Logo

lighthouse-index

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

NameCape Roger Curtis Lighthouse
City
CountryCanada
Coordinates49.339997, -123.4329117
Construction material["concrete footing"]
Focal height9.6
Access descriptionBy foot, By car/Bicycle
Accessibletrue
View descriptionpanoramic vistas over the Southern Gulf Islands, Sunshine Coast, and coastal mountains of mainland British Columbia.
Guided toursfalse
Facilitiespicnic tables and benches are located near the trailhead
Opening hoursopen 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 Radartrue
Light characteristic"Fl (3) W 12s"
Light range5
Automatedtrue