Cape Hermes Lighthouse

About Cape Hermes Lighthouse

Even lighthouses have a dream of having their own sea-side patch of grass on the perfect hillside bordered by a little wooden picket fence.

The big dreamers among the coastal light streamers wish for a view unlike any other lighthouse; which as far as uninterrupted ocean views a pebble throw from the horizon goes, is a bright big dream. A big dream that has vistas of intimidating mountain ranges and a river mouth dividing them from a vantage point of 55 meters above the high water mark. A dream with a wild water wash and a calming cool breeze.

A dream where the lighthouse is shaped like an octagon for difference and built from the very granite rock that it stands upon for reference. A dream where a grand name of a national ship is bestowed on its light beam that burns 5 000 CD bright for centuries. A dream that has a quaint diminutive façade no more that 13 meters high and a superlative task of protecting nautical jewels. A dream tended by a sweet old resident lighthouse keeper, perhaps the last of his kind, someone who had has the duty and key passed down in his family for generations.

The Cape Hermes Lighthouse, named after the HMS Hermes that surveyed the Pondoland coastal waters, warns passing ships of the rugged rock alcoves that line this bay of danger on the East Coast of South Africa. This Indian Ocean stretch is strewn with the remains of jewel carrying treasure ships sunk in the contours of the 'Jewel of the Wild Coast' namely Port St Johns. These great waters are protected by a sweet stone lighthouse that's picket fence got built and that's dream came true. Built in1903 this lighthouse shines its dream out to sea in one flash every three seconds. Visible from 13 nautical miles, this is the lighthouse that could.