Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 is home!
Ship is now back in the water after seven months
of dry-dock restoration and maintenance
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Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 rests on a marine railway cradle before the slow and carefully calculated journey to launch her back into the water.
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LV-112’s hull after the application of several coats of industrial marine epoxy coatings, generously donated by Sherwin-Williams Industrial Marine Division. In addition, new sacrificial zinc anodes were bolted on throughout the hull below the waterline.
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Nantucket/LV-112 being slowly lowered back into Boston Harbor on the dry-dock marine railway at the Fitzgerald Shipyard, March 31. Photo credit: Ron Janard
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As the dry-dock cradle holding LV-112 is lowered down the marine railway into the water by the powered slipway winch, LV-112’s hull becomes partially submerged, the ship begins to float off the supporting blocks, and an on-board inspection is performed to LV-112’s bilges, lower holds and storage/trim tanks to check for possible leaks — all OK. At this point, LV-112 remains secured with docking lines until the approaching push boat, Mantis, is secured in place and prepared to tow LV-112 away from the cradle, once everything is declared safe. Poto credit: Ron Janard
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LV-112 is released from the shipyard cradle and pulled away by the Mantis, a 40’x30’ azimuth-drive tractor push boat. Photo credit: Viking Gustofson
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LV-112 is turned around, and the process of transporting the ship back to its homeport berth in East Boston begins with the aid of the Mantis and a smaller companion push boat. Photo credit: Ron Janard
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LV-112 safely arrives back in its homeport berth at the Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina in East Boston. Volunteers, crew from Fitzgerald’s Shipyard and the push boat crew help secure LV-112’s new dock lines. Burnham Associates, Inc., Dredging, Towing & Marine contractors, did a flawless job of transporting LV-112 from the shipyard to her berth. Photo below shows restored lower holds in the stern section. Photo credits: Ron Janard
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For the second time since 2011-12, LV-112 was relaunched from the historic Fitzgerald Shipyard in Chelsea, MA, after slightly more than seven months of a major and comprehensive $1.4 million structural restoration. Mostly implemented inside the bow section, the restoration included rebuilding the anchor manger, the forward port and starboard ballast tanks, bulkheads, hull frames, lower forward floor frames, and various other structural sections throughout the ship including the mooring capstan on the bow weather deck. Also, more than a dozen sea-valves from the auxiliary engine room sea-chest were completely rebuilt, in addition to valves and piping associated with the ship trim and bilge pumping system. Routine maintenance also was performed, combined with an updated marine survey and ultrasonic testing (UT) of the ship’s shell plating below the waterline.
The majority of the funding was generously provided by a National Park Service “Save Americas Treasures” grant, a Community Preservation Act–Boston grant, in addition to individual and corporate donors. Because of the large amount of restoration work scheduled, additional specialized marine contractors (welder/fabricators, corrosion control/protective coating specialists, mechanics, marine surveyors/engineers, etc.) were hired as part of the team in conjunction with the Fitzgerald Shipyard workers. They included The Lightship Group LLC, Amex, Inc. Industrial Services, MarineSurveyors–Timothy J. Pitts/AMS-NMMA-SAMS, Charles C. Deroko, Inc./NAMS-CMS, and Jim Harrington/AWS-CWI-72 Hours LLC (UT surveyor). In addition, USLM volunteers generously donated their time. A marine engineering firm, Marine Systems Corp (MSC) was contracted to create historically accurate structural drawings for the scheduled restoration work. Existing original LV-112 constuction plans also were used.
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To rebuild the anchor manger, more than 24 tons of heavy main and auxiliary anchor chain was removed. The chain was then restored and reinstalled. One of the most arduous and horrific tasks for the shipyard workers was using jackhammers to remove a layer of hardened cement that previously had been poured in the forward lower hold bilges, encasing many of the corroded floor frames. The cement was originally supposed to be a temporary remedy to stop seawater leakage while LV-112 was anchored on station in rough seas when it was a commissioned U.S. Coast Guard lightship prior to 1975. Unfortunately, a more permanent solution was never engineered and implemented.
Photo at left: A shipyard welder/fabricator prepares new steel bulkheads for LV-112.
