February 18, 2017, 10:00 AM 
In celebration of the Singapore Maritime Week, the Maritime Port Authority (MPA) is organising three trips to visit the otherwise-closed to the public Raffles Lighthouse over the weekends in April, as well as a sea tour around the port terminals to visit facilities that are usually inaccessible to the public.
If this is the first time you're hearing of it, here's what you need to know about it:
What?
Raffles Lighthouse (yes, it's fully functional!) is one of the 3 offshore lighthouses in Singapore. Standing at 29m tall, it was built from Ubin's granite.
It gives off three white flashes every 20 seconds, helping ships to navigate along the Singapore Straits and avoid nearby rocks and reefs. The light beam is powered by electricity, which replaced the traditional kerosene in 1968.
There are two lighthouse keepers on duty to ensure the beacon is lit at all times. They work on a rotating 12-hour shift schedule for 10 days.
The lighthouse is usually out-of-bounds except for staff.
Photo from flickr user Cheng Kiang Ng
Totally Instagrammable.
Who?
The name of the lighthouse is self-explanatory — it was named after Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore. It was designed by John Bennett, who also designed the Victoria Theatre.
Where?
Image edited from Google Maps
Raffles Lighthouse stands on Coney Island, southwest of Singapore. But this isn't the Coney Island near Punggol that we know.
This is the Coney Island most of us know. (Screenshot from Google Maps)
Back in 1800s, Coney Island (or Coney Islet as indicated on Google Maps) was the original colonial name for Pulau Satumu, the name of the island where the Raffles Lighthouse now stands.
The current Coney Island, also known as Pulau Serangoon, got its name much later in the 1950s when entrepreneurs wanted to develop it into a leisure resort.
The island was initially perceived to be too small for a lighthouse but was ultimately selected for its optimal location along the Singapore Strait.
When?
The lighthouse has been in operation round the clock since 1855. It is Singapore's second oldest lighthouse, after the Horsburgh Lighthouse, which is found on Pedra Branca.
How to sign up for a visit?
Here are the details from the sign-up google form and the Terms and Conditions:
This registration form signs you up for a round of balloting for tickets. It does not secure you a place on the tour.
Each person is entitled to ballot for two tickets. Registration ends on 1 March 2017 at 5pm. There will be a non-refundable payment of $18 to participate in the tours once you are shortlisted for one.
Lighthouse tour: 1, 8, 15 April 2017 (12-6pm)
Participants will first gain an overview of Maritime Singapore by undergoing a guided tour and embark on a journey to learn more about the Aids to Navigation. They will also get a chance to visit the Raffles Lighthouse, a significant spot where ships make a turn along the busy shipping route in the Singapore Strait.
Sea tour: 2, 9, 16 April 2017 (12-5pm)
Participants will first gain an overview of Maritime Singapore by undergoing a guided tour and embark on a journey to learn more about the various maritime sectors as they cruise along port terminals, understand the type of vessels found in Singapore port waters and take a sneak peek of the Raffles Lighthouse.
You can also check out the MPA's poster on their Facebook page here:
Top photo from Flickr user Cheng Kiang Ng
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