 km (1.25 mi) west of the western end of New Providence Island. Located at the west end of the cay. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty J4650; NGA 12076.
* Paradise Island (Hog Island, Nassau Harbour)
1817. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); flash every 5 s, generally white, but the light changes to red when conditions are dangerous for entry. 19 m (63 ft) round old-style brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern painted red. Alex Merwin's 2012 photo is at right, Alexander Novikov has a 2020 photo, Colin Thomas's 2007 photo shows how the lantern was formerly painted white with a red roof, Trabas has Darlene Chisholm's 2013 photo, David Rodriguez has a street view from inside the lantern, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This is the oldest and best known lighthouse in the Bahamas and the oldest surviving lighthouse in the West Indies. Sadly, it is endangered. The lighthouse was repainted in 2008 as seen in a photo by Tom Mims, but it was in "deplorable" condition by spring 2015, with government agencies blaming each other for its neglect. It hasn't improved in Dale Henderson's 2019 photo. In 2023 a new group, the Paradise Island Lighthouse & Beach Club , announced plans to restore the lighthouse at its own expense as a tourist attraction. Located at the western end of Paradise Island (formerly Hog Island) marking the northwest entrance to Nassau Harbor. Site open, tower reported open (Hurricane Sandy smashed the door open in 2012 and reportedly it has not been replaced). Good view from cruise ships entering the harbor. Site manager: Bahamas Port Department (?). . ARLHS BAH-014; Admiralty J4655; NGA 12084.
* Government House
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 37 m (122 ft); red flash every 3 s. Light displayed from the cupola of Government House in downtown Nassau. The building is painted pink with white trim. Trabas has Darlene Chisholm's 2013 photo, Natalie Wilkie has another photo, Leon Keyser has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. Located on Hill Street, about 3 blocks south of the waterfront in Nassau. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Government of the Bahamas. ARLHS BAH-019; Admiralty J4658; NGA 12096.

Hog Island Light
Paradise Island (Hog Island) Light, Nassau, May 2012
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Alex Merwin

* Fort Fincastle
1928. Reported inactive; listed with focal plane 67 m (220 ft); white flash every 5 s. 40 m (131 ft) round concrete water tower with a flat roof used as an observation platform. Entire tower is white. Trabas has Tom Chisholm's photo, Daniele Beber has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. An elevator formerly carried tourists to the roof of this historic tower for a panoramic view of Nassau. The light is (or was) more for aircraft than for ships, although it served as a landfall light for the city. Recent visitors have reported this light is not operating. The tower was under renovation in 2017 and may have been reopened when the work is completed. Located on Bennet's Hill, the highest point of New Providence Island, sharing the hilltop with Fort Fincastle (1793). Site open, tower reported closed. ARLHS BAH-012; Admiralty J4654; NGA 12080.
* East End Point
1909. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white flash every 6 s. 8 m (26 ft) 2-story square concrete building; the light is shown from a mast atop the structure. An enclosure projecting from the roof may have held a range light or directional light, but it is not in use at present. Darlene Chsisholm's photo is at right, Trabas has her husband Tom Chisholm's photo, and the light is centered in this Google satellite view. Located on Yamacraw Hill Road at the eastern end of New Providence Island. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty J4669; NGA 12112.

Eleuthera Lighthouses
Eleuthera is a very long, narrow island that traces the northeastern end of the Great Bahama Bank in the central Bahamas. The island has numerous resorts and is a very popular vacation destination.

Egg Island
Date unknown (station established 1891). Inactive as of 2013, although still listed with focal plane 34 m (112 ft); white flash every 3 s. 18 m (59 ft) skeletal tower. Trabas has Tom Chisholms's photo and Bing has a satellite view. The Chisholms visited the island in 2013 and reported that the light was not active. A developer has plans to build a golf resort on the island. Located at the highest point of the island, off the northwestern tip of Eleuthera. Site status unknown. ARLHS BAH-006; Admiralty J4678; NGA 12200.
Man Island
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 28 m (92 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 18 m (59 ft) skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available and Google's satellite view does not reveal the tower. Located on an uninhabited, privately owned island at the north end of Eleuthera. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty J4682; NGA 12204.

East End Point Light, Nassau, December 2011
photo copyright Darlene Chisholm; used by permission
* [Cupid Cay (Governor's Harbour]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white flash every 4 s. 9 m (30 ft) skeletal mast. Trabas has Tom Chisholm's photo, Jon Stegenga has a street view, and Bing has an indistinct satellite view. Governor's Harbour, on the central west coast, is the district seat for Eleuthera. Located on a point of land at the harbor entrance. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty J4692; NGA 12160.
** North Palmetto Point
1992. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); continuous white light with a more intense flash every 5 s. Approx. 10 m (33 ft) square cylindrical wood tower with lantern and gallery rising from the roof of a three-bedroom house. Building available for vacation rentals. Trabas has Tom Chisholm's photo, a 2007 closeup photo is available, and Bing has a satellite view. The lighthouse was built privately by David Steigelman; Lighthouse Digest has Dorothy Oxley's article describing its construction. Located 4 miles south of Governor's Harbor on the easternmost point of Eleuthera Island. Site open, tower open to paying guests. Site manager: Palmetto Point Lighthouse. ARLHS BAH-013; Admiralty J4705; NGA 12158.
 