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This photo shows LV-112's forward lower hold during the arduous and horrific task of bilge cement removal. Using jackhammers, it took a team of shipyard workers several weeks to remove the cement.
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Steel bulkhead plates are lifted by a crane to be lowered into LV-112's bow section for installation. Each 4'x8' steel sheet weighed more than 500 pounds.
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Using a crane and chain-fall, shipyard workers lower large sections of steel plate into LV-112’s interior lower holds and storage tanks. This work is done through a measured section that is cut into the weather deck of the bow section. The only method of loading large sections of steel plate for bulkhead replacement into LV-112’s interior was to cut minimally sized access holes through the decks and reseal the holes when accomplished. This was done to keep the steel plate in one-piece sections as much as possible for installation.
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An access opening was cut through the main deck in the windlass room in line with weather-deck opening for steel plate insertion into storage tanks and lower hold. The storage tank bulkheads were more than 15 feet high. |
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The bow section of Nantucket LV-112 suffered the most stress during the historic lightship’s 39 years at sea as a commissioned lightship and serving in WWII as an armed examination vessel (1942-45). It was virtually always anchored in 200 feet of ocean on the remote and treacherous Nantucket Shoals Lightship Station, taking severe beatings from the constant banging and tugging of the heavy anchor chain, holding the ship in mountainous seas caused by hurricanes, gale winds and winter storms. Moreover, seawater often flooded the interior bow section, windlass room and forward lower hold. For 84 years, these corrosive and adverse effects took the worst toll on LV-112’s bow section structure. The period state-of-the-art engineering, design and superior materials used in the construction of LV-112 by highly qualified and experienced U.S. shipbuilders who took pride in their trades is a true testament to the ship's longevity after nearly a century of severe duty and environmental abuse by the elements of sea, weather and climate.
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Heavily corroded and encrusted auxiliary anchor chain piled for many years inside LV-112’s anchor manger prior to extraction.
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Original decayed bottom deck of anchor manger after the original cement pad was removed. New plating was installed. |
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Restored anchor-manger hardwood dividers are used to separate the main and auxiliary anchors. The original cement pad was replaced with removable paving blocks. The cement pad was originally installed to protect the steel plate deck from damage from anchor-chain usage. During the restoration, sub-freezing temperatures were not conducive to pouring cement, so pavers were chosen. Also, LV-112’s anchor chain will not be used for anchorage.
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All 24 tons of LV-112’s anchor chain was removed, cleaned, prepped and coated with a rust neutralizing and converting product. The chain was dipped with the aid of a crane into a vat filled with Corroseal. Because there are no plans to ever use the anchor chain again in seawater, Corroseal was a practical solution for a protective coating.
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The amount of time originally anticipated for LV-112 to be in dry-dock was approximately four months. However, once the interior sandblasting and descaling process commenced, many of the structural frames and bulkheads revealed much more severe corrosion than anticipated and had to be restored before LV-112 could go back in the water. Bulkheads originally designed to be watertight, were not. Tons of scale and corroded steel sections were removed and replaced with many tons of new ABS high-grade steel.
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This view of LV-112’s forward lower hold before restoration work began shows most of the floor frame webbing was badly corroded as a result of the many years of constant penetration of seawater while on Nantucket Shoals Lightship Station.
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One of several shipyard fabricator/welders in the forward lower hold performs the challenging task of cutting out decayed steel floor frame sections in preparation for new replacement steel. The shipyard worker is positioned in the area next to the forward bulkhead that has been removed and is shown replaced in the photo below. |
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This photo of LV-112's forward lower hold was taken after restoration of the floor frames and the removal of bilge cement. At this stage, there was still more work to be done including sealing the access opening through the hull and final painting.
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The remainder of this phase of restoration will be accomplished at LV-112’s berth. Upon completion of this phase, LV-112’s rehabilitation will be approximately 70% competed. The most critical and comprehensive portion of LV-112’s structural restoration is virtually done. However, there is still a lot of interior restoration needed, which involves mostly cleaning, prep and painting. Also a moderate amount of structural and mechanical restoration work needs to be done. At this point, based on the unanticipated restoration work (structural steel replacement) that added to our initial dry-docking restoration plan during this phase of the project, we have reassessed the restoration project work that remains to be completed. It is estimated that approximately $2.3 million will be needed to virtually complete LV-112’s restoration and preservation.
