Dolphin Lighthouse, Maritime navigation point in Mumbai Harbor, India
Dolphin Lighthouse is a plain cylindrical stone tower about 18 m (59 ft) tall, rising from Dolphin Rock in Mumbai Harbour near the Gateway of India. Its unpainted stone shaft is capped by a balcony and a lantern chamber painted white. It is one of three lighthouses in the harbour and is controlled by the Indian Navy.
Dolphin Lighthouse was first lit in 1856 to mark the Dolphin Rock shoal and guide ships approaching Mumbai port. It formed part of a chain of harbour lights developed by the British, originally showing a white-green occulting light with a 4-second cycle visible about 7 nautical miles. It has always been automated, with no resident keepers, and is now reported unlit and no longer an active aid to navigation.
The lighthouse participates in the annual Navy Day celebrations during December, when its illumination creates patterns across the Mumbai Harbor.
The lighthouse is visible from the waterfront promenade and can be approached by boat for a closer view. Best viewing times are early morning or at sunset when light highlights the structure clearly.
The tower is unpainted stone with a white-painted lantern room, and its focal plane sits about 11 m above sea level. The red sector covered bearings 147–236° and 270–360°, the white sector 236–270°. The light is reported unlit today, so the structure no longer guides ships into the harbour.
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