Eleuthera Point (Lighthouse Point) (2)
Date unknown (station established 1903). Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); white flash every 4.6 s. 7.5 m (25 ft) post light adjacent to a 1-story square keeper's cottage. House painted white. A photo is at right, Bill Furry has a 2009 photo, Trabas has Darlene Chisholm's closeup photo, Beth Bullock has a more distant view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Bing has a satellite view of this remote location. The keeper's house was in ruins until recently but the recent photos show that it has been restored. Older light lists show the station originally had two lights on skeletal towers. In 2018 the land surrounding the lighthouse was for sale, and residents of the island mobilized to fight plans by Disney Cruise Lines to acquire it as a cruise ship destination. In March 2019 Disney acquired the land it sought but agreed to donate 190 acres to protect the lighthouse as a national park. Located atop a bluff on Lighthouse Point, at the southern tip of Eleuthera. Accessible by 4WD plus a hike of about 3 km (2 mi) round trip. Site open. Admiralty J4704; NGA 12208.
Eleuthera Point Light
Eleuthera Point Light, Eleuthera, November 2008
ex-Panoramio photo copyright jpotratz; permission requested

Exuma Lighthouses
The Exumas are a long line of cays south of Eleuthera. There are 365 islands but only a few large enough to be permanently inhabited.
Beacon Cay (2)
Date unknown (station established 1893). Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); flash every 3 s, white or red depending on direction. 9 m (30 ft) skeletal mast adjacent to the original 1-story octagonal keeper's cottage. The station buildings are unroofed and falling into ruin. A view from the sea is available and Google has a satellite view. The light marks a break in the Exuma reefs that provides an approach route to Nassau from the southeast. Located on a tiny cay about 50 km ( 30 mi) east southeast of New Providence Island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty J4722; NGA 12116.
Little Pipe Cay
Date unknown. Active (?); focal plane 7 m (23 ft); light characteristic unknown. Approx. 7 m (23 ft) conical rubblestone tower, unpainted. Javier Sánchez Aldana has a 2022 photo, a commercial photo is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This appears to be a historic daybeacon with a recently added light. The light guides vessels through a narrow passage into Exuma Sound. Little Pipe Cay is privately owned, but there is a resort on Fowl Cay to the southeast. Located on a reef off Little Pipe Cay, about 12 km (7.5 mi) northwest of Staniel Cay in the Exumas. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Not listed by the international light lists.

San Salvador Island Lighthouse
San Salvador is an isolated island of the southeastern Bahamas, about 50 km (30 mi) to the east of the other islands. Traditionally it is identified as the location of the first landing by Columbus in America on 12 October 1492, although recently some historians have questioned this identification. For many years the island was also known as Watling Island but San Salvador has been its name officially since 1925.

****
San Salvador (Dixon Hill, Watling Island)
1887 (station established 1856). Active; focal plane 50 m (164 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 22 m (72 ft) round tapered brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Hei Olivia's 2022 photo is at right, a 2021 photo is available, Erin Cate has a 2008 photo of the station, Steve Nerat has a 2006 closeup, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The two original 1-story keeper's houses are still occupied by keepers, who also conduct tours of the tower. Located on the highest point of the island of San Salvador, on the northeastern side of the island. Site and tower open. Site manager: Government of the Bahamas. ARLHS BAH-015; Admiralty J4738; NGA 12288.

Dixon Hill Light, San Salvador, October 2022
Google Maps photo by Hei Olivia

Southeastern Bahamas Lighthouses
Crooked Island and Acklins Island together form a "fishhook" enclosing a shallow lagoon called Acklins Bight in the southeastern Bahamas. The permanent population of the two islands is less than 1000 but there are several resorts. Mayaguana, the easternmost island of the Bahamas, lies about 65 km (40 mi) east of Acklins and has a population of about 300.

