Cape San Blas Light — a lighthouse in Gulf County, Florida — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It dates from 1848. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Cape San Blas Light is a lighthouse in the state of Florida in the United States. Four different structures were built between 1849 and 1885 to house the light. It was located at Cape San Blas in the northwestern part of the state. Due to beach erosion and weather damage over the decades, the final structure was moved multiple times, including to Port St. Joe in 2014. The lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.From the Wikipedia article “Cape San Blas Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cape San Blas Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 84° in summer but only 37° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:46 AM | 90° E | 7:53 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:42 AM | 62° ENE | 8:46 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:30 AM | 89° E | 7:39 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:33 AM | 117° ESE | 5:47 PM | 243° WSW | 37° | 10h 14m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Lighthouses work at both ends of the day: blue hour when the beacon is lit, and golden hour when white towers take on warm tones.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:12 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:13 AM | 5:29 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:30 PM | 10h 26m |
| February | 6:57 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 09m |
| March | 7:28 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:24 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:14 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:51 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:47 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:33 PM | 12h 53m |
| May | 6:23 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 39m |
| June | 6:14 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 03m |
| July | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:11 PM | 13h 53m |
| August | 6:45 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:42 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 14m |
| September | 7:03 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:58 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:12 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:19 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:36 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:42 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 40m |
| December | 7:04 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 14m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Cape San Blas Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 31° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 5:01 AM – 5:51 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:09 AM – 6:29 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:11 AM – 5:41 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 12:08 AM – 5:18 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:20 PM – 5:00 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:17 PM – 3:37 AM | 5.3 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:49 PM – 1:29 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 9:08 PM – 11:28 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:31 PM – 9:31 PM | 1.0 | 20° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.69 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (66%). August is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 74 | 74 | 76 | 79 | 85 | 87 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 85 | 80 | 76 |
| Low °F | 35 | 43 | 43 | 52 | 62 | 72 | 78 | 78 | 69 | 57 | 46 | 42 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.6 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 5.6 | 6.5 | 7.1 | 5.4 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 3.8 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this lighthouse
- Stormy weather and crashing surf add drama; keep a safe distance from waves on rocks and piers.
- A telephoto from across a bay compresses the tower against cliffs or the moon.
- Many lighthouses are on private or Coast Guard property — check public access and opening hours.
- Moonrise or the Milky Way over the tower makes a classic night composition; plan with the azimuth tables.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Summer brings open towers and tours; autumn and winter offer storms, fewer crowds and lower sun angles.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, ND filter for smooth water, Rain cover. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Port Saint Joe, St. Joseph Bay, 683 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Cape San Blas Light, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Lighthouse
Beach
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cape San Blas Light?
What time is golden hour at Cape San Blas Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cape San Blas Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cape San Blas Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cape San Blas Light?
How far is Cape San Blas Light from Port Saint Joe?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.