The U.S. Lightship Museum is always seeking potential donors who would like to help support this unique historic cause of preserving this important National Historic Landmark and National Treasure and assist us in achieving Nantucket Lightship/LV-112’s restoration and preservation. Donations can be mailed to: U.S. Lightship Museum, P.O. Box 454, Amesbury, MA 01913, Online donations can be made via the PayPal link in this newsletter or through our GoFundMe page. Your support is greatly appreciated.
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Former 1954 USCG Nantucket/LV-112 crew member visits ship
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Former USCG LV-112 crew member Albert (Al) DiFlumeri (left), who lives in the Greater Boston area, stops by to pay a visit to his ship and meets Peter Fitzgerald (right), owner of Fitzgerald Shipyard. They both took a quick mask break to show their faces for the photo. Al served on Nantucket/LV-112 from 1954-56. His tour of duty began when LV-112 was docked at the USCG First District Base Boston, immediately after the historic lightship had to be towed from Nantucket Shoals Lightship Station after being ravaged and disabled by 110 mph winds and 70-foot seas from Hurricane Edna on Sept. 11, 1954. Al remembers, after boarding LV-112 and entering the crew’s quarters, seeing a footprint on the bulkhead (wall) close to the overhead (ceiling). During the height of the hurricane, LV-112 was heeled so far over at times, crewmembers were standing on the ship’s bulkheads (walls).
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May 1: Opening day on Nantucket/LV-112
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Beginning May 1, Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 will open for the 2021 season on Saturdays, 10am–4pm, from May to October. In addition, individual and group tours can be scheduled by appointment on other days throughout the year. Until LV-112’s present restoration project is completed, regular visiting hours are limited to Saturdays. However, there are plans to increase regular visiting hour days as LV-112’s restoration and preservation progresses.
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LV-112 is also featured on the narrated tours of Boston Harbor's cruise boats. Photos taken prior to COVID-19.
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Volunteers help get the job done |
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Volunteers and former USCG LV-112 crew members (including the USLM Board of Directors) who generously contribute their time and energy to the USLM, the maintenance and restoration of Nantucket LV-112, and conducting visitor tours, are essential to helping the USLM achieve its mission and purpose. We applaud their support and commitment to our historic cause, especially our family of volunteers and Board of Directors who have been with the USLM from the beginning—for more than 10 years.
Thank you all again for helping us preserve an important piece of our nation’s maritime history. The USLM is always seeking new volunteers.
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A crew of volunteers poses for a quick break from wearing their masks for a photo op so we can see who they are. Ron Janard (far right) facilitated a donation of shelving units from Kelly Automotive Group for our storage container. Next to Ron going right to left—Rob Nickologianis, Jim Hewitt, Dave Pippin, three volunteers from Eastie Farm and John Rogers. The shipping container was donated by the Mediterranean Shipping Corp. (MSC), and the barge it is connected to is a former 110-foot U.S. Navy barge, donated by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). |
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The volunteers helped transport the donated shelving from the Kelly Automotive van.
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The USLM welcomes new volunteer |
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New USLM volunteer Viking Gustofson interviews a boat owner, while formerly serving as a competition judge at a past Annual Antique & Classic Boat Festival, held at the Safe Harbor Hawthorne Cove Marina, Salem, MA. Established in 1983, the festival is noted by leading historic maritime preservationists “as an important force in preserving maritime history.” Plans for the 2021 festival are presently unclear, as a result of the passing of its founder, Pat Wells. She will be missed. The USLM had previously participated in the boat show with an exhibit booth. It is an impressive collection of antique classic sail and power craft. Photo credit: The Salem News
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Viking Gustofson, an ongoing USLM donor, recently joined our crew of volunteers, generously contributing her time and expertise in the maritime industry to Nantucket/LV-112. She recently retired from Gloucester Marine Railways — one of the oldest (since 1859) continuously operating shipyard railways in the United States — after serving 20 years as general manager. The USLM had previously contracted Gloucester Marine Railways for special projects while under Viking's management. Viking hails from western New York and now lives in the Boston Harbor region. She came to this area for education, segueing into working on the water in 1978, shortly after the “Great Blizzard of '78," Viking earned her USCG Captain’s license for passenger vessels in 1980 — piloting vessels for Massachusetts Bay Lines and others. In addition, Viking was formerly the operations director for the Thompson Island Outward Bound Education Center in Boston Harbor. Welcome, Viking! And thank you for your support!
