Name and Location

The Cape Guardafui Lighthouse, also known as منارة رأس عسير (Manārat Ra’s ʿAsīr) in Arabic, Phare Cap Guardafui in French, and Local name: منارة رأس ��سير (“Lighthouse of Cape ʿAsīr”) is located at the extreme tip of Cape Guardafui, where the Gulf of Aden meets the Indian Ocean. Its coordinates are 11°50′08″ N, 51°16′44″ E (decimal 11.8357596, 51.2789177), and its plus code is R7PH+8H Tohen, Somalia.

2. Construction and History

The exact construction date of the lighthouse remains unconfirmed, but it may have been built during the Italian Somaliland period in the early 20th century. The lighthouse has a historic status marked “historic=yes” in OpenStreetMap data.

3. Architecture and Materials

The Cape Guardafui Lighthouse is a major coastal light with a type of construction not documented, likely masonry towers with gallery and lantern room. Its height above sea level is 263 ft (80 m). The materials used are unknown, but it is speculated to be made of masonry or reinforced concrete typical of regional lighthouses.

4. Light and Navigation

The lighthouse emits a flashing white light every 5 seconds (Fl W 5s) with a nominal range of 18 nautical miles. Its light pattern sequence is 0.5 s flash, 4.5 s eclipse (“0.5+(4.5)”). The Admiralty number / NGA reference is D 7246.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse site does not have formal visitor facilities or marked road access. The best approach is by a rugged 4×4 track from Tohen village or by small boat along the coast.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

The surrounding landscape is an arid rocky cape with steep cliffs dropping to the sea, offering panoramic views where two major bodies of water converge.

7. Anecdotes and Folklore

Local folklore describes Cape Guardafui as “The Pillars of Hercules of the Indian Ocean,” due to strong currents and swirling winds that contributed to shipwrecks in the 19th century.

8. Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is an active navigational aid, though its operational status is listed as unreliable. It has no formal management authority, but is likely under the jurisdiction of the Somali Ports Authority.

9. Further Information

For further information, consult the US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, List of Lights, Pub. 112 (2010), OpenStreetMap waypoint “way/197160397” (man_made=lighthouse, historic=yes), Admiralty Sailing Directions: Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and [Speculative] Somalia Ports Authority website for latest aid-to-navigation notices.