The aerial view from Moela Island

The name stems from the format of the island, Moela means gizzard in Portuguese.
It houses the oldest lighthouse in the State of São Paulo, opened in 1830, and is fundamental to the protection of ships that enter the Port of Santos, the largest port in Latin America.
The Island is a facility of the Brazilian Navy, and also houses a radio beacon, and residences for the crew living in the island.
A famous legend tells that the Moela Island is a hidden pirate treasure, as in the sixteenth century, the region was the famous privateer Thomas Cavendish, who in their passage today destroyed the important cities of Santos and São Vicente.

Before the construction of the lighthouse, a huge bonfire was lit to guide the boats coming into the Port of Santos, responsible for the fire was an official of the Empire of Brazil.

 

The old lighthouse

His position in the Atlantic Ocean is 24 ° .63 'of south latitude and 46 ° .16' longitude west, and is distant 1.2 miles from the Monduba´s beak and 9 miles southest of Santos. Has the following dimensions: 1000 meters at its greatest length in the north-south direction, by 700 meters at its greatest width in the east-west direction, making an area of 266 m2.

The lighthouse was built on top of a plateau in the mountain, located in a cylindrical tower of cement and bricks, painted in white, with 10 meters high and radiant with a height of 110 meters above sea level, emitting light with alternating sparkle white and red, being powered by electricity from generators that operate night and day. The unit of light is protected by glass.

The radio-beacon, circular continuous operation, is a metal tower in a height of 72 meters with range of 300 miles, passing a frequency of 305 KCS in circular issued by four and a half in four and a half seconds.