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An admirer of Nantucket Lightship
history in Japan
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Nantucket Lightship basket crafted by Megumi Ando with Shikari Lighthouse, in the background (30-minute drive from Sapporo, Japan). |
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Megumi Ando, who lives in Supporo, Japan, has a passionate appreciation of Nantucket Lightship’s history and Nantucket Lightship baskets. Megumi had been taking classes to learn how to weave Nantucket baskets, and thought it was important to know about the Nantucket Lightship Station history,” where the first basket was born.” Her basket weaving teacher in Tokyo, Japan, is a certified instructor of the New England Nantucket Basket Association, headquartered in Cambridge, MA (click here). She was introduced to Nantucket Lightship baskets in 2006, the year her daughter in the photo, was born and her first basket was given to her as a Christmas present. She had a chance to learn how to weave in 2015 and has been weaving ever since. During her visit to Boston, Megumi was delighted to see Nantucket/LV-112 was a museum, open to the public, being restored and preserved. She said, “It is a historic monument not only for the United States, but also for the rest of the world”.… I am happy to know that the piece of history will be well-looked-after for the generations to come.”
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The basket in the photo was made for her daughter to celebrate her graduation from elementary school. As Megumi learned to weave, she wanted to know more about the history of the baskets, Nantucket Island and the lightship. So she decided to visit both Nantucket and Boston in January 2019. Unfortunately, there was a snow storm, and she was not able to board LV-112. She said that she would love to visit Boston again, when the weather is more accommodating. Nonetheless, Megumi became a USLM donor and a museum member. She looks forward to visiting Boston and Nantucket/LV-112 again with her family.
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Megumi’s daughter, holding her Nantucket Lightship basket, crafted by her mom, given to her as a gift. |
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Buy coffee and help support Nantucket/LV-112
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Recognizing the importance of historic preservation and education, the leadership at ACK Roasters is generously supporting the USLM's historic cause by offering a percentage of their coffee product sales. They also feature Nantucket/LV-112 on their company website (click here). They "roast to order" daily, using only free trade organic beans and offer coffee subscriptions and individual coffee purchases." ACK Roasters employees and their clients from the communities where they do business believe the contributions they make to organizations that support these communities are an essential part of how they conduct business. The more coffee you purchase from ACK Roasters, the more the USLM receives for Nantucket/LV-112’s restoration and preservation! Shown in the photo above is the "Island Loop Sample Selection." Great for a gift!
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How you can
help Nantucket/LV-112's
light beacon keep shining
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All electronic donations will be securely processed by PayPal |
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Attention lighthouse lovers
If you love lighthouses and want to learn about these guiding lights and navigational aids all over the world, then The Lighthouse Directory is the website for you. It provides an astounding amount of information, linking to more than 17,200 of the world's lighthouses. Russ Rowlett, Adjunct Professor of Mathematics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, compiled the directory with the assistance of hundreds of lighthouse fans around the world who have enriched this site with their own information and suggestions. For a long time, Rowlett tried to maintain a list of lighthouses from his many friends and contacts, but it had grown too long (and too out-of-date) to display on the comprehensive site. Rowlett offers special thanks to Michel Forand for his suggestions and editing, touching essentially every page of the directory, and Jeremy D'Entremont, Ted Sarah and Klaus Huelse, each contributing in vital ways.
