The black-and-white striped lighthouse at Pelican Point is one of the most recognisable landmarks on the Walvis Bay coastline, and it’s visible on every one of our catamaran cruises out to the point.
History
The first light at Pelican Point was a small acetylene lantern mounted on a wooden pole in 1915. It was replaced in 1932 by the cast-iron tower that still stands today, originally built for a lighthouse in Durban that was never used there. Standing roughly 35 metres tall, it remains an active navigational aid for ships approaching Walvis Bay’s harbour, one of the few natural deepwater harbours on this coast.
Why black and white?
The lighthouse wasn’t always painted this way. Engineers experimented with several colour schemes before settling on bold black-and-white horizontal bands, which proved to stand out best against the fog and haze that regularly rolls in off the cold Benguela Current, a genuine visibility problem for ships approaching this stretch of coast.
Why the lighthouse isn’t at the tip of the point
Pelican Point has grown substantially since 1915: sand carried by currents, wind, and periodic floods from the Kuiseb River has extended the sandbank roughly two kilometres further out to sea. The lighthouse marks where the point used to end, not where it ends today, which is why it now sits well back from the current tip when viewed from a boat.
The lighthouse today
The lighthouse structure has since been converted for use as part of a luxury lodge at the point, though it continues to function as an active navigational light. Seeing it up close from the water remains one of the most photographed moments on our tours.
Seeing it on a tour
The lighthouse sits right beside the Pelican Point seal colony, so every boat and kayak tour that visits the seals also passes directly by it. See our Pelican Point guide for the full overview.
Frequently asked questions
Can I visit the lighthouse on land?
Access is limited since there’s no public road to Pelican Point; most visitors see it from the water on a boat or kayak tour.
Is the lighthouse still in use?
Yes, it remains an active navigational aid for vessels approaching Walvis Bay’s harbour.
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Three decades of catamaran cruises on the bay, kayaking among the seals at Pelican Point and 4x4 trips through the dunes to Sandwich Harbour, under the wide-open Namib sky, with a Walvis Bay crew who know every tide and wind on this coast.