▁by ▁Europe ans ▁when ▁Lieutenant ▁James ▁Grant ▁made ▁the ▁first ▁west - to - east ▁passage ▁through ▁Bass ▁Stra it ▁in ▁the ▁Lady ▁Nelson ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 8 0 0 . ▁ ▁Grant ▁named ▁it ▁Cape ▁Alb any ▁Ot way ▁after ▁Captain ▁William ▁Alb any ▁Ot way . ▁This ▁was ▁later ▁short ened ▁to ▁Cape ▁Ot way . ▁ ▁Cape ▁Ot way ▁L ighth ouse ▁was ▁built ▁on ▁the ▁point ▁of ▁the ▁c ape ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 8 . ▁The ▁l ighth ouse ▁is ▁listed ▁on ▁the ▁Victor ian ▁Heritage ▁Register . ▁ ▁A ▁te legraph ▁office ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 9 . ▁The ▁post ▁office ▁opened ▁on ▁ 1 ▁September ▁ 1 8 8 0 ▁and ▁closed ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁ ▁E ight ▁ships ▁were ▁w reck ed ▁along ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁Cape ▁Ot way : ▁The ▁Marie ▁( 1 8 5 1 ), ▁Sac r amento ▁( 1 8 5 3 ), ▁Sch om berg ▁( 1 8 5 5 ), ▁L och ▁Ar d ▁( 1 8 7 8 ), ▁Joseph ▁H . ▁Sc amm ell ▁( May ▁ 1 8 9 1 ), ▁F iji ▁( Se ptember ▁ 1 8 9 1 ), ▁and ▁the ▁Cas ino ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 . ▁The ▁first ▁American ▁vessel ▁s unk ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁the ▁SS ▁City ▁of ▁Ray ville , ▁was ▁also ▁s unk ▁off ▁the ▁c ape ▁by ▁a ▁German ▁mine . ▁Following ▁this , ▁the