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The Maine Lighthouse Museum
Another unique educational resource for U.S. lighthouse history, lifesaving and lightship services is the Maine Lighthouse Museum (MLM), located in Rockland, Maine, the heart of the midcoast. Last October, the U.S. Lightship Museum presented a PowerPoint presentation at the MLM about U.S. lightships and Nantucket/LV-112. The mission of the Maine Lighthouse Museum is to educate the public regarding the longstanding traditions, heroism and progress of America's lighthouse and lifesaving services and the U.S. Coast Guard through the conservation and interpretation of the nation's most significant collection of lighthouse and lifesaving artifacts. From sparkling lighthouse lenses to heartwarming stories of the keepers and their families, the Maine Lighthouse Museum is truly America's lighthouse museum. For more information, log on to the Maine Lighthouse Museum or call 207.594.3301.
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Support LV-112's restoration!
Become a USLM member today
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For a gift of $1,000 or more, donors will receive a limited-edition, fine-art print of the SS United States passing Nantucket Lightship/LV-112, signed by marine artist Gerald Levey.
Discover the value-added membership benefits when you become a member of the U.S. Lightship Museum (USLM). The USLM is a member of the Council of American Maritime Museums (CAMM). All USLM members will be granted reciprocal privileges (free admission) at participating CAMM institutions. For more information about the benefits and the USLM Membership program, click on USLM Membership.
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American Express
Amex Industrial Services, Inc.
Association of Public Safety Communications Officials - Atlantic Chapter
BAE Systems
Bluefin Robotics
Boston Forge & Welding Corp.
Boston Harbor
Shipyard & Marina
The Boston Foundation
ThreeBees Fund
Burnham Associates, Inc.
Burnham Marine
California Public Safety Radio Association
Cameron International Corporation
Charitable Adult Rides and
Services, Inc.
City of Boston
Community Preservation Act
C/J Towing & Recovery
Claflin & Son
Nautical Antiques
Crandall Dry Dock Engineers
Capt. Robertson P. Dinsmore Fund
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Donahue, Tucker &
Ciandella, PLLC
East Boston Foundation
Eastern Bank Charitable
Foundation
Egan Maritime Institute,
Nantucket Shipwreck &
Lifesaving Museum
Fitzgerald Shipyard
Foss Maritime
Friends of the
Boston Harbor Islands
H&H Propeller, Inc.
J. Hewitt Marine
Electrical Services
SR Johnson Fund
Kelly Automotive Group
H.F. Lenfest Fund
The Lightship Group, LLC
McAllister Towing &
Transportation Co.
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)
Joe and Pepette Mongrain
Fund
National Park Service
Save America's Treasures
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National Trust for
Historic Preservation
New England
Lighthouse Lovers
New London Maritime Society and Custom House Maritime Museum
Patriot Marine, LLC
The Sail Loft, LLC, Nantucket
Sherwin-Williams
Industrial Marine Coatings Division
State Street Corporation
T & M Services
Town of Oyster Bay,
Long Island, NY
U.S. Coast Guard Lightship Sailors Association
West Marine
U.S. Lighthouse Society
Westerbeke Company
USLM Members
Verizon Foundation
Zuni Maritime Foundation
USS Zuni / USCG Tamaroa
Individual Donors
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Nantucket/LV-112
Proudly made in USA
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USLM is a member
of the following organizations
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Teach children about lightships
with the book Lightship
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Editorial From School Library Journal
Kindergarten–Grade 2: Lightships were anchored where lighthouses could not be built. They protected our ocean harbors as well as points along the Great Lakes. The last one (Nantucket/LV-613) was decommissioned in 1983, so this fascinating picture book is a piece of nautical history. Brian Floca's watercolor drawings depict daily life aboard one of these vessels, cooking, sleeping, working, all the while rolling with the rhythm of the waves. Many hazards were involved. Big ships came too close, anchors lost their mooring, and weather caused many problems. But when the fog rolled in, the lightship sprang into action. Lights flashed and horns sounded, allowing ship traffic to make it "through fog and night, past rocks and shoals, past reefs and wrecks, past danger." The drawings are very detailed. Some pages are collages of small scenes. Many are full spreads. The sailors' facial expressions are amusing to watch, and the resident cat appears on almost every page. The front and back endpapers show a cutaway view of one of the vessels. This fascinating, little-known slice of history should prove interesting to every child who loves big boats.
