Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
Fl W 7.5s🇺🇸North Carolina/Buxton/Hatteras, USInactive
Location & Light Range
About Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, constructed in 1870, stands 210 feet from base to tip. Its focal plane reaches 58.5 meters above sea level, providing a geographic range of 24 nautical miles. The tower is painted white and emits a flashing white light. Originally commissioned in 1870, it is no longer operational. The lighthouse is a notable attraction on Hatteras Island.
Why it matters: This lighthouse is recognized as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. Its location on the Outer Banks, known as the "Graveyard of the Atlantic," underscores its historical significance in navigating a particularly hazardous coastal region.
Background
Cape Hatteras Light is a lighthouse located on Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks in the town of Buxton, North Carolina and is part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. It is the tallest lighthouse in the U.S. from base to tip at 210 feet. The lighthouse's semi-unique pattern makes it easy to recognize and famous. It is often ranked high on lists of most beautiful, and famous lighthouses in the US.
The Outer Banks are a group of barrier islands on the North Carolina coast that separate the Atlantic Ocean from the coastal sounds and inlets. Atlantic currents in this area made for excellent travel for ships, except in the area of Diamond Shoals, just offshore at Cape Hatteras. Nearby, the warm Gulf Stream ocean current collides with the colder Labrador Current, creating ideal conditions for powerful ocean storms and sea swells. The large number of ships that ran aground because of these shifting sandbars gave this area the nickname "Graveyard of the Atlantic." It also led the U.S. Congress to authorize the construction of the Cape Hatteras Light. Its 198-foot height makes it the tallest brick lighthouse structure in the United States and 2nd in the world. Since its base is almost at sea level, it is only the 15th highest light in the United States, the first 14 being built on higher ground.Light & Optic
Characteristic Signature
Fl W 7.5s
- Flash Type
- Flashing
- Light Color
- White
- Flash Count
- 1 flash
- Interval
- 7.5s
- Raw Code
- Fl
- Focal Height
- 58.5m
- Geographic Range
- 24NM
Construction & History
- Year Built
- 1870
- Heritage Status
- Historic Civil Engineering Landmark
Visiting
- Open to public
- attraction
Nearby Vessels
Tower & Structure
- Tower Height
- 210m
- Tower Color
- white
Location
- City
- North Carolina/Buxton/Hatteras
- Country
- 🇺🇸US
- Latitude
- 35.2505°
- Longitude
- -75.5290°
References & Identifiers
- Wikipedia
- Read on Wikipedia →
- Wikidata
- Q2508238 →
- OpenStreetMap
- View on OSM →
تتبّع مباشر · أكثر من 50,000 بحّار
اعثر على منارة Cape Hatteras على الخريطة البحرية المباشرة
خطّط رحلاتك قرب US، وشاهد السفن المجاورة في الوقت الفعلي، واستكشف أكثر من 14,900 معلَم ملاحي في التطبيق.
خريطة بحريةالسفن المجاورةتخطيط الرحلات