Lighthouses of Indonesia: West Papua

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

Lighthouses of Indonesia: West Papua

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. This page includes the lighthouses of Indonesian Papua (western New Guinea). The Dutch extended their claim to western New Guinea, the world’s second-largest island, in 1828, but they established no major settlements until nearly 1900. The principal towns today are Jayapura (formerly Hollandia) and Manokwari in the north, Sorong at the west end of the island, and Merauke in the south. Most of the Indonesian half of the island is included in Papua Province. West Papua Province includes the oddly-shaped Doberai or Bird’s Head (Vogelkop) Peninsula at the northwestern corner of New Guinea. The Indonesian word for a lighthouse is mercusuar. The phrase menara suar, which includes the Arabic word menara, is sometimes used instead. Tanjung andujung are words for capes, pulau is an island, selat is a strait, karang is a reef, and teluk is a gulf, bay, or harbor. 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 KITLV Beeldbank Historic photos from the collection of the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies.

Oinake Light, Papua, November 2007 photo copyright Billy Sumuan; used by permission

Merauke Area Lighthouses
Note: A town founded by the Dutch in 1902, Merauke has a population of about 70,000 and is the principal settlement on Papua’s south coast.

* Tanjung Mimiabe (Merauke) (2) Date unknown (station established 1905). Active; focal plane 44 m (144 ft); four white flashes every 20 s. 20 m (66 ft) tapered square skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. An excellent closeup photo is at right, and Google has a good satellite view. KITLV has a historic photo of the original lighthouse, which was located at the mouth of the estuary about 4 km (2.5 mi) northwest of the present station. This is the landfall light for Merauke. Located on the oceanfront about 3 km (2 mi) southwest of downtown Merauke. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IDO-316; Admiralty K3338; NGA 25888. * Sungai Merauke Date unknown. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white flash every 6 s. 25 m (82 ft) square skeletal tower, mounted on a square platform supported by piles. Lighthouse painted white. The tower is visible in an aerial photo of Merauke, and Google has a satellite view. Located in the Merau River estuary adjacent to the docks at Merauke. Easily seen from the waterfront. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IDO-284; Admiralty K3339.2; NGA 25890. Merauke Range Rear Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white flash every 3 s. 16 m (52 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. The tower also carries a triangular slatted daymark, point down. No photo available, but Google has a good satellite view. The front light is on a similar but shorter tower 300 m (985 ft) southwest. This is the entrance range for the Merau River estuary leading to the port of Merauke. Located on the north side of the estuary about 3.5 km (2 mi) northwest of the town. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-169; Admiralty K3339.1; NGA 25896. Yatum (Matara) Date unknown. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white flash every 6 s. 25 m (82 ft) iron skeletal tower, probably with lantern and gallery, painted white. No photo available, but a Google satellite view probably shows the lighthouse in the center of the frame. Located on the beachfront at Matara, about 10 km (6 mi) north of Merauke. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-355; Admiralty K3339.6; NGA 25900. Southwest Coast Lighthouses * Kimaan Date unknown. Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); white flash every 6 s. Approx. 20 m (66 ft) skeletal tower, apparently mounted on a structure of some kind. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located at the base of the town pier at Kimaan, a settlement on Dolok Island, about 165 km (100 mi) west of Merauke. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IDO-148; Admiralty K3340.52; NGA 25906.3. Sungai Utumbuwe Date unknown. Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); white flash every 3 s. “White beacon,” according to NGA; on this low coast a tall skeletal tower is indicated. No photo available, and Google has only a very fuzzy satellite view of the area. Located on the south side of an estuary near the settlement of Agats on the southwest coast of Papua. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty K3340.87; NGA 25907.62.

Tanjung Mimiabe (Merauke) Light, November 2008 photo copyright b0cah; used by permission

South Coast (Seram Sea) Lighthouses

Bitsyaru

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 75 m (246 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 15 m (49 ft) iron skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available, and Google has only a very distant satellite view of the area. Located on a promontory at Bitsyaru on the Kamrau Gulf. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-113; Admiralty K3345.3; NGA 25916.

Pulau Adi

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. “White structure,” according to NGA. No photo available, but Google’s satellite view reveals a square white building that must carry the light. This light marks the entrance to the large Kamrau Gulf on the southwest coast of Papua. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty K3345.5; NGA 25912.