-- Ieva Bates, Ann Arbor District Library, MI (review originally published by Reed Business Information, Inc.)
The book Lightship, by Brian Floca, can be purchased on Amazon.com. For more information about lightships, click on Brian Floca's blog.
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Poem posted on LV-112 while in service on Nantucket Shoals Lightship Station
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"When a sailor gets to thinking
He is one of the best
Let him ship out on a lightship
And take the acid test.
And if he feels like bragging
I don't think that all of his tales
Will be of deep sea sailing
But of the ship that never
Sails!"
Poem provided by Peter Brunk, USCG-Ret., Commanding Officer, Nantucket/LV-112, 1970-71, who serves on the USLM Board of Directors.
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This comprehensive New England shipwreck website is a helpful resource for SCUBA divers, maritime history researchers and enthusiasts. The site includes many photographs, charts, reference documents and history about numerous shipwrecks located in New England waters. For more information, click here.
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The Sinking of the U-853 by Capt. William Palmer
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When the German enemy submarine U-853 entered U.S. waters off Portland, Maine, in 1945, it torpedoed and sank the USS Eagle-56. Nantucket/LV-112, converted to the examination vessel USS Nantucket (1942-45) during WWII, helped save the crew of the USS Eagle-56. This is a book about the U-853 story, researched and written by Capt. Bill Palmer, a long-time shipwreck researcher, diver and preservationist.
Book description: "Out in the cold Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Rhode Island, lies the remains of what was once a feared and mighty hunter. It's not a fish or shark, for that matter it is not even a marine creature. It's what men feared the most when they went to sea aboard their vessel back during the World War II years. It's a German submarine called a U-boat. The U-853 was the last German submarine sunk in World War II. She was sunk with all hands just minutes before World War II ended. The once mighty hunter feared by all who put to sea, now lies in 130 feet of water off the coast of Block Island, Rhode Island, her grave marked only by a circle on the nautical charts, DANGER Unexploded Depth Charges, May 1945."
Capt. Palmer has been running a charter boat for wreck-diving, shark-fishing and shark-cage-diving off the coast of Rhode Island and Connecticut for 40 years.
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German U-boat attack off Portland, Maine, during WWII, involving LV-112 (USS Nantucket)
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This book is the story of a small U.S. sub-chaser, the Eagle 56, caught in the crosshairs of a German U-boat, the U-853, whose brazen commander doomed his own crew in a desperate, last-ditch attempt to record final kills before his country's imminent defeat a few weeks later in May. And it is the account of how one man, Paul M. Lawton, embarked on an unrelenting quest for the truth and changed naval history.
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"The Finest Hours—" Book and Movie |
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"In February of 1952, one of the worst storms to ever hit the East Coast struck New England, damaging an oil tanker off the coast of Cape Cod and literally ripping it in half. On a small lifeboat faced with frigid temperatures and 70-foot high waves, four members of the U.S. Coast Guard (Bernie Webber and three other crewmen) set out to rescue the more than 30 stranded sailors trapped aboard the rapidly sinking vessel. 'The Finest Hours' is the story of their heroic mission, which is still considered the greatest small boat rescue in Coast Guard history."
(Michelle McCue, 9/9/14)
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Bernie Webber, who later served on Nantucket/LV-112 (1958-60) and the three other crewmen were awarded the coveted USCG Gold Lifesaving Medal for their heroism in what is considered by maritime historians to be "the greatest small boat rescue in Coast Guard history." Mr. Webber, who was a member of the USCG Lightship Sailors Association, was extremely helpful in assisting the USLM-Nantucket/LV-112 compile research information and historic documents about LV-112. He was a pleasure and honor to work with. Bernie passed away in January 2009. He was considered a real American hero and is dearly missed.
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The full-length movie "The Finest Hours' is available on DVD. |
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To learn more about
lighthouse news, click on Lighthouse Digest
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Explore the oceans in depth and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution with
Oceanus magazine
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Oceanus explores the oceans in depth, highlighting the research and researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in news, features and interviews written by magazine staff, with full-color photographs and illustrations. Each issue covers a wide spectrum of oceanography, spanning coastal research, marine life, deep-ocean exploration and the ocean's role in climate, as well as ocean technology and policy. To learn more, click on magazine cover.
