Lighthouse Description and History

(Text extracted from nomination form submitted by Chilean Navy in 2024)

The Cabo Raper Lighthouse was inaugurated on November 1, 1914, it is located on the most extreme rocky outcrop of the Taitao peninsula in the Aysén region, in the South of Chile and corresponds to the westernmost point of the country.

This important sign to aid navigation marks the beginning of the crossing from the north, through a pass called “Golfo de Penas“ (Gulf of Penury) and is constituted as a border or natural barrier that is difficult to access for entering the patagonians channels of southern Chile. Furthermore, it corresponds to a very isolated and complex sector to reach, which requires permanent operation by specialized personnel.

The Lighthouse tower is made of concrete, has a height of 14 meters and is located 61 meters above sea level. On one side, the lighthouse has a house, where the 4 or 5 specialists of the Chilean Navy live, in charge of the operation, custody and maintenance of the station, who carry out isolation periods of up to eight months.

The adverse geographical and climatological characteristics of the sector meant that the construction of the lighthouse took 14 years to complete.
The Lighthouse also provides, among other services, like a radio attention to sailors, permanent listening on the rescue channels, radio medical attention link, meteorological observation, maritime traffic control and is established as a Fixed Alert Center in the event of a maritime accident in the sector, according to the national maritime search and rescue plan.

History

After the discovery of America, an important milestone was the Discovery of the Strait of Magellan (1520) and Cape Horn (1616). In the mid-19th century, these passes became increasingly important as a navigation route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, mainly for ships coming from Europe, which would mark the beginning of increasingly fluid traffic and also the founding of cities on the shore of the Pacific.

As the years passed and after signing the boundary treaty with Argentina (1881), Chile remained in control of the Strait of Magellan, assuming since then the obligation to maintain it and provide the necessary security for the passage of vessels. On the other hand, some of the Chilean ports, such as Valparaíso and Valdivia, became mandatory stops for ships coming from Europe to rest and supply basic services.

However, the growing ship traffic on the routes that connect the Magellan Strait and these first port cities witnessed innumerable accidents due to the harsh geographical and climatological conditions, typical of southern Chile.

The signaling needs required the planning of an appropriate lighthouse system, the execution of which was entrusted, starting in 1892, to the Scottish engineer George Slight Marshall of Trinity House, who at the end of the century had to design and implement a network of lighthouses in the places of greatest danger for navigation.

One of these important landmarks was the Cape Raper Lighthouse, which was inaugurated in 1914 and was implemented in the sector called “Golfo de Penas” (Gulf of Penury) that covers a large area of sea (50 NM) and is located practically at the beginning of the dismembered coast that makes up the Patagonian channels of southern Chile, composed of an approximate number of 3,700 islands.

The first indications of the use of the name of the pass “Golfo de Penas” (Gulf of Penury) dates back to the year 1557, just 55 years after the discovery of America and it is estimated that its name is due to the complications of its crossing, which remain to this day, particularly, the continuous and violent storms, the winds that raise a constant heavy sea, the low visibilities and the existence of a strong and unusual current coming from the ocean. All this means that until now, the passage of the “Golfo de Penas” represents an important challenge for any navigator.

Reason For Nomination

(Text extracted from nomination form submitted by Chilean Navy in 2024)

Intrinsic Heritage Interest of the Lighthouse

Historical Importance

To explain the historical importance that the Cabo Raper Lighthouse has for the country, we must explain the context of the period during which Chile was founded in 1810, just two centuries ago. Precisely shortly after the process during which this country left its status as a province of the Spanish Empire to establish itself as an independent republic, which was not exempt from armed confrontations between both countries and bloody civil wars during the beginning of the organization as a country.

Since the discovery of the Pacific Ocean (1514), a search was made for a way to unite the Atlantic with the Pacific and it was not until the year 1520 when the search gave results, with the Strait of Magellan being discovered (1520) and later the dangerous Cape Horn (1616).

With these discoveries, increasingly fluid ship traffic was achieved from Europe to the Pacific and vice versa, whose almost obligatory point of departure and arrival were the Chilean ports of Valparaíso and Valdivia located in the central area of the country, thus managing to begin energize commercial and economic exchange, decisively influencing global trade patterns, promoting the economic and social growth of developing countries in the region, in addition to providing the basic drive for the economic expansion of many remote areas around the world.

