A Light on the Bluff 2

Durban from the Bluff ca 1870s - a view my ancestor Thomas Gadsden would have gazed out upon frequently during his years as lighthousekeeper at the Bluff Light.

When the light was first commissioned it was claimed to be the only lighthouse on the East African coast between Port Elizabeth and Egypt. The light boasted 3 million candlepower with a nominal range of 21 nautical miles, though usually this was claimed to be 28 miles.

Despite this apparent power, the revolving light did not 'come up to expectations', according to the authorities, and was replaced by a new light mechanism in mid 1869.