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Lightships, Lighthouses & Lifeboat Stations: A memoir and history
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Lightships, Lighthouses & Lifeboat Stations is part history book, part memoir, written by Bernie Webber, recipient of the Coast Guard's highest award, the Gold Life-saving Medal, and hero of the Disney movie The Finest Hours. While the public will recognize Webber's name from the movie and the bestselling book by the same name, few people know that during his lengthy Coast Guard career he served on lightships (ships anchored in dangerous areas to warn other vessels of hazards) in addition to lifeboat stations (small boat rescue stations) and lighthouses. Webber poses the following question: "How did the lightship men cope with the isolation, constant loneliness, boredom, fear, or just sheer terror? All were part of life on board a lightship. Rough seas tossed the ship about, rearing up and down on the anchor chain. This was a world of isolation, noise from operating machinery, and blasts from the powerful foghorn that went on for hours, sometimes days, at a time." Webber answers that question in this book, drawing on a combination of personal experience and meticulous historical research. Discussions of men going mad, lightships being run down by larger ships, anchor chains breaking, and lightships cast upon shoals are offset by humorous stories and the author's reflections on his best days at sea. Fourteen historic photos are included, as well as a foreword by Michael Tougias (reprinted from Amazon).
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Help support the restoration of LV-112 by donating your old car and receive a tax deduction
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How it works
We have teamed with Charitable Auto Resources, Inc. (CARS), to accept vehicle donations across the United States. Once you contact our customer service representative about making a donation, everything will be taken care of, including a receipt for your tax records. Sale proceeds will be donated to the USLM in your name. Donating your vehicle to the U.S. Lightship Museum is as easy as calling our representative toll-free at 855-500-7433. For more information, click here.
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The Lightships of Cape Cod |
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Authored by Frederic L. Thompson, 1996, 2nd printing, 112 pages, soft wrap. Signed by the author. Illustrated with over 93 beautifully detailed photographs. Much sought-after, this scarce volume chronicles the history of the lightships in this vital area. Wonderfully detailed black-and-white photographs enhance the author's vivid description of the history and life aboard these vessels. One of the only volumes ever written exclusively on this subject, this fine work will make a fine addition to any library. Price: $14.95 plus shipping ($5.95), total: $20.90. May be purchased online from the USLM; just click on "Donate" button in this newsletter and add a notation in the area provided. Or mail a check or money order addressed to: U.S. Lightship Museum, PO Box 454, Amesbury, MA 10913 |
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Massachusetts Lighthouses and Lightships |
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"Massachusetts Lighthouses and Lightships" by Arthur P. Richmond is an indispensable addition to the lighthouse enthusiast's library, required reading for those interested in New England maritime history, and a delight for anyone who enjoys coastal Massachusetts. More than 800 images, many never before published, include historic plans that describe the details of these aids to navigation, and archival and contemporary photos that trace through their history. The book covers all the lighthouses and lightships that marked the shores (exclusive of Cape Cod and the Islands) and guided mariners through the challenging waters surrounding Massachusetts. This volume also explores the interiors of towers, shows the lantern rooms of rarely-visited lighthouses, and gives fascinating facts about these beacons through their 200-year history. U.S. Lightship Museum (USLM): Excellent book-one of the better books published, about lighthouses and lightships. Credit: Review-Amazon Books/USLM |
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A crew member rings the bell on the foredeck of Nantucket New South Shoal No. 1 during low-visibility storm conditions. The illustration is from "Life on the South Shoal Lightship" by Gustov Kobbe, Century Magazine, August 1891.
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Kenrick A. Claflin & Son Nautical Antiques
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Click on the website link above to see nautical artifacts available at Kenrick A. Claflin & Son Nautical Antiques, which has donated publications to the USLM. |
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The United States Lightship Museum
The U.S. Lightship Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the rescue and preservation of Nantucket Lightship/LV-112, a National Historic Landmark and a National Treasure. LV-112 is a museum and floating learning center, open to the general public -- a place for people of all ages to learn about our nation's seafaring history and the technologies that advanced the nautical and marine sciences.
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