Although the takeover and the beginning of the population of Valparaíso, Chile’s main port, dates back to the middle of 1536, It was not until 1837, after Chile became independent from Spain, that the urgent need to install navigation aid signals that would serve as help and guide to ships when calling at the port and also during their journey became evident, due to the already consolidated importance of some ports in Chile and the American region in the Pacific area.

The last decades of the 19th century were a golden age for navigation through the Magellan Strait. In 1867, the transportation service between Liverpool-Valparaíso was established on a regular basis, with a stopover inPunta Arenas, offered by the shipping company PSNC “The Pacific Steam Navigation Company”. The ships ofthe German steamship company “Kosmos” and other prestigious companies also crossed the waters of thestrait. However, the dark bends and waters of the Strait of Magellan were not always safe, as more than 30 accidents occurred between the years 1869 and 1894.

As the years passed and after signing the boundary treaty with Argentina (1881), Chile remained in control of the Magellan Strait, assuming since then the obligation to maintain it and provide the necessary security for the passage of vessels. On the other hand, the increase in ship traffic caused the proliferation of Chilean ports that became mandatory stops for ships coming from Europe to rest and supply basic services. Concerned, the authorities warned that it was essential to establish a lighthouse system.

The task of choosing a suitable professional for the great task of illuminating the Magellanic and southern coasts of Chile was entrusted to the Chilean ambassador in London, Mr. Agustín Ross. His choice was Mr. George Henry Slight Marshall, a Scottish lighthouse engineer from Trinity House, descendant of a family always linked to the construction of lighthouses, grandson of Robert Stevenson, builder who led the work of the famous Bell Rock lighthouse in 1810. Starting from 1892, Mr. Slight was entrusted with the planning and implementation of an appropriate lighthouse system in the places of greatest danger to navigation in the Magellan Strait and southern Chile.

Thus, after securing the Strait of Magellan with a network of important lighthouses, which remain to this day, and some of which currently have the status of national monument, George Slight’s culminating work was the implementation of a lighthouse. In an important sector that would mark the natural border of the beginning of the Patagonian channels of southern Chile.

The construction project of the Cabo Raper Lighthouse began in 1900, however, geographical and climatological difficulties made more exhaustive planning necessary and in 1908 the observations of the initial planning were improved and in 1909 the recruitment of personnel began to begin the great work that culminated with the construction of the Cabo Raper Lighthouse, which was inaugurated in 1914.

Finally, the light of the Cabo Raper Lighthouse, which was lit for the first time on November 1, 1914, also came to take possession of a territorial occupation of greater magnitude with which Chile had approached Western Patagonia at that time, where, through a shipping infrastructure of geometric precision, a constellation of maritime signaling is drawn in which today, more than a century after its implementation, they appear as a heritage memory as marks and signs in the landscape, and as a reminder about an elusive and desolate territory in the insular magnitude of Southern Chile.

Geographic Importance

The lighthouse marks the beginning of the crossing from the north, of the pass called “Golfo de Penas” (Gulf of Penury) and is constituted as a border or natural barrier of difficult access to enter the Patagonian channels of southern Chile and also corresponds, to a very isolated and complex sector to reach, which requires permanent operation by specialized personnel.

The “Gulf of Penas” covers a large area of sea (50 NM) and is located practically at the beginning of the dismembered coast that makes up the Patagonian channels of southern Chile, made up of an approximate number of 3,700 islands, which at the date of construction they were not yet navigable.

The first indications of the use of the name of the pass “Gulf of Penas” dates back to the year 1557, just 55 years after the discovery of America and it is estimated that its name is due to the complications of its crossing, which remain to this day, particularly the continuous and violent storms, the winds of up to 185 km/h (185 mph), which cause constant high seas, the low visibility, the existence of a strong and unusual current coming from the ocean and a rain that only stops for a few days in the year. All this means that until now, the passage of the “Gulf of Penas” represents an important challenge for any navigator.

By observing its location, one can measure the important contribution to the knowledge raised regarding the coast of western Patagonia at a time when the southern territory was largely unknown and shipping cartographies were still incomplete. This is the importance of the study from the geographical point and the peninsular location of the lighthouse carried out by the Scottish engineer Mr. George Slight.

