Lighthouses of Indonesia: Java and Madura

Administrator 19 Februari 2012 Uncategorized 1,239 Views

http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/idri.htm

Lighthouses of Indonesia: Java and Madura

Indonesia has been independent since 1945, after having been the Dutch East Indies for more than 350 years. It is a huge country, stretching along both sides of the Equator for more than 46 degrees of longitude (roughly 5100 km or 3200 miles). Comprised of some 17,000 islands (more than 6000 inhabited islands), it has hundreds of major aids to navigation. Unfortunately, we have no idea how many of these aids can be considered lighthouses. Information about them is scarce, and photos are even scarcer. Official light lists contain dozens of entries for “framework towers” and “white beacons,” providing little guidance for the lighthouse fan.
The island of Java (Jawa in Indonesian) is the heart of the country and home to 62% of the population. In fact, with more than 130 million residents it is the world’s most populous island.
This page is not complete. Listed here are towers at locations known to be historic Dutch light stations, plus some additional sites at which there is some evidence for a lighthouse. Added to this is an appeal for more information and photos; if you know about lighthouses in Indonesia, please share that knowledge.
The Indonesian word for a lighthouse is mercusuar or (in two words) mercu suar. The phrase menara suar, which includes the Arabic word menara, is sometimes used instead. Tanjung and ujung are words for capes, pulau is an island, selat is a strait, karang is a reef, and teluk is a harbor.
The original Dutch names of historic lighthouses, if known, are shown in curly brackets {}.
Aids to navigation in Indonesia are operated and maintained by the Indonesian Directorate of Marine Navigation (Indomarinav).
ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volumes F and K of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112.

General Sources
Historical Lighthouses: From Indomarinav, information on four surviving Dutch lighthouses.
KITLV: The English-language web site of the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies has historical photos of Dutch lighthouses in Indonesia.
Lighthouses in Indonesia: Wikimedia photos, including a collection of historic photos from the collection of the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam.
Leuchttürme Asiens, Australiens, und Ozeaniens auf historischen Postkarten: Historic postcard views posted by Klaus Huelse.

Edam (Pulau Damar) Light, Jakarta, August 2007
photo copyright Deni Adam Malik; permission requested

