by Martin Krzywicki

Founder Lightship Sailors Association

Ideas come and go.  Dreams come and go. There is no doubt in my mind that my idea and dream of a Lightship Sailors Association whose primary function of "Preserving Lightships and their History" has come and gone. 

After seven years I  finally recognize that the Membership has no interest in trying to preserve a single Lightship.

I recall at either our first or second reunion pushing the Membership at our Business Meeting to get interested and forming a committee whose only function was the preservation of Lightships. A committee was in fact formed with a Chairman, who was a former C.O. of a Lightship, and owned a public relations firm. I did such a good job of motivating everyone that the Committee and the C.O. were never heard of again. Needless to say both Rick Bennett and I  tried but the C.O. dropped out the next year and the members of that committee gradually faded into the sunset.

Over the past seven years we have had three Presidents. One of them, Jim Gill as very interested in the preservation of our Lightship Sailors History and poured hours of time into it's preservation. Almost single handedly he preserved our history.

At our very first reunion I said something to the affect that I did not want this Association to be like the American Legion or the V.F.W. Both Originations do a lot of great work but have become known for their Clubs and not for their work. I was going to change the world with Lightship Sailors and we were going to preserve Lightships as our mandate.

At times I have heard complaints from our Membership that it costs a lot of money to save a Lightship. Does this Membership think Lighthouses are saved without lots of money? I think not.

If you are offended by my remarks, sorry Pal, I am known for  speaking my mind. If you want to speak yours send an email and it will be posted, but frankly I do not look for response. I look for the bury the head in the sand approach from the membership.

Email below.

Enjoy the pictures of  W.L.V. 196 as she sits today in  Ketchikan Alaska.

 

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