Dassen Island Lighthouse, Lighthouse on Dassen Island, Western Cape, South Africa

Dassen Island Lighthouse is a 28 m circular cast-iron tower painted in white and red bands, standing on a brick base at the southern point of Dassen Island, 11 km west of Yzerfontein and 55 km north-west of Cape Town. A low flat-roofed building stands beside it on the same rise. The tower is topped by a domed lantern room with a small pinnacle.

Installed on 15 April 1893 on the southern point of Dassen Island, the cast-iron tower was raised to warn ships of the reefs and kelp beds around an island often wrapped in dense fog from the cold Atlantic. So many vessels had wrecked nearby that tortoises and rabbits were released on the island to feed shipwreck survivors. It remains one of the most important lights on the Cape sea route.

The island's name comes from the dassies (rock hyraxes) left there by early sailors. So many ships were wrecked nearby that tortoises and rabbits were released on the island to feed castaways. The lighthouse keeper and family live on the island and are reached by helicopter every six weeks.

Dassen Island is closed to the general public; entry is only possible with a special permit. The island lies 11 km west of Yzerfontein and 55 km north-west of Cape Town, and the lighthouse is staffed at all times. The keeper and family living on the island are reached by helicopter every six weeks and brought back to the mainland for a short visit.

The island's name comes from the dassies (rock hyraxes) left there by early sailors; shipwrecked crews once relied on introduced tortoises and rabbits for food. The lighthouse keeper and family are supplied and rotated by helicopter every six weeks.