Alligator Reef Light

Alligator Reef Light

Alligator Reef lighthouse, date unknown
Location	3.5 nautical miles; 6.4 kilometres (4 mi) east of Indian Key, near the Matecumbe Keys
Coordinates
Year first lit	1873
Automated	1963
Foundation	iron piles
Construction	iron skeleton framework enclosing stair cylinder and square dwelling;
Tower shape	White octagonal pyramid on black skeleton tower.
Height	136 feet (41 m) above water
Original lens	first order bivalve Fresnel lens
Range	White 16 nautical miles (30 km; 18 mi), Red 13 nautical miles (24 km; 15 mi)
Characteristic	Flashing (4) White 60s (2Red sectors) 0.2s fl 9.8s ec. 0.2s fl 9.8s ec. 0.2s fl 9.8s ec. 0.2s fl 29.8s ec. Red from 23° to 249° and 047° to 068°.
Racon	"G" (Golf)
Admiralty number	J2988
ARLHS number	USA-006
USCG number	3-0980
Alligator Reef Light
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
NRHP Reference #	11000860
Added to NRHP	December 1, 2011

Alligator Reef Light is located 4 nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) east of Indian Key, near the Matecumbe Keys of Florida in the United States, north of Alligator Reef itself. The station was established in 1873. It was automated in 1963 and was last operational in July, 2014, and is being replaced by a 16' steel structure with a less powerful light located adjacent to it. The structure is an iron-pile skeleton with a platform. The light is 136 feet (41 m) above the water. It is a white octagonal pyramid skeleton framework on black pile foundation, enclosing a square dwelling and a stair-cylinder. The lantern is black. The original lens was a first order bivalve Fresnel lens. The light characteristic of the original light was: flashing white and red, every third flash red, from SW by W 1/2 W through southward to NE 1/8 E, and from NE by E 3/4 E through northward to SW 3/8 S; flashing red throughout the intervening sectors; interval between flashes 5 seconds. It has a nominal range of 14 nautical miles (26 km; 16 mi) in the white sectors and 11 nautical miles (20 km; 13 mi) in the red sectors. The new light will have a range of approximately 7 nautical miles (13 km; 8.1 mi).

It is listed as number 980 in the USCG light lists.

Historical information

View of sealife beneath Alligator Reef Light. 2006

The name honors the U.S. Navy schooner Alligator, part of the U. S. Navy Anti-Piracy Squadron that had recently been established in Key West, which went aground at this location in 1822. The Alligator was blown up after removing as much as possible from it to prevent it from being used by pirates. Countless vessels have also sunk here on the reef's jagged coral. This lighthouse cost $185,000 to build at that time. To support the tower, a 2,000 lb (900 kg) hammer was used to drive the 12" (300 mm) iron pilings ten feet (3 m) into the coral.

References

• Dean, Love 1982, Reef Lights: Sea swept Lighthouses of the Florida Keys, The Historic Key West Preservation Board, Key West, Florida. ISBN 0-943528-03-8

External links

• Florida Keys Reef Lights Foundation - FKRLF