Construction Difficulty

The construction project of the Cabo Raper Lighthouse began in 1900 and ended 14 years later (1914), due to the conditions of the territory in terms of climatic and topographic hostility that meant that the task of raising the signal had to be postponed for a few years to carry out more detailed planning and obtain personnel with appropriate physical conditions, as well as materials and supplies, for the difficult task that would be carried out.

The difficulty of accessing the site on a rocky promontory meant that all the work of unloading materials and supplying supplies was carried out in an anchorage located in an inland bay that was 8 km from the installation point, so to access the place meant a few hours of walking through forests and rocky paths.

Aside from the difficulty to reach the base where the lighthouse should be built, 8 km away from the sector where the ships could leave passengers and their cargo. They had to discover the most appropriate route to link the landing site with the Pacific coast with challenging and considerable engineering works to open a path between forests, rivers and rocks in the hills of the place.

It was decided to build a railway line that, through a small train, would connect the base with the surface of the hill where the lighthouse would be located and that would allow the transfer of supplies and provisions for the workers and materials for theconcretearmed with which the pillars that would support the bridges where the line was laid, passing over very rugged terrain on the seashore and along rocky paths that would allow the ascent to the plain of the hill where the lighthouse would be located, were built. This railway line was the only historical case in which the laying and operation of a light railway was an obligatory condition to execute an important work.

The construction of the railway involved the acquisition of a tiny freight railway made up of four four-wheeled
cars and a locomotive with a wood-fuel boiler.

By March 23, 1912, 3.5 km of railway line had been laid, running over bridges whose height varied between 3 and 18 meters. As is logical to think, the locomotive began to work as the length of the track increased, which greatly reduced the work of transferring materials for the reinforced concrete of which the pillars that support the bridges where the line was laid are built, the only way to pass over the extremely rugged and rocky terrain, along the seashore to the foot of the hill where the lighthouse would be located.

Finally, the construction of the railway was completed in 1913 with an extension of 7.5 km, and later it was used to transport food, fuel and cargo in general for the people of the lighthouse.

However, over the years it became impossible to keep the line in good condition, due to the inclement weather typical of the area, which to this day causes constant rolling of dirt, which slowly destroyed the railway line until it was completely disabled.

Architectural Development

The decision to build an important lighthouse in this inhospitable place meant that the construction had to be able to withstand the terrible inclement weather, so selecting the design of the tower and the attached house that would be installed was not an easy task, this should be a mix of majesty and history.

Its solid construction has architectural characteristics that make it a very unique construction worthy of a lighthouse monument, and care has been taken that despite the modernity, the tower and the house retain the original characteristics according to the old style of the tower.

Navigation Aid Station

Over time, the location of the lighthouse has allowed it to become part of a radiotelephone link network for maritime services and emergencies. Likewise, due to its isolated condition, it is presented as a meteorological observation station belonging to the network of stations of the World Meteorological Organization, which provides data from an extensive unpopulated area, but which is an obligatory passage for significant ship traffic. It should be noted that the station currently meets the requirements to be considered as a OMM centennial meteorological station.

Likewise, for decades, the lighthouse has also provided, among other services, radio attention to sailors, permanent listening in the rescue channels, radio medical care link, present weather meteorological observation, maritime traffic control and is established as Fixed Alert Center in case of any maritime accident in the sector, according to the national maritime search and rescue plan.

Conservation

The current structure of the lighthouse is located 61 meters above sea level and maintains its original condition from 1914. It consists of a 3 m cylinder in diameter and a height of 14 meters, internally it has a cast iron snail type scale. The lantern or cabin is made of steel and equipped with curved glass that allows the light beam to exit towards the horizon. The cabin is equipped with two modern rotating lights with LED technology (main and backup), which are designed to achieve a range greater than 18 NM.

On one side of the tower, the lighthouse has a room house, which is occupied by 4 or 5 specialists from the Chilean Navy, who carry out isolation periods of up to eight months and are in charge of the operation and custody of the lighthouse station, as well as the structural maintenance of the house and tower, the technical equipment, energy sources and the access road to the lighthouse. The tower and the house correspond to the same constructions originally implemented in 1914.

