Colchester Reef Lighthouse
Location & Light Range
About Colchester Reef Lighthouse
A cylindrical stone pier, constructed in 1885, supports a square steel skeletal tower that stands 12 meters tall. This structure, first lit in 1885, emits a single red flash every 4 seconds from a focal height of 22 meters. The station was established in 1885, succeeding a lightship that had been in place since the 1870s to mark the southern edge of Colchester Reef. In 1954, a second lighthouse was built, incorporating a cantilevered design that provided a helicopter landing pad. This lighthouse is located approximately 6 kilometers south of Colchester within the Town of Essex.
Why it matters: The Colchester Reef light is essential for guiding vessels around the reef's southern edge, ensuring safe passage for traffic heading toward Kingsville and other nearby ports.
Light & Optic
- Flash Type
- Flashing
- Light Color
- Red
- Interval
- 4s
- Raw Code
- Fl R 4s
- Focal Height
- 22m
- Geographic Range
- 13.6NM
Construction & History
- Year Built
- 1885
Significant events: lightship station established 1870s, station established 1885, second lighthouse built 1954 with helicopter landing pad
References & Identifiers
- Nearest Port
- Kingsville(9.1 km)
- USCG No.
- 7-6870
- ARLHS No.
- CAN-143
Tower & Structure
- Tower Height
- 12m
- Tower Shape
- cylindrical
- Tower Color
- red
- Material
- stone, steel
Structure: square steel skeletal tower mounted atop the cylindrical stone pier of the 1885 lighthouse
Location
- City
- Town of Essex
- Country
- 🇨🇦Canada
- Region
- Ontario
- Sea Region
- south end of Colchester Reef, approximately 6 km south of Colchester
- Latitude
- 41.9325°
- Longitude
- -82.8924°
Nearby Vessels
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