Photo: Castlepoint Beacon Wairarapa

The beacon from the Castlepoint Lighthouse has shone for many years in Wairarapa on the North Island of New Zealand.

On a beautiful evening when the sun begins to set and the sky is a deep blue color, the beacon atop Castlepoint Lighthouse in Wairarapa, New Zealand shines brightly. This beacon has become an icon for the community of Castlepoint as well as a safety feature for mariners.The east coast of Wairarapa, New Zealand can be a treacherous place for ships due to the high winds, reefs and currents and this coast was in desperate need of a lighthouse. When the lighthouse beacon first started working on January 12th, 1913, it became a major part of the history of Wairarapa and a relief to many mariners. There had been enough shipwrecks off the Wairarapa coast near Castlepoint and this beacon made navigation a lot easier and safer for ships.The beacon flashed every 45 seconds until 1942 when an earthquake dislodged the lenses causing the mercury to leak but was soon repaired and then in 1950 the beacon was changed from kerosene to diesel. ... continue below the picture...

This picture is part of the photo album "Sunset Pictures" - there are more beautiful images waiting for you.

... By 1960, it was switched over to electric power and in the 1980's it was decided that all of the New Zealand's lighthouses should be automated with no keepers.Castlepoint Lighthouse in Wairarapa survived until 1988 with a keeper but that soon ended and now the beacon is controlled by the new computer wonders of the world. Many disputes have taken place over the last few years regarding the necessity of the beacon whether it is needed anymore.This beacon atop Castlepoint Lighthouse is still a major safety issue for ships that have made the long trip up from the Panama and America. Issues have been brought up that the flashing beacon that can be seen for twenty-six nautical miles should be replaced with a 10 nautical mile flashing beacon. The verdict is still out and Castlepoint Lighthouse in Wairarapa, New Zealand still remains as is.Sunset at Castlepoint Lighthouse which overlooks the lagoon and bay, Castlepoint, Wairarapa, North Island, New Zealand.