Cape Roy Lighthouse

Cape Ray is located at the very southwestern tip of the island of Newfoundland. Cape Ray also forms the boundary of what was once the French Shore.

The name Cape Ray is derived from the Breton term "rasum" which means "to shave." It is said that ships would shave past the Cape in order to get free winds. The British-French treaty of 1904 gave the French shore lighthouses to Canada.

Cape Ray is situated at one of the most important geoloyical sites in the province. Three geological zones and their fault lines pass either under Cape Ray or close by. They are the Humber Zone, the Gander Zone and the Dunnage Zone.

On July 13, 1871 the Cape Ray lighthouse was lit for the first time. It was a white hexagonal wooden tower with a red circular metal lantern.The light was a revolving cataptric lens that contained twelve kerosene lamps with twenty-inch reflectors. It was built on the west side of the Cape, 198 meters from shore. The light was a white light and was visible for seventeen miles.

In 1885 the lighthouse was struck by lightening and burnt to the ground. Four months later another wooden lighthouse was constructed. In 1958, this one was also destroyed by fire. The present day concrete tower was built in 1959 and an electric beacon (1000W) was installed for the light. The Cape Ray lighthouse was automated in 1991.Read more