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Despite the known dangers, it was not until 1892 that a shipâs lamp was attached to the beacon, only to be struck shortly afterwards by a steamer, causing considerable damage to both the beacon and the boat. It was not until two years after that, that a lighthouse was constructed on the mainland side
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The lighthouse's companion beacon located across the channel on the edge of the reef, at latitude -40.922931 longitude 173.833739. Its structure is cylindrical concrete turret, painted white. It stands at 5 metres (16 ft) high, and at night emits a white glow every 1.5 seconds, with a range of 4
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The approach from the south west is through an area called the
Current Basin. A shallow area, called Middle Bank, is marked with a green buoy, and this should be kept to port heading towards the pass, and starboard heading away from it. The position and depth of Middle Bank is liable to change.
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From 1854 to 1880 the only navigational aid that sailors had going through the pass was an iron perch erected on the end of the reef. In 1881, that was replaced with a concrete beacon. By this time, passenger and mail steamers regularly took a shortcut through the pass, at night, when
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12 mi), and that of the white light 17 nautical miles (31 km; 20 mi). The red sector is obscured in
Waikawa Bay by Two Island Point. The beacon on the reef emits a white glow every 1.5 seconds (identification F W), with a range of 4 nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi).
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At night, the lighthouse on the mainland has a white and a red sector on both sides (identification F WR). If a boat is on the correct course, the white sector is visible, if you leave this sector, the red light becomes visible. The range of the red light is 10 nautical miles (19 km;
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ten minutes prior to entering the pass, stating the direction of travel. The warning helps to prevent a boat meeting another one coming from the opposite direction, especially as it is not possible to see others approaching when travelling from the north east in time to avoid collision.
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The pass is 500 metres (1,600 ft) wide; however, the navigable channel narrows to 100 metres (330 ft), and is awash with whirlpools, eddies, overfalls, rips and counter-currents. With care, a vessel can navigate the pass within an hour either side of slack water.
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The tide times listed are the time of, apparent, slack water, and the NE and SW directions listed are the direction the tide will start to flow towards at the time listed. The change does not coincide with low water or high water at nearby
Elmslie Bay.
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In 1961, the lighthouse was automated, meaning the single lighthouse keeper no longer had to risk his life re-lighting the beacon light in a gale or replenishing it with oil at âslack tideâ. The keeper was withdrawn in 1967.
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Neither the lighthouse and its staircase, nor its companion beacon is open to the public; although they can be seen from a boat and there is a good lookout over French Pass a short walk from nearby
Elmslie Bay Wharf.
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has the fastest tidal flows in New
Zealand, hence the need for a lighthouse and channel beacon. The tidal stream changes from direction four times a day and does not follow the channel. At
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of the pass, facing towards the repaired beacon. A house for the lighthouse keeper was built on the cliff above with a connecting 100-step stairway to give access to the light.
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Warning 3: It is very dangerous to try it against the stream, unless the boat can travel at at least 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) under engine power
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A prudent mariner will time their passage through here to coincide with a change of tidal stream, when counter-currents and whirlpools lessen.
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lowest lighthouse. Even its companion beacon, placed on the outer edge of the reef, is higher, with an elevation of 5 metres (16 ft).
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or 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph) and the south-west-going stream 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph).
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A note on nautical chart NZ6151 directs mariners to provide an âAll ships, all shipsâ warning to other vessels on
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or through the
Stephens Passage between it and Rangitoto ki te Tonga / D'Urville Island, both wild windy waters.
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10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) white sector, 7 nautical miles (13 km; 8.1 mi) red sector
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Fisherman or Coutre Pass at the northern end of the reef should only be attempted with local knowledge.
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459:"French Pass - get technical and historical information and resources about French Pass lighthouse"
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Warning 1: Tidal stream times are approximate only. Slack water, if it occurs at all, is brief
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together with a stone beacon mark a channel through the turbulent waters between
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619:"Find tidal stream predictions and diagrams for the Te Aumiti / French Pass"
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Like all lighthouses in New
Zealand, both lights are remotely controlled by
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Its formal identifiers are ARLHS: NZL-069 - Admiralty: K4240 - NGA: 5032.
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Its formal identifiers are ARLHS: NZL-024 - Admiralty: K4238 - NGA: 5028.
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Standing at an elevation of 3 metres (9.8 ft) above sea level, it is
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rates are less, but still strong. A daily table of times is published by
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The
Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
244:. The New Zealand List of Lights calls the lighthouse Channel Point.
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On 1 October 1884 the lighthouse and beacon were officially lit.
