Download Why Lighthouses?

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Lighthouses are used to mark dangerous coastlines, From the 1700s to the 1800s lighthouses changed
dramatically, new sources of fuel such as mineral
hazardous reefs, and safe entries to harbors and
oils, whale oil and later on kerosene meant that the
they have a long history behind them.
lights became brighter and far more efficient to
run. In the 1800s, Augustin Jean Fresnel invented
About 3000 years ago before we even had real
ports where ships could safely dock, mariners were the Fresnel Lens which acted like a giant
magnifying glass and was capable of sending a very
guided by large fires built on hilltops. They soon
realised that raising the fire would mean the light small light a long way out to sea.
could be seen further out to sea and so they built
large platforms to lift the fire up off the ground. Because lighthouses were often in very remote
locations they usually had a lighthouse keeper who
The first real lighthouse was a giant platform with lived near them to make sure they worked through
the night. With the beginning of electricity many
a massive fire lit in it every night. It was called
‘Pharos’ and was built in ancient Egypt about 2300 lighthouses became automated and the lighthouse
keepers were no longer needed.
years ago. It is believed to have lasted over 1400
hundred years until it was destroyed by large
It is only in recent times that lighthouses have
earthquakes in the year 956.
begun to decline mainly due to the expense of
maintenance and replacement by modern electronic
In the following 1000 years, trade over the sea
navigational aids such
continued to grow and grow, people transported
as GPS and satellite
incense, spices, silk, herbs and even other people,
tracking systems. It
all over the world to be sold at markets. The
is the end of a very
oceans and rivers of the world were like the
long relationship
modern highways of today and lighthouses were
between man and
the warning signs, the traffic lights and maps all
lighthouses.
rolled into one.
True or False
After reading the above text, circle the sentences you believe
are true!
The oceans and rivers used to
be like highways.
Electricity meant that
lighthouse keepers were not
needed anymore.
A long time ago, mariners were
guided by large fires lit on top of
hills.
The Fresnel Lens was
invented in the 1800s.
Pharos Lighthouse, Egypt
The first lighthouse was called
Egypt and built about 2300
years ago.
Lighthouses were very important to mariners
in the old days but are not so important now.
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On the map to the right, the
Supply Ship needs to make its way
to the Lighthouse Supply Shed.
1. Label the compass, legend and
scale.
2. Follow the grid lines marked and
draw the shortest route the
ship can take to the Lighthouse
Supply Shed in the bay.
3. Write out the route in the ships’
log book below.
4. Make notes on any dangers or
points of interest you notice on
your route.
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SMS
Believe it or not
mobile phones didn't always exist...and all those years ago when
the ships’ captain wanted to talk to the lighthouse keeper they had to use Semaphore flags and a
good set of binoculars. Below on the left is a message written in Semaphore flags. Use the key on
the right to decode the message and write it on the notepad. The first word has been done for
you!
Semaphore Flag Key
Morse Code
Lighthouse keepers used to communicate with ships by
flashing a light and using Morse Code. Below is a message
recorded by the lighthouse keeper from a ship which is
sinking. Can you decipher what it says?
All In a Day
Below is a list of duties lighthouse
keepers used to perform to maintain the
lighthouse .
Can you unscramble these sentences and
match them to the pictures? The first
one is done for you.
Colour in the pictures
when you’re done!
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In whale season, from September
to November, the waters around Cape Naturaliste can be very busy. One job we do at the
lighthouse is to monitor whale numbers and make a note of their behaviors.
1. Read the descriptions of some
common whale behaviours below.
2. Match them with
the correct picture.
Whale Behaviours
TAIL SLAP - This occurs while most of the animal is
underwater with their tail in the air slapping the
water. This can be an aggressive action towards
another whale or a vessel that may be too close.
BREACH - The whale propels most of its body out of
the water, then turns to crash back to the surface.
ROUND OUT - After inhaling air through its
blowhole, the humpback begins to dive by arching its
body and rolling ahead. The name ‘humpback’ comes
from the regular action, which is called a round out.
PEC SLAP - Humpback whales frequently roll at the
surface, slapping their pectoral fins against the water
3. Now look at the picture
above and make a tally of the
whales and their behaviour.
Flora Hunter
These flora are common to the area around
Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse. See if you can
find each one on the trails around the
Lighthouse. Tick them off as you find them.
(1)
Pigface (1)
Plant: Grows in patches, close to the
ground and often has long stems.
Leaves: Thick, green triangular leaves
with pointed ends often with red
colouring. Leaves act as water storage
organs enabling the plant to survive hot
dry summers on coastal cliffs and sand.
Flowers: Bright purple with red fruit.
from Sept-Jan.
Peppermint Tree (2)
Plant: Grows as a short shrub right on
the coast or up to a 10m tree in
protected areas. Branches often twist
and turn with rough grey bark.
Leaves: Leaves are dark green (on both
sides), 10-12cm long and 6-10mm wide.
Have a kind of peppermint smell when
crushed .
Flowers: Clumps of small white flowers
on the branches from Oct-Dec.
Native Rosemary (3)
Plant: Rounded shrubs grows to about
2m high along the coast.
Leaves: Often grey green short leaves
similar to Rosemary and has a very
strong herblike smell when crushed.
Flowers: Small yellow/brown flower
heads from April-June.
(2)
(3)
Flora Hunter
These flora are common to the area around Cape Naturaliste
Lighthouse. See if you can find each one on the trails around
the Lighthouse. Tick them off as you find them.
(4)
Red Eyed Wattle (4)
Plant: Common coastal plant which grows
as a dense, dome shaped shrub up to 6m
tall. Recognised by its old, twisted seedpods which sometimes have black and red
seeds that look like an eye.
Leaves: Grow from 4 to 8cm long, and 6
to 12 mm wide.
Flowers: Usually very few flower heads
which are bright yellow, small round
clusters .
Parrot Bush (5)
Plant: Very common along the limestone
coast as a shrub or small tree up to 6m.
Leaves: Very prickly dark green
leaves .with teeth along the entire margin.
They range from 2 to 6 cm in length, and
0.8–4 cm in width.
Flowers: Cream
coloured
domed
flowerheads about 4 to 5cm wide on the
end of the stem. Flowers usually from
July to November though sometimes
earlier.
Rottnest Teatree (6)
Plant: Very typical shrub along the
coastal limestone, grows up to 8m tall
though often smaller in windy areas.
Leaves: Numerous, narrow leaves, 515mm long and 1-3mm wide which are
arranged alternately on the stem .
Flowers: Cream or pale yellow flowers
around late summer with small nuts
grouped into clusters
(5)
(6)
Tour Notes
When was CNLH built?
How high is the lighthouse from ground level to the light?
How high is the hill above sea level?
How many shipwrecks occurred around Geographe Bay before the Lighthouse was
built?
How many months did it take to build the LH?
From which bay was the limestone rock quarried?
What town in England did the lens come from?
How long were the LH keepers’ work shifts each day?
Where were the LH keepers’ children schooled?
Tour Notes
In the early 1900s, what was the name of the nearest town to Cape Naturaliste
Lighthouse?
What were the two main tasks Lighthouse keepers had to do on their night
shift?
List three tasks LH keepers had to do during their day shift.
Why did the LH keeper have to cover the lens with a big curtain during the day?
How many tonnes does the lens weigh?
How could the ships at sea tell which lighthouse was which?
Mercury is a planet and it’s also a liquid metal, how was it used in the
lighthouse?
What was the main problem for lighthouse keepers when using Mercury?
Lighthouse
Colour-in
Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse
New Zealand Fur Seal