The little helper
This cache brings you to the new Reykjavík Lighthouse. It was built during last winter and officially started operations on 21.06.2019. The architecture of this small lighthouse is a slightly adapted design of the old lighthouses that were used in the channel of Reykjavík’s old harbor from 1913-1917. This yellow safety installation replaces an older one, in the tower of Sjómannaskólinn (Seamen’s School), because the view of the old lighthouse has been blocked in recent years by newly built tall apartment buildings in Höfðatorg. Although ships and boats are nowadays equipped with advanced navigation systems, port authorities found it necessary to install a lighthouse to lead the way past Engey island.
The amount of money needed for building this little, yellow helper was not estimated correctly so that the final cost ended up to be ISK 150,000,000 ($1.2 million / €1.05 million) instead of the originally estimated ISK 100,000,000 ($803,000 / €707,000). The main reason for the additional cost was that the landfill and platform for the lighthouse required in the end more work than initially thought. The shoreline was extended into the sea to put the lighthouse on top of the new platform and the foot and bike paths remained unchanged.
In addition to being a safety device for sailors, the lighthouse is expected to become a major tourist attraction. Its location offers a great view across the ocean. Not only is it located across the street from Höfði, but also only a five-minute walk from Jón Gunnar Árnason’s Sun Voyager, both of which are popular locations for tourists and geocachers.
How to log this cache?
To claim this cache as "found", you need to do the following (all steps are mandatory):
- Go to the coordinates of this listing.
- Take a picture of yourself (there is no need to show your face) with the little helper in the background. Bonus points if you take your picture while the lighthouse is turned on (only during the night or winter).
- Attach the picture to your log. Please do not email or message me the picture, just attach it to the log 😅
Log entries older than two weeks that do not contain the required image will be deleted without warning.
Virtual Rewards 2.0 - 2019/2020
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between June 4, 2019 and June 4, 2020. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 2.0 on the Geocaching Blog.