Pulau Panjang (Tanjung Wamarusa) (2)

Date unknown (station established 1904). Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 13 m (43 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. No photo available, but Google has asatellite view. This light marks the entrance to a sheltered bay and the small port of Faklak. Located on Tanjung Wamarusa at the eastern end of Pulau Panjang. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-232; Admiralty K3346; NGA 25920.

Pulau Sabuda

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 100 m (328 ft); two white flashes every 18 s. 17 m (56 ft) iron skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available, and Google has only a fuzzy and clouded satellite view. Sabuda is an island about 25 km (15 mi) long off the entrance to the Berau Gulf, a large embayment under the “chin” of the Bird’s Head. Located at the eastern end of the island. Accessible only by boat; the island is reported to be privately owned. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-245; Admiralty K3348.4; NGA 25940.

Tanjung Sabra (2)

2008 (station establishment date unknown). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white flash every 5 s. 15 m (49 ft) skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available, and Google has only a fuzzy satellite view of the point. Located on a low promontory on the north side of the entrance to the Berau Gulf, a large embayment under the “chin” of the Bird’s Head. Probably accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-327; Admiralty K3349; NGA 25928.

Pulau Yefjus (Yef Yus, Jef Joes)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); white flash every 7.5 s. 20 m (66 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. A photo and a distant view are available. Located on a small island about 40 km (25 ft) south of the “beak” of the Bird’s Head. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-136; Admiralty K3358; NGA 25944.

Raja Ampat Lighthouses
Note: The Raja Ampat Islands are a loose group of islands, large and small, lying off the western tip of Papua. The name means “Four Kings,” and there are four large islands: Misool in the south, Salawati and Batanta in the center just off the Papuan coast, and Weigeo to the north. The islands form a regency within West Papua province.

Pulau Kofiau (Tanjung Soos) Date unknown. Active; focal plane 46 m (151 ft); white flash every 5 s. 45 m (148 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern painted red. A photo is available, but Google has only a distant satellite view of the cape. Located at the eastern end of Pulau Kofiau, which is also the eastern end of the Boo Islands. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty K3361; NGA 25949. Pulau Boo Besar Date unknown. Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 30 m (98 ft) octagonal white concrete tower with gallery; lantern removed. A photo is at right, but Google has only a distant satellite view of the area. The Royal Australian Navy has an article mentioning that its ships Hawkesbury and Cape Leeuwin established (or re-established) this light in July 1945 to reopen the shipping lane through the East Indies. Located on a small island in the Halmahera Sea about 160 km (100 mi) northeast of Obi and about 200 km (125 mi) west of the western tip of Papua (New Guinea). Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-193; Admiralty K1603.5; NGA 25948.7. Pulau Fani Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. “White beacon”; the tower height is unknown but as the island is quite flat the tower is probably about 15 m (49 ft) in height. There’s a photo of a square wood skeletal tower that might carry the light, but Google has only a fuzzy satellite view of the island. This light marks the northern end of the Asia islands (Kepulauan Asia), about 120 km (75 mi) north of Waigeo. NGA has placed the light erroneously under Palau in Publication 111. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F2112; NGA 111-10933. Pulau Agusta Date unknown. Active; focal plane 22.5 m (74 ft); white flash every 5 s. White concrete tower, according to NGA. No photo available, and Google has only a very clouded and fuzzy satellite view of the area. Located on an island at the western end of the strait separating Weigeo from Batanta. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-189; Admiralty K3362.5; NGA 26021.

Pulau Boo Besar Light, July 2009 Panoramio photo copyright muhajir3012; used by permission

Saonek Besar

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 62 m (203 ft); white flash every 7.5 s. Approx. 30m (98 ft) square skeletal communications tower with gallery, painted white. A photo and a distant view are available, and Google has a satellite view. Saonek Besar is a small but densely populated island about 5 km (3 mi) southwest of Sapokreng, a port on the south coast of Waigeo. The island is known as a base for scuba diving expeditions. Located atop a bluff on the southern tip of Saonek Besar. Site status unknown. Admiralty K3363; NGA 26022.

Tanjung Warangket (2)

2007 (staion establishment date unknown). Active; focal plane 74 m (243 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. Square skeletal tower with gallery, height unknown but at least 20 m (66 ft). A photo is available, but Google has only a distant satellite view of the area. Located on the northern tip of Salawati, where it marks the eastern entrance to the strait separating Salawati and Batanta. Accessible only by boat. Admiralty K3364.

