Cape Roger Curtis Lighthouse
Lighthouse Lane Park, 1652 Whitesails Dr, Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G2, Canada
Name and Location
The Cape Roger Curtis Lighthouse is a small, automated navigational aid located at the southwestern tip of Bowen Island, British Columbia, Canada. The lighthouse is situated within Lighthouse Lane Park, which offers coastal-forest trails and rocky shoreline viewpoints.
2. Construction and History
The exact construction date and original architect of the Cape Roger Curtis Lighthouse are not publicly documented. However, it is noted that the light was first charted in Canadian Notices to Mariners under sequence number G 5419.4. The official commissioning date is not publicly available, but OpenStreetMap dates the light's listing back to April 2016.
3. Architecture and Materials
The Cape Roger Curtis Lighthouse consists of a small skeletal or enclosed metal beacon on a concrete footing. The structure is painted white for daytime conspicuity, and radar-reflecting panels are affixed to the upper framework.
4. Light and Navigation
The light emits a group of three white flashes every 12 seconds (Fl (3) W 12s), with a nominal range of 5 nautical miles. The lighthouse is fully automated and monitored by the Canadian Coast Guard, serving as a radar-reflecting landmark for vessels transiting the southern approaches of Howe Sound.
5. Accessibility and Visiting
The lighthouse is accessible by foot via an 800-meter trail (Lighthouse Lane) that leads west from Whitesails Drive/Pirate's Lane to the light in about 10–15 minutes. Parking is available near the trailhead, and visitors can also access the site by car or bicycle. There are no on-site facilities, but picnic tables and benches are located near the trailhead.
6. Notable Views and Landscape
The surrounding area features mature Douglas-fir and arbutus woodland, moss-covered rock outcrops, and tidal pools. Visitors can enjoy panoramic vistas over the Southern Gulf Islands, Sunshine Coast, and coastal mountains of mainland British Columbia. At low tide, one can explore adjacent tidal flats.
7. Anecdotes and Folklore
There are no notable anecdotes or folklore related to the Cape Roger Curtis Lighthouse.
8. Technical and Operational Details
The lighthouse is fully active, with a focal plane height of 9.6 meters above ground level. The light's characteristic is a group of three white flashes every 12 seconds (Fl (3) W 12s). It is managed by the Canadian Coast Guard, Aids to Navigation Program.
9. Further Information
Further information can be found in nautical publications such as "List of Lights, Buoys and Fog Signals" (Pacific Coast) and CHS chart G 5419.4. Online listings include Notmar GC notices, while further reading is available in Canadian Hydrographic Service's Sailing Directions and Metro Vancouver regional park brochures.
Details
Name | Cape Roger Curtis Lighthouse |
---|---|
City | |
Country | Canada |
Coordinates | 49.339997, -123.4329117 |
Construction material | ["concrete footing"] |
Focal height | 9.6 |
Access description | By foot, By car/Bicycle |
Accessible | true |
View description | panoramic vistas over the Southern Gulf Islands, Sunshine Coast, and coastal mountains of mainland British Columbia. |
Guided tours | false |
Facilities | picnic tables and benches are located near the trailhead |
Opening hours | open daily from dawn to dusk |
Nearby attractions | [{"attraction":"Snug Cove Village","distance":"~3 km east"},{"attraction":"Killarney Lake Park","distance":"~2 km north"},{"attraction":"Bowen Island Golf Course","distance":"~4 km northeast"},{"attraction":"Crippen Regional Park","distance":"~5 km north"}] |
AIS Radar | true |
Light characteristic | "Fl (3) W 12s" |
Light range | 5 |
Automated | true |