Upcoming USLM summer 2023 activities:
• 'Kids in Boating Day'
• Independence Day weekend fireworks
• Maritime Beach Festival
• A tragic anniversary
• New USS Nantucket?
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'Kids in Boating Day' — June 11 |
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Nantucket Lightship/LV-112, a former U.S. Coast Guard "floating lighthouse" and the largest U.S. lightship ever built, annually attracts hundreds of visitors from around the world.
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At "Kids in Boating Day," visitors will be given a tour of Nantucket/LV-112, explore maritime history and learn nautical crafts.
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On the second day of a weekend event, on Sunday, June 11, from 11am – 2pm, Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 will participate in a “Kids in Boating Day,” held at the Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina, where Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 is berthed. Nantucket/LV-112 is a former floating lighthouse that today is a museum ship. At the event, attendees will learn more about the boating world, maritime history and marine safety. On Nantucket/LV-112, children also will learn how to tie basic sailors' knots. For more information, click here.
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Volunteer Mike Walling, who served in the U.S. Coast Guard for six years and is an internationally recognized historian and author, instructs kids in nautical knot-tying during "Kids in Boating Day." |
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Young visitors and parents check out some of the vintage artifacts from Nantucket/LV-112 from when it was a commissioned U.S. lightship.
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We appreciate the service boats that provide vital assistance to Boston Harbor's commercial and recreational boats (from top, left to right): Massport Fireboats, Boston Harbor Police Boats, Boston Harbor Pilot Boats, Sea Tow boats and harbor tugboats. |
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U.S. Coast Guard veteran and LV-112 volunteer Mike Walling explains to a youngster and his mom how Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 is controlled from the pilot house. This is one of many learning opportunities available to children on "Kids in Boating Day," June 11.
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Celebrate Boston Harbor Fireworks
from the decks of Nantucket Lightship/LV-112
Saturday, July 1, Independence Day Weekend
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Boston Harbor fireworks as seen from the decks of the Nantucket Lightship/LV-112. Fireworks photos: Steve Gilbert
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WHEN: Saturday, July 1, from 7pm to 10pm (the fireworks are scheduled to start around 9pm).
WHO'S INVITED: Anyone who wants to reserve a spot and join us on Nantucket/LV-112's weather deck, with friends and family, to watch a spectacular fireworks display in Boston's inner harbor. Nantucket/LV-112's berth has one of the best views of Boston's vibrant city skyline from the East Boston waterfront.
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City of Boston skyline as seen from Nantucket Lightship/LV-112.
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WHAT TO BRING: Picnