Nawabander is about 10 km from Una town on Veraval – Bhavnagar coastal highway. The port at Nawabunder was developed towards the end of 16th century. It gradually became an important export–import centre for salt, fish, edible oil & oil cakes, wooden scantlings, tiles, copra, coir etc. A regular steamer service for Bombay was also started from Nawabander in the beginning of 20th century.
First Lighthouse at Nawabander was an ordinary lantern hoisted from a mast which was erected on the hillock on western side of the entrance in the year 1896. With the improvement in regularity of services to different ports and increase in fishing activities the need arose to provide more reliable light. As such a circular masonry tower was constructed during 1920 in place of the mast. An imported wick lamp inside the 4th order optic was installed on this tower. It was a light with improved range but fix character. The equipment was supplied by M/s. Stone Chance, Birmingham. In addition a pair of transit lights, a green and a red on two 7 metre towers were provided in 1946 for assisting steamers to anchor. These three lights were replaced by DA gas equipments in 1964, These lights functioned from September to May in the year.
The relevance of transit did no more exist with the port activities limiting only to the fishing. Therefore they were discontinued in 1992.
The DA gaslight was replaced by electronics (JLWL) flashing light working on batteries charged by Solar panels on the 5th October 1993. The range of the light was improved and it was made available now throughout the year. |