In the same way that the construction of the lighthouse was a complex task, its maintenance and operation is not a simple task; it is currently maintained at a high standard of conservation due to the care provided by the lighthouse specialist who inhabits the station, in addition to the periodic maintenance scheduled annually by the Maritime Signaling Service (National Lighthouse Authority) of the Chilean Navy, to the navigation aid equipment, machinery and facilities of the property.

Public Access and Education

National Park

Sail through insular Chile, in the extreme South of the American continent and contemplate the beautiful landscapes, which show impressive flora and reliefs, as well as a unique fauna, which constitute a visual spectacle that captivates anyone, these special conditions of the area have generated particular sea and land ecosystems, where various species that depend on the sea multiply.

Despite the remoteness and complexity of the sector, the southern area of Chile is one of the most impressive natural landscapes that humans can visit. Over time, this has caused a growing interest in visiting the area, which is why maritime tourist routes They have been in charge of promoting the sector on their own.

On June 17, 1959, the government of Chile officially created the “Laguna San Rafael” National Park, which corresponds to one of the regions established for the protection and conservation of natural scenic beauties and flora and fauna of national importance, which the public can better enjoy by being placed under oficial surveillance.

The park has an area of 1,742,000 hectares and includes the entirety of the Northern Ice Fields that give rise to countless rivers and lagoons and is home to the highest peak of the southern Andes, Mount San Valentín (4,058 meters above sea level).

The Taitao Peninsula, where the Cabo Raper lighthouse is located, is part of the Laguna San Rafael National Park, however, due to its large area and difficult access, the public cannot access the Lighthouse. However, the lighthouse staff is also custodian of its operating area, ensuring that incidents do not occur that affect the amazing biodiversity of the place.

Although it is true that the ancient snowdrift and the San Rafael lagoon are its greatest attraction, this park is home to a rich range of birds, both marine and terrestrial, among which the black-browed albatross, hualaduck, black-necked swan, and cormorant, among many others. You can also see dolphins, seals, chungungos and elephant seals and among the mammals you can find the huemul, guiña, chungungo, otter, puma and pudu. Likewise, in the Laguna San Rafael National Park you can do sailing, fishing, excursions, flora and fauna observation, photography and mountaineering.

Cetacean Protection

Chile is home to 43 species of cetaceans, about 40% of all the species in the world, and many of them are threatened with extinction.

Apart from the constant threat of extinction, the importance of whales lies in the fact that they contribute significantly to stabilizing food webs and increasing the primary production of ecosystems, which is reflected, for example, in an increase in fish stocks. On the other hand, on average, each blue whale sequesters 33 tons of carbon during its lifetime and when it dies, the carbon sinks with it and is retained in the depths of the ocean for hundreds of years.

Thus, the International Monetary Fund has quantified at US$4 million, the ecosystem services of whales, among others, for their CO2 sequestration.

The care of whales is therefore a major responsibility, which is why the Chilean government has declared the areas of national sovereignty and jurisdiction as a cetacean hunting free zone, in order to promote the protection and conservation of their populations, the related biodiversity and the ecosystems on which they depend. As such, it is necessary to protect the key spaces for the development of their life cycles, implementing additional protection measures in the places of breeding, mating, parental care, feeding and migratory routes.

The network of inhabited lighthouses in Chile is part of the National Agency for the Protection of the Maritime Environment, which is in charge of adopting in a coordinated manner the necessary measures for the protection of cetaceans and other species, so that one of its important tasks is to ensure the free movement of whales, whatever their type, as well as the surveillance of their environment. Thus, at the national level, protected coastal marine areas, national parks and reserves have been created.

According to the above, as part of the National Maritime Authority, also belonging to the region of the protected national park “Laguna San Rafael” and corresponding to an area of regular movement and transit of whales, the Cabo Raper Lighthouse, has among its tasks to collect, verify, report and share in a systematic and timely manner the data on the movements of whales, warning the national fisheries authority regarding the sighting of cetaceans and issuing safety messages for vessels to transit with caution within the area of interest.

Likewise, the lighthouse is also responsible for overseeing effective compliance with conservation measures and administration of the maritime space, so as to ensure the cleanliness of the environment and that maritime activities around cetacean protection areas are carried out in a responsible, regulated and sustainable manner, in order to avoid collisions, damage or accidental extraction of cetaceans, or to manage the necessary support for the rescue of individuals of a species threatened with imminent death or physical harm.

Photos and Diagrams