Sorong Area Lighthouses

Pulau Buaya (Pulau Ram)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 86 m (282 ft); four white flashes every 25 s. 20 m (66 ft) “white beacon,” according to NGA. No photo available; Google has a satellite view that doesn’t clarify whether the tower is concrete or skeletal. The light guides vessels entering the Sele Strait, which leads to the port of Sorong at the western tip of Papua. Located on the western tip of the island, about 10 km (6 mi) northwest of Sorong. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty K3373.3; NGA 25956.

Mios Su (Amsterdam Island)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white flash every 3 s. 16.5 m (54 ft) square iron skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. This light marks the eastern entrance to the Dampier Strait, which separates the Doberai Peninsula of Papua from the island of Waigeo. Located on the western tip of a small island off the “eyebrow” of the Bird’s Head. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-170; Admiralty K3376; NGA 26024.

Tanjung Saukorem (Saoekorem)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 30 m (98 ft) iron skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available, and the tower is not seen clearly in a Google satellite view of the station. Located on a low promontory on the top of the Bird’s Head, about 125 km (75 mi) north northwest of Manokwari. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-269; Admiralty K3376.5; NGA 26028.

Mapia Atoll Lighthouses

Pulau Fanildo

2007. Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); two white flashes every 12 s. 30 m (98 ft) “white beacon.” No photo available; Google has a distant satellite view of the islet. This lighthouse and the next two are on the Mapia atoll (Kepulauan Mapia), located far out in the Pacific about 200 km (125 mi) north of Manokwari. The lighthouse marks the northwestern corner of the Mapia atoll. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F2111.98.

Pulau Bras

2007. Active; focal plane 45 m (148 ft); two white flashes every 12 s. 40 m (131 ft) “white tower.” No photo available; Google has a distant satellite view of the islet. This new lighthouse marks the northeastern corner of the Mapia atoll. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F2111.95.

Pulau Pegun

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); white flash every 5 s. 30 m (98 ft) “white beacon.” No photo available; Google has a fuzzy satellite view of the location. Both NGA and ARLHS have placed the light erroneously in Palau. Located on the southern tip of Pulau Pegun, marking the southern end of the atoll. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS PAL-002; Admiralty F2111.9; NGA 111-10932.

Manokwari Area Lighthouses

Tanjung Memori

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 17 m (56 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. Two keeper’s houses. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Tanjung Memori is a promontory sheltering the harbor of Manokwari, the capital of West Papua province. Located at the tip of the cape, about 8 km (5 mi) east of Manokwari. Accessible by road. Site status unknown. Admiralty K3389; NGA 26032.

Pulau Numfoor (Yerunana)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 45 m (148 ft); white flash every 5 s. 16 m (52 ft) skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available, and Google has only a very distant satellite view of the area. Pulau Numfoor is an island about 25 km (15 mi) in diameter in the northwestern corner of the Cenderawasih Gulf. Located near Kameri on the northwestern side of the island, about 65 km (40 mi) east of Manokwari. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-179; Admiralty K3392; NGA 26052.

Tanjung Oransbari

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 50 m (164 ft); white light occulting once every 4 s. “White beacon,” according to NGA, a description that typically refers to a skeletal tower but may mean a concrete tower here. No photo available, but Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a promontory at the back of the Bird’s Head, marking the west side of the entrance to the Cenderawasih Gulf. Site status unknown. Admiralty K3395.1; NGA 26080.

Cenderawasih Gulf Lighthouses

Pulau Bepondi North

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); two white flashes every 12 s. 30 m (98 ft) “white beacon,” possibly a concrete tower. No photo available, and the lighthouse may be too new to appear in Google’ssatellite view. Pulau Bepondi is a small island about 30 km (19 mi) northwest of the large island of Pulau Biak and 160 km (100 mi) northeast of Manokwari. Located on the northern tip of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty K3391.7.

Pulau Rani

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white flash every 3 s. 15 m (49 ft) “white beacon.” No photo available, and Google has only a fuzzy satellite view of the island. Located on a small island in the northwestern Cenderawasih Gulf. Site status unknown. Admiralty K3392.7; NGA 26056.

