Danger Point Lighthouse
An octagonal lighthouse on the cape off Gansbaai. The nearby waters are where the Birkenhead sank in 1852.
Danger Point Lighthouse was built in 1895. Its octagonal white tower, about 18 m tall, stands on the reefs of the cape west of Gansbaai. These reef-strewn waters are where the British troopship Birkenhead struck and sank in 1852. The 'Birkenhead Drill', in which officers let women and children board the lifeboats first, originated from this event, and a memorial stands beside the lighthouse. Climbing the tower can be arranged by reservation on weekdays. The rocky shore around the cape is good for watching waves and the sunset. It is about a 10-minute drive from Gansbaai town.
Opening hours
Mon–Fri 10:00–15:00 (tower climb)
Nearby sights
- Gansbaai Shark Cage Diving
- Walker Bay Nature Reserve & Klipgat Cave
- Dyer Island Marine Big Five Cruise
- Platbos Forest
- Grootbos Private Nature Reserve
- Hermanus Cliff Path
- Klein River Lagoon
- Grotto Beach