Banten Province (West Java) Lighthouses
Pulau Tunda (Babi Island) (2): Date unknown (station established 1890). Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); one long white flash every 6 s. 30 m (98 ft) skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available, and Google has only a distant satellite viewof the island. KITLV has a 1914 photo of the original lighthouse. This light and the Payung Besar light below guide vessels between the Sunda Strait and Jakarta. Pulau Tunda is a narrow island about 4.5 km (3 mi) long and about 25 km (15 mi) east of the Sunda Strait entrance. Located at the eastern end of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-256; Admiralty K1054; NGA 23360.
* Karang Antu: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white flash every 5 s. 12 m (39 ft) round hourglass-shaped white concrete tower. Zulkifli Faiz has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the west side of the harbor entrance at Kasemen. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty K1055; NGA 23362.
Seribu Islands Lighthouses
Note: The Seribu Islands (or Thousand Islands) are a chain of small islands extending north from near Jakarta into the Java Sea. Many of the islands are protected within a marine national park, but several have resort developments. The islands are administered as part of the Capital Territory of Jakarta.
Pulau Payung Besar (Big Umbrella Island) (2): Date unknown (station established 1890). Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 30 m (98 ft) skeletal tower, painted white. A photo is available, and Google has a good satellite view. KITLV has a 1914 photo of the original lighthouse, which was similar but not identical to the present light. Located on a small island about 32 km (20 mi) east of Pulau Tunda and 90 km (55 mi) northwest of Jakarta. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-236; Admiralty K1058; NGA 23364.
Jaga Utara (Pulau Sebira, Pulau Seribu, North Watcher) {Noord Wachter}: 1869. Active; focal plane 48.5 m (159 ft); two white flashes every 11 s. 48 m (157 ft) 16-sided cast iron skeletal tower with lantern, gallery, central cylinder, and a 1-story keeper’s house enclosed in the base. Lighthouse painted white. Tommy Bernardus has an excellent closeup photo, several distant views are available, and Michael Thirnbeck has an aerial photo, but the island is only a blur in Google’s satellite view. This is the oldest surviving Dutch lighthouse in Indonesia. Located on the northernmost island of the chain of the Seribu chain, about 65 km (40 mi) east of the Sumatran coast and 130 km (80 mi) north northwest of Jakarta. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-062; Admiralty K1042; NGA 23376.
Pulau Peniki (South Watcher) {Zuid Wachter}: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); white flash every 5 s. 35 m (115 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Several photos are available, but the island is only a blur in Google’s satellite view. This light greets vessels bound for Jakarta from Singapore. Located on a small island in the Java Sea about 90 km (55 mi) north northwest of Jakarta. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-236; Admiralty K1060.5; NGA 23372.
Jakarta Lighthouses
Pulau Damar Besar {Edam}: 1881. Active; focal plane 55 m (180 ft); four white flashes every 20 s. 50 m (164 ft) 16(?)-sided cast iron tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted white. Deni Adam Malik’s photo is at the top of this page, a portfolio of photos and another photo are available, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Staffed by a crew of five. This lighthouse is located on Pulau Damar Besar in the center of the entrance to the bay of Jakarta. Accessible only by boat, but apparently boats can be chartered in Jakarta. ARLHS IDO-061; Admiralty K1062; NGA 23404.
West Java Province North Coast Lighthouses Pulau Biawak (Pulau Rakit) {Boompjes Eiland}: 1911 (station established 1872). Active; focal plane 54 m (177 ft); white flash every 15 s. 50 m (164 ft) 16-sided cast iron skeletal tower with lantern, gallery, and central cylinder. Although listed by NGA as black and white, the lighthouse is now painted all white. An excellent photo, another photo , and a view from the sea are available, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located on a small island about 65 km (40 mi) northeast of Kandanghaur in the Java Sea. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-074; Admiralty K1084; NGA 23460.
* Cirebon (2): Date unknown (station established 1867). Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 30 m (98 ft) round skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Nancy Kie Sheng has a goodphoto, and Google has a satellite view. KITLV has a 1902 photo of the original lighthouse. Located on the mole on the east side of inner harbor at Cirebon. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IDO-123; Admiralty K1092; NGA 23476.
Central Java Province North Coast Lighthouses Ujung Brebes: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); white flash every 4 s. 20 m (66 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Ujung Brebes is a “cape” formed by sedimentation along the mouth of a river; continued sedimentation has pushed the point of land 1.2 km (3/4 mi) north of the lighthouse. Located 12 km (7.5 mi) north northwest of Bredes. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-348; Admiralty K1101; NGA 23502.
East Java Province: Madura Lighthouses
Note: Madura is a large island off the northeastern coast of Java. The island is roughly 130 km (80 mi) long east to west and up to 35 km (22 mi) wide. It is separated from Java by the Madura Strait. At its western end, the strait is quite narrow and is crossed by the 5.4 km (3.4 mi) long Suramadu Bridge. On the south side of Madura, however, the strait is a broad sound up to 80 km (50 mi) wide. Madura has a population of roughly 4 million.

* Camplong: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); four white flashes every 20 s. 19 m (62 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, covered by white metal panels. A distant view is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located near an oil terminal at Camplong, on the central south coast of Madura. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IDO-089; Admiralty K1225; NGA 23714.
Karang Koko (Madura Strait, Zwaantjes Reef) {Zwaantjes Droogte} (2): Date unknown (station established 1871). Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); three white flashes every 13 s. 16 m (52 ft) iron tower, mounted on a round pier. Lighthouse painted white. No photo available. Michel Forand has a historic photo of the original Dutch lighthouse. Located on a dangerous reef in the Madura Strait about 25 km (15 mi) northeast of Pasuruan. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IDO-145; Admiralty K1200; NGA 23676.
East Java Province: Mainland North Coast Lighthouses
* Probolinggo West Mole (Tanjung Tembaga): Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); green flash every 5 s. 14 m (46 ft) round hourglass-shaped tower, painted green. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the west mole at Probolinggo, on the southwest side of Madura Strait. Accessible by walking then mole. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IDO-188; Admiralty K1212; NGA 23692.

