The Lighthouse on Pelican point was built in the year 1932. You will be able to see the lighthouse on a clear day from afar. The lighthouse was built by the South African Government. The history of this lighthouse is quite interesting. The first thing you will notice when you approach it either by land or boat is that it is not located at the edge of Pelican point as most lighthouses are expected to be. The reason being the strip of sand it is located on has grown considerably since the beacon was erected leaving the lighthouse a kilometre away from the edge. Another noticeable thing of this lighthouse is the colour of the lighthouse, it was originally painted grey but mariners complained that is was not clearly visible in daytime especially when it is misty which is quite a norm for the area, so after trying out several colour schemes they decided in the end to paint it black and white which proved to stand out best in the surrounding area and weather conditions.

The first beacon erected here dates back to 1915 which consisted of a small automatic acetylene gas lantern, mounted on a wooden pile driven into the sand. It was later replaced by a prefabricated cast-iron tower, it served the coastal area for several years. But due to the growth of the harbour town the beacons light source was no longer sufficient enough and was replaced by a 500mm acetylene gas lantern and four years later a 250 watt lamp which increased the candle power to about 15.000cd. As the harbour continued to grow and expand it was upgraded again and fitted with an automatic revolving pedestal group flashing light providing 1.300.000cd.

Then later in 1971 it was also fitted with a modern electric fog signal. Although it has lost some of its navigational significance with the introduction of modern positioning systems, it will remain a landmark for coastal residents and an attraction for tourists visiting Namibia’s coastal area.

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