Pulau Rasi

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (43 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 16 m (52 ft) skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available, and Google has only a very fuzzy satellite view. Located on a small island off the entrance to the broad Cenderawasih Gulf. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty K3393.6; NGA 26088.

Ujung Kimbo (Teluk Kimi)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); two white flashes every 8 s. 20 m (66 ft) skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available, and Google has only a very distant satellite view of the area. Located on a promontory sheltering the harbor of Kimi, a town on the east side of the Cenderawasih Gulf. Site status unknown. Admiralty K3395.8; NGA 26104.

Tanjung Kamengsenu

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 53 m (174 ft); white flash every 4 s. No description or photo available, but a tall tower is likely at this location. Google has only a distant satellite view of the cape. Located on a prominent cape on the east side of the Cenderawasih Gulf. Site status unknown. Admiralty K3395.9; NGA 26104.5.

Tanjung Rainbawi (Tanjung Rainbawa)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); white flash every 3 s. 20 m (66 ft) skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available; the tower is barely visible in a distant Google satellite view. The lighthouse may have been replaced recently, since NGA lists a 16 m (52 ft) tower. Located at the eastern tip of the island of Yapen, marking the east entrance to the Cenderawasih Gulf. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-322; Admiralty K3393.7; NGA 26108.

Philippine Sea Lighthouses

Mamberamo

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); white flash every 5 s. 16 m (52 ft) skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available; the tower might be visible in a Google satellite view. Located on the west side of the entrance to the Mamberamo River about 5 km (3 mi) west of Tanjung Perkam (Cape D’Urville), the northwestern “shoulder” of New Guinea. Site status unknown. Admiralty K3396.6; NGA 26112.

Pulau Kumamba Liki Date unknown. Active; focal plane 45 m (141 ft); one long white flash every 5 s. 40 m (131 ft) skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available, and Google has only a very distant satellite view of the island. Located on the northern tip of Pulau Liki, about 40 km (25 mi) north of Sarmi. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDN-210; Admiralty K3396.8; NGA 26092. Sarmi (2) Date unknown. Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); white flash every 5 s. 16 m (52 ft) skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available; the shadow is possibly seen in a Google satellite view. This light recently replaced a much shorter tower. Located on a promontory near Sarmi, about 140 km (225 mi) west northwest of Jayapura. Site status unknown. Admiralty K3397; NGA 26116. Jayapura Area Lighthouses Tanjung Suaja (Soeadja Moko) Date unknown. Active; focal plane 215 m (705 ft); three white flashes every 24 s. 20 m (66 ft) white concrete tower. Keeper’s houses and other station buildings. No photo available, but Google has a good satellite view. Tanjung Suaja is a mountainous promontory that shelters the approach to Jayapura, about 4 km (2.5 mi) east of the city. Located atop the mountain, but accessible by road. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDN-081; Admiralty K3398; NGA 26120. Jayapura Entrance North Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); green flash every 5 s. 13 m (43 ft) round hourglass-shaped green tower, mounted on a square concrete platform supported by concrete piles. Ralph Sanderson’s photo is at right, he has a second photo taken from the other side of the bay, and Google has asatellite view. Jayapura, known as Hollandia under Dutch rule, has a beautiful semicircular harbor framed by mountains. Located just offshore near the Swiss-Belhotel Papua, marking the north side of the entrance to the harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty K3398.8; NGA 26123.5. Jayapura Entrance South (Hollandia Baai) Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red flash every 4 s. 13 m (43 ft) tower mounted on a square platform. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on a shoal, marking the south side of the entrance to Jayapura harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty K3398.9; NGA 26123.

Jayapura Entrance North Light, March 2007 photo copyright Ralph Sanderson; used by permission

* Oinake

Date unknown (1990s?). Active; focal plane 200 m (656 ft); white flash every 10 s. Approx. 37 m (121 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is unpainted white concrete. A photo is at the top of this page, Ashley Zoch has a 1999 photo, and Google has a good satellite view. This lighthouse is located at the border between Indonesian Papua and the independent nation of Papua New Guinea, near the town of Watung, Papua New Guinea, and about 50 km (30 mi) east of Jayapura, the capital of Indonesia’s Papua province. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty K3399.8; NGA 26129.

• Pulau Dofior, Sorong. This monument at the harbor entrance is easily mistaken for a lighthouse. There is a light on a small red skeletal tower in front of the monument (Admiralty K3366; NGA 25968).

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