* Panarukan: Date unknown (station established 1880). Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); white flash every 3 s. 14 m (46 ft) skeletal tower, painted with black and white horizontal bands. No photo available, and the tower has not been located in Google’s satellite view of the port. KITLV has a 1930 photo of the original lighthouse, which may possibly survive. Located in Panarukan, a fishing port about 10 km (6 mi) west of Situbondo. Site status unknown, probably open. ARLHS IDO-184; Admiralty K1220; NGA 23708.
* Jangkar: Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 21 m (69 ft); light characteristic unknown. Approx. 18 m (59 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the waterfront at Jangkar, a town about 25 km (15 mi) east of Situbondo. Site open, tower closed.
East Java Province: Bali Strait Lighthouses
Note: The Bali Strait separates Java from the smaller island of Bali to the east, connecting the Indian Ocean to the Bali Sea. The strait narrows northward to a width of only 2.4 km (1.5 mi) at its northern end.
Tanjung Candiban: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 60 m (197 ft); white flash every 3 s. This lighthouse is described by NGA only as a “white beacon.” No photo available, but a Google satellite view reveals what is probably a square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery roughly 30 m (98 ft) in height. Located at the northeastern tip of Java, overlooking the Bali Sea. Accessible by road. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-096; Admiralty K1224; NGA 23773.
Jogjakarta Province Lighthouse * Pantai Dan (Pandansari, Kali Opak): Date unknown (apparently since 1998). Active; focal plane 44 m (144 ft); white flash every 4 s. Approx. 38 m (125 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery. The tower appears to be unpainted white concrete. Six keeper’s houses and other buildings. Sudut Piksel Gue has a 2008 closeup photo, Satrio Tan has a 2008 photo, additional photos are available, a Jogjakarta tourist site has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the south coast of Java about 30 km (19 mi) south of Jogjakarta. Site status unknown. Admiralty K1264.5; NGA 23821.9.
Central Java Province South Coast Lighthouses * Klirong: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 42 m (138 ft); white flash every 5 s. Approx. 35 m (115 ft) square tapered pyramidal steel skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A photo is available, but Google has a satellite view. The tower is very similar to the Bedadung Light shown above. This lighthouse is in a well-populated area, but it is not on any route likely to be taken by tourists. Located near the coast about 20 km (13 mi) south of Kebumen. Site probably open, tower closed. Admiralty K1276.2; NGA 23822.4.
Teluk Penyu Entrance Range Front: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 17 m (56 ft) square tower, mounted on a square pier supported by piles. Presumably very similar to the rear range light (Next entry). No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located in the water about 500 m (0.3 mi) east of the rear light. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IDO-085; Admiralty K1270.1; NGA 23828.
* Teluk Penyu Entrance Range Rear: 2007(?). Active; focal plane 23 m (79 ft); white light, 1 s on, 1 s off. 22 m (72 ft) square skeletal tower, covered with white metal panels. A photo and a second photo are available, and Google has a good satellite view. In Erwin Hanafi’s 2009 photo, the upper panels are missing and the red skeletal structure of the tower is visible; however, this photo may show a different lighthouse. Located on the beach at the Teluk Penyu (Penyu Bay oil terminal near Cilacap. Site apparently open, tower closed. Admiralty K1270.11; NGA 23832.
Teluk Penyu Second Range Front: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 17 m (56 ft) square tower, mounted on a square pier supported by piles. Presumably very similar to the rear range light (Next entry). Soga Soegiarto has a photo, Ahmad Fuad Hasan has a view from the beach, and Google has a satellite view. Located in the water about 2 km (1.2 mi) southeast of the Entrance Range Front Light. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty K1272; NGA 23836.
* Teluk Penyu Second Range Rear: 2007(?). Active; focal plane 23 m (79 ft); white light, 1 s on, 1 s off. 22 m (72 ft) square skeletal tower, covered with white metal panels. No closeup photo available; a distant view shows both range lights, and Google has a good satellite view. Located on the beach at the Teluk Penyu (Penyu Bay oil terminal near Cilacap. Site apparently open, tower closed. Admiralty K1272.1; NGA 23840.
* Cimiring (Cilacap, Tjilatjap, Noesa Kambangan): 1870. Active; focal plane 178 m (584 ft); white flash every 5.5 s. 32 m (105 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. KITLV has a historic photo, the Tropenmuseum has the same photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. No current photo available, but Sadie Paulus has a photo of the view from the lighthouse. Located at the east end of the island of Kambangan, marking the entrance to the port of Cilacap on Java’s south coast. Site apparently open, tower closed. ARLHS IDO-060; Admiralty K1268; NGA 23824.
West Java Province South Coast Lighthouse Pulau Manuk (Manuk Island): Date unknown. Active; focal plane 50 m (164 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 30 m (98 ft) “beacon tower,” painted white. No photo available, and Google has only a fuzzy satellite view of the area. Not to be confused with a much better known Pulau Manuk, a wildlife reserve farther west, near the Sunda Strait. Located on an island just off the coast about 20 km (13 mi) southwest of Cijulang. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty K1277.5; NGA 23870.5.