Faro de Camarinal
Urbanizacion Atlanterra T, 6D, 11391, Cádiz, Spain
Name and Location
Faro de Camarinal, also known locally as Punta de Gracia Lighthouse, is an active minor aid to navigation located on the Atlantic coast of southern Spain. It marks the headland between Praia de Bolonia and the Strait of Gibraltar.
Construction and History
The exact year of construction is undocumented in available records. The lighthouse does not have official heritage status as a historic monument. Despite this, it remains fully automated and continues to serve as a coastal beacon.
Architecture and Materials
The lighthouse has a functional, unadorned design typical of late-20th-century Spanish aids to navigation. Its construction materials are presumably reinforced concrete or masonry, with a white finish for enhanced visibility.
- The International Admiralty reference is D 2411.5.
- The light characteristic is occulting white in a two-group sequence: 0.5 seconds eclipsed followed by 1 second of light, then another 0.5 seconds eclipsed and 3 seconds of light. The period is 5 seconds.
- The nominal range is 13 nautical miles.
Accessibility and Visiting
The lighthouse is located on a remote coastal promontory accessible only by unpaved track from Bolonia beach or the Atlanterra residential area. Grounds may be approached on foot, but the tower itself is not open to visitors. No paved road directly reaches its base. There are no facilities on-site.
Notable Views and Landscape
The surroundings offer breathtaking views of the rugged coastal cliffs, rolling sand dunes of Bolonia, and the Atlantic surf. On a clear day, one can see westward along Cádiz's Atlantic shoreline, south toward the northern coast of Morocco, or east into the Strait of Gibraltar and the Bay of Algeciras.
Technical and Operational Details
The lighthouse is automated, with no resident keepers. It is managed by the Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras. There is no secondary radar or AIS transponder at this minor light. The nominal light height above ground is 75 [units unspecified—likely metres above mean sea level].
Further Information
For more information on seamark data, refer to US NGA Pub. 113, "List of Lights, Radio Aids and Fog Signals: Mediterranean Sea �� West Coast of Spain" (2011-10-20). Additional resources include Wikidata (Q11034482) and the official website of the Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras (Spanish).
Details
Name | Faro de Camarinal |
---|---|
City | Tarifa |
Country | Spain |
Coordinates | 36.090084, -5.8104478 |
Architectural style | functional, unadorned 'minor light' tower |
Construction material | "reinforced concrete or masonry" |
Focal height | 75 |
Heritage status | false |
Access description | 4×4 vehicle or walking track only; no paved road directly to its base. |
Accessible | false |
Landscape type | coastal cliffs and sand dunes |
View description | rugged coastal cliffs, rolling sand dunes of Bolonia, Atlantic surf. |
Guided tours | false |
Facilities | toilets, café, gift shop |
Nearby attractions | ["Bolonia Beach","Roman ruins of Baelo Claudia","Atlanterra"] |
AIS Radar | false |
Light characteristic | "Oc (Occulting white) in a two-group sequence" |
Light range | 13 |
Automated | true |