Name and Location

Punta Ballena Lighthouse, also known as Faro de Punta Ballena, is a minor coastal aid-to-navigation located on the Pacific shoreline of Manabí Province, Ecuador. The lighthouse stands on the rocky headland known locally as "Punta Ballena," just off the main coastal road north of the town of Jama.

Construction and History

The construction era of Punta Ballena Lighthouse is unrecorded in public sources. It is likely that the lighthouse was erected in the mid-20th century as Ecuador expanded its coastal light network. The site has been unmanned since automation, presumed to have taken place in the 1980s or 1990s.

Architecture and Materials

The Punta Ballena Lighthouse is a small unstaffed tower or beacon with a structure not readily available for public inspection. It is likely that the lighthouse is made of white or unpainted concrete, without distinctive banding.

Light and Navigation

The focal height and light range of Punta Ballena Lighthouse are not documented in public sources. However, it is typical for minor coastal lights to have a focal height under 15 meters with a nominal range of 5-10 nautical miles. The light characteristic is not documented, but the lighthouse is likely fully automated.

Accessibility and Visiting

The headland is reachable by a short walk from the coastal road (near km 87 on the Esmeraldas-Pedernales highway). There are no visitor facilities, guided tours, or visitor centers on site. The terrain is rocky shoreline and scrubland; proper footwear is recommended.

Notable Views and Landscape

The surrounding landscape features typical arid-tropical coast with low cliffs, volcanic-sedimentary rocks, and scattered algarrobo and palo santo trees. Nearby attractions include the town of Jama (≈5 km south), Playa Los Frailes (≈20 km north) in Machalilla National Park, and Isla de la Plata boat tours.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Local lore has it that fishermen speak of "la ballena" (the whale)—the headland's name—after a rock formation said to resemble a breaching whale at low tide. No major shipwrecks are specifically tied to this point; the site serves more as a minor reference than a primary coastal beacon.

Technical and Operational Details

The Punta Ballena Lighthouse is managed by the Directorate of Hydrography and Navigation, Ecuadorian Navy (Dirección de Hidrografía y Navegación, Armada del Ecuador). The lighthouse appears maintained but minimal; no formal restoration programs are noted. Chart references include Ecuador Official Nautical Charts (small-craft coastal series).

Further Information

• https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/249407984">OpenStreetMap node: https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/249407984
• http://www.lageoguia.org/punta-ballena-manabi-ecuador/">GeoGuide entry (in Spanish): http://www.lageoguia.org/punta-ballena-manabi-ecuador/
• https://www.armada.mil.ec/hipertextual/">Ecuadorian Navy, Directorate of Hydrography and Navigation: https://www.armada.mil.ec/hipertextual/
• Ecuador Official Nautical Charts (small-craft coastal series)