646:"An online cruising guide for yachts transiting the French Pass"
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Amateur Radio
Lighthouse Society - World List of Lights (WLOL)
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Amateur Radio
Lighthouse Society - World List of Lights (WLOL)
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the north-east-going stream has been known to reach 8
700:"French Pass Reef (South Island) Light ARLHS NZL-069"
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Warning 2: It is dangerous to attempt it under sail
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Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ)
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590:Hydrographic Department, Great Britain (2001).
594:. Taunton, England: Hydrographer of the Navy.
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624:Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand
516:Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand
24:
441:from a central control room in Wellington.
389:nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi).
846:
832:
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570:"Cruising Guide to the Marlborough Sounds"
511:"List of lights - South Island light list"
38:
23:
803:"Lighthouse of New Zealand: South Island"
238:Rangitoto ki te Tonga / DâUrville Island
60:Rangitoto ki te Tonga / DâUrville Island
450:
320:Approach to French Pass from north east
308:Approach to French Pass from south west
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222:Fixed light with red and white sectors
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801:Rowlett, Russ (27 December 2022).
750:"GeoHack (-40.922931; 173.833739)"
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538:"French Pass/Channel Pass Light"
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933:Matiu / Somes Island Lighthouse
1:
1080:Lighthouses completed in 1884
938:Mokohinau Islands Lighthouse
327:Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere
955:Tiritiri Matangi Lighthouse
775:"French Pass Lookout Track"
325:The pass is a gateway from
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1075:Lighthouses in New Zealand
1049:Tuhawaiki Point Lighthouse
1044:Stephens Island Lighthouse
1024:Kahurangi Point Lighthouse
989:Brothers Island Lighthouse
855:Lighthouses in New Zealand
780:Department of Conservation
1039:Puysegur Point Lighthouse
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944:Pencarrow Head Lighthouse
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226:
159:
46:
37:
16:Lighthouse in New Zealand
1054:Waipapa Point Lighthouse
1014:Farewell Spit Lighthouse
1004:Centre Island Lighthouse
999:Cape Foulwind Lighthouse
994:Cape Campbell Lighthouse
928:Manukau Heads Lighthouse
918:Cuvier Island Lighthouse
903:Cape Palliser Lighthouse
866:indicate inactive sites.
1034:Nugget Point Lighthouse
1029:KÄtiki Point Lighthouse
983:Boulder Bank Lighthouse
913:Castle Point Lighthouse
384:French Pass Reef Beacon
376:French Pass Reef Beacon
263:Te Aumiti / French Pass
1019:French Pass Lighthouse
908:Cape Reinga Lighthouse
898:Cape Egmont Lighthouse
881:Baring Head Lighthouse
385:
234:French Pass Lighthouse
180:3 metres (9.8 ft)
89:40.924058°S 173.8356°E
25:French Pass Lighthouse
1009:Dog Island Lighthouse
887:Cape Brett Lighthouse
729:online list of lights
679:New Zealand Gazetteer
675:"French Pass / Anaru"
490:online list of lights
383:
137:7 metres (23 ft)
950:Rangitoto Lighthouse
923:East Cape Lighthouse
893:Bean Rock Lighthouse
464:Maritime New Zealand
439:Maritime New Zealand
154:Maritime New Zealand
94:-40.924058; 173.8356
650:World Cruising Wiki
401:travelling between
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974:South Island
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873:North Island
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810:. Retrieved
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652:. 5 May 2022
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258:Tidal stream
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242:South Island
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193:Light source
177:Focal height
118:Construction
56:South Island
18:
812:14 February
786:14 February
759:14 February
734:14 February
709:14 February
684:14 February
656:14 February
630:14 February
575:14 February
547:14 February
522:14 February
495:14 February
470:14 February
270:spring tide
267:equinoctial
145:white house
110:Constructed
92: /
80:173°50â²08â³E
67:Coordinates
58:, opposite
1085:Tasman Bay
1069:Categories
601:0707712912
445:References
433:Operations
407:Wellington
295:Navigation
77:40°55â²27â³S
54:At top of
21:Lighthouse
282:Neap tide
201:Intensity
188:drum type
169:First lit
126:Automated
240:and the
150:Operator
51:Location
864:Italics
754:GeoHack
725:"K4240"
486:"K4238"
396:History
329:to the
204:50-watt
598:
424:Access
403:Nelson
134:Height
274:knots
209:Range
164:Light
142:Shape
105:Tower
27:
814:2023
788:2023
761:2023
736:2023
711:2023
686:2023
658:2023
632:2023
596:ISBN
577:2023
549:2023
524:2023
497:2023
472:2023
405:and
232:The
185:Lens
172:1884
129:1961
113:1884
278:m/s
276:(4
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