Bird Rock
1876. Reactivated (inactive ca. 1980-1999 at least); focal plane 34 m (112 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 30.5 m (100 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, painted white, centered on round 1-story keeper's quarters. Andrey Yakushev's 2023 photo is at right, Trabas has a good photo by Capt. Theo Hinrichs, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Bing has a satellite view. The lighthouse was being privately restored by the owners of the Pittstown Point Resort on Crooked Island and for a time several vacation suites in the light station were available for rental. The resort has since been sold and the new owners have reopened the lighthouse for tours or casual visitors. A solar-powered lens is now in use. Located on a small island, hardly more than a sandbar, off the northwestern tip of Crooked Island in the southern Bahamas. Site and tower open. Owner/site manager: Crooked Island Lodge. ARLHS BAH-005; Admiralty J4792; NGA 12296.
Castle Island
1868. Active; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 34 m (112 ft) round brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; 1st order Fresnel lens (1934). The two keeper's cottages and other station buildings are abandoned. Trabas has a good photo by Capt. Theo Hinrichs, a 2023 drone view is available, Marinas.com has good aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Geoff Schultz has posted 2007 photos; at that time the lighthouse was freshly painted on the outside but appeared deteriorated inside. Probably endangered. Until recent years this lighthouse was painted with red and white horizontal bands. Located on a small island off the southwest tip of Acklins Island. Accessible only by boat. Site open; Schultz found the tower open. Site manager: Bahamas Port Department. ARLHS BAH-001; Admiralty J4782; NGA 12324.
* [Mayaguana Northwest Point (2)]
Date unknown (station established 1925). Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white flash every 5 s. Approx. 8 m (26 ft) post mounted on a round stone base. A square 1-story keeper's cottage stands in ruins nearby. No photo available but Google has a distant satellite view. The original light here was a 10 m (33 ft) skeletal tower. Located on a bluff at the northwestern point of Mayaguana (not at the northeast point, as stated on the photo caption). Site open, tower closed. Admiralty J4798; NGA 12352.

Bird Rock Light, March 2023
Google Maps photo by Andrey Yakushev

Southern Channels Lighthouses
Cay Sal
1839. Inactive since the 1940s. Approx. 18 m (60 ft) ruined round stone tower, originally with lantern and gallery. This abandoned lighthouse formerly marked the southern entrance to the Florida Straits from the Gulf of Mexico. It was briefly reactivated during the 1970s, when Bahamas police had a post on the island to watch for drug smugglers. The tower is badly deteriorated. The light is near the right edge of Jamie Edelman's 2022 photo, a 2007 photo and a second photo are available, Lighthouse Digest has a photo by Oscar Reyes, and Bing has a satellite view. Obviously endangered. The 2022 view shoiws that the lantern has fallen. Located on North Elbow Cay, at the western end of the Cay Sal Bank about 80 km (50 mi) off the Cuban coast and 130 km (80 mi) southeast of Key West, Florida. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower open but extremely hazardous. Site manager: unknown. ARLHS BAH-018.
Cay Lobos
1869. Active; focal plane 44 m (145 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 45 m (148 ft) round cast iron tower with gallery, painted white. The lantern has been removed recently, as seen in Wikimedia's 2017 view from the sea. Timothy Wildey has a 2007 photo, Trabas has a view from the sea by Douglas Cameron, and Bing has a good satellite view. The tiny cay, a famous hazard to navigation, is located only a short distance off the north coast of Cuba, but it is owned by the Bahamas. Cruise ships pass the cay regularly and their passengers are usually astonished by the lighthouse as it seems to rise directly out of the ocean ahead of or beside the ship. The lighthouse was ordered by British colonial authorities and completed in 1869. For lighthouse keepers it was the most isolated posting in the Bahamas. Today the light is automated and solar-powered. Located on a cay in the Old Bahama Channel only 50 km (30 mi) from Cuba. Site and tower closed. Site manager: Bahamas Port Department. ARLHS BAH-011; Admiralty J4774; NGA 12344.

Inagua Islands Lighthouses
The Inagua Islands are the southernmost island group of the Bahamas. The largest island, Great Inagua, is the third largest island of the archipelago, roughly 90 km (55 mi) long and 30 km (19 mi) wide. The permanent population is only about 1000, most of them in Matthew Town on Great Inagua.

Hogsty Reef (1)
Date unknown. Inactive. 4 m (13 ft) round stone tower on a square base. The modern light, a 7 m (23 ft) post light (focal plane 9 m (29 ft); white flash every 4 s), stands next to the old beacon. No closeup photo available but Trabas has Tom Chisholm's aerial photo and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located on Northwest Cay, the largest island of the reef, which is halfway between Acklin's Island and Great Inagua Island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower status unknown. ARLHS BAH-020; Admiralty J4802; NGA 12356
*** Great Inagua (Southwest Point)
1870. Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 34 m (112 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Two octagonal keeper's houses occupied by keepers. Patrick Wilson's photo is at right, a 2008 closeup photo is available, Trabas has Tom Chisholm's aerial photo, Joaquin Iglesias has a 2017 drone view, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the southwestern tip of Great Inagua Island near Matthew Town. This location is about 100 km (60 mi) northeast of Punta Maisí, the eastern tip of Cuba. Site and tower open (free, donations requested). Site manager: Bahamas Port Department. ARLHS BAH-007; Admiralty J4804; NGA 12360.
Great Inagua Light
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.