By Jay McCarthy
USCG LIGHTSHIPS REMAINING (2007)
There are Eighteen Lightships that remain today, a number of which are “Endangered”.
1. LV-75 LAKE St. CLAIR, Oldest surviving Lightship (1902) She was constructed with no propulsion. After retirement in 1939, she was used as a “barge” to carry lumber and oil barrels on the Erie Canal. Later as a “lighter” in New York harbor. Afloat, with Hull in excellent condition, and moored to a pier in CADDELL Dry Dock & Shipyard Co. Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY. Privately owned by Airforce Mechanical Corp. Pier 60, NYC, NY. Owner Kevin Coffey plans to restore her as a Lightship and bring her home to Lake St. Clair (MI), at the mouth of the Erie Canal. Updated Aug. 2006.
2. LV-76/WAL-504 RELIEF, Used for fishing in Alaska in 1970’s. Privately owned by Mr. Kent Staudinger of Vancouver, B.C. Renamed “Maudi Morgan”, per the research of the late Jim Gill in 2003. In 2005 Larry Ryan, LSA President, visited Vancouver, BC went aboard and took pictures of the ship and found some of the original tools still in the engine room.
Mr. Staudinger is living aboard and the ship is for sale. She is a floating hulk with many leaks both in the deck and hull. She barely resembles a Lightship, has been completely gutted including electrical system. Update, 2005. Endangered
3. LV-79/WAL-506 BARNEGAT, Privately owned, Mr. Rodney S. Sadler, moored to pier in Pyne Poynt Marine Services, North Camden, NJ, affiliated with Camden Museum and Learning Center. Unrestored. Endangered
4. LV-83/WAL-508 RELIEF, RENAMED SWIFTSURE, Northwest Seaport, Seattle, WA. - undergoing restoration. Afloat, retains original Steam propulsion system. Host of 2006 LSA Reunion
5. LV-87/WAL-512 AMBROSE, South Street Seaport Museum, NYC – Open to the public, new deck in 1995.
6. LV-101/WAL-524 PORTSMOUTH, Portsmouth Lightship Museum, Portsmouth, VA - dry berthed and open to the public. Host of 2005 LSA Reunion
7. LV-103/WAL-526 HURON, owned by Port Huron Marine Museum, MI., dry berthed and open to the public for tours, well maintained and supported. Host of 2001 LSA Reunion
8. LV-107/WAL-529 WINTER QUARTER, Afloat, retains one mast, “Liberty Landing Marina” painted in white letters on her Red hull, Deck Housing removed. Interior was gutted, converted to Marina Office & Guest Services, including Laundromat for “pleasure boat” dock guests. Located in Liberty State Park, Jersey City, N.J. Status August 2006.
9. LV-112/WAL-534 NANTUCKET, Owned by U.S. Lighthouse Society, National Lighthouse Museum, Staten Island, NY. Needs engine/engine room work, moored to town pier in Oyster Bay, NY, awaiting tow. Update July 2006.
10. LV-114/WAL-536 PORTLAND, RENAMED NEW BEDFORD, capsized at pier 2006, re-floated, Endangered.
SOLD FOR SCRAP
11. LV-115/WAL-537 FRYING PAN, After being abandoned for 10 years at an old oyster cannery in the Chesapeake Bay. She capsized and sunk due to negligence. She was underwater for three years before being raised by salvors, and sold to her present owners. After tons of silt and shells were removed, she received a new engine and much needed restoration/renovation. In 1989 she sailed to her current home, pier 63 in Manhattan, and is available as a Party / Event Host Site. Retains her forward mast, the exterior of the ship has been restored, is painted Red with white “Frying Pan” lettering. Interior has been partially renovated for guests; part retains a barnacle-encrusted, sunken ship motif. Updated
12. LV-116/WAL-538 CHESAPEAKE, Baltimore Maritime Museum, Baltimore, MD. - Afloat and open to the public, National Landmark. Host of 2000 LSA Reunion
13. LV-118/WAL-539 CORNFIELD, RENAMED OVERFALLS, being restored by Overfalls Maritime Museum Foundation, Lewes, DE. 2006, Host of 2002 & 2007 LSA Reunions
14. WLV-196 UMATILLA, renamed “Bio Researcher” painted White, NO changes have been made to the ship including the interior. Privately owned by Jim Taro, towed to Alaska to be used as logging barracks, tied to pilings and never used for anything. She is still tied to pilings at Pennock Island across from Ketchikan AK. In May 2005, Larry Ryan, LSA President went aboard, took pictures, found original manuals, etc. in the Ward Room. In the estimation of Larry, she could be put back into service as a Lightship with minimal expense (wheel and telegraph in storage). She’s in ORIGINAL condition. Best Lightship condition of any un-restored Lightship! - Last status update, May 2005.
15. WLV-604, COLUMBIA, Columbia River Maritime Museum, Astoria, OR. National landmark, was last USCG Lightship on the West Coast, operational as of 1989 - Afloat and open to the public. Host of 2004 LSA Reunion
16. WLV-605, RELIEF. U.S. Lighthouse Society. Excellent condition. Operational - Afloat and open to the public, Jack London SQ., Oakland, CA
17. WLV-612, NANTUCKET I, Decommissioned 03-29-1985 as the last lightship in the U. S. Coast Guard. and to serve a three-week tour on station. Interior refurbished. Privately owned by Bill Golden of Boston, MA., For Sale at $7 million dollars, still in Boston mid-2006
18. WLV-613, NANTUCKET II, Stood last six hours of duty on Nantucket Shoals. Privately owned by Wareham Steamship Corp. Operational as of 1999. Refurbished and is berthed in Wareham, MA.
Copyright 2004 United States Coast Guard Lightship Sailors by MGM IMAGING . All rights reserved.
Copyrights also protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 Revised: 04/08/07.
