Captain Bullock's safety beacon erected on Goodwin Sands.

The beacon erected on 10 September 1840. © National Maritime Museum, London

Repro ID: PU0979

Description: This etching, taken from the 'Nautical Magazine', shows Captain Bullock's safety beacon being erected on Goodwin Sands, a notorious stretch of shoals and sandbars off the east coast of Kent. The shifting Goodwin Sands do not allow the construction of lighthouses, but there are several lightships and numerous buoys. Over the years, thousands of vessels have run aground on the swirling sands.

Creator: Unknown

Date: September 1840