In 1497 when John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto) first made landfall in Newfoundland sailing from Bristol in his ship the Matthew, he is said to have exclaimed 'O Buona Vista', giving the name to Cape Bonavista. The Cape Bonavista lighthouse was built in 1842 and is a Provincial Historic Site. The light is build on a stone base, just visible above the wooden house. The light which was originally used in Scotland’s Isle of May Lighthouse, dates to 1895 and consists of six Argand burners and parabolic reflectors (originally using seal oil, now electrified) and revolved to produce two white flashes followed by one red flash, every thirty seconds for a total interval of 90 seconds. The red and white pattern of the light is reproduced in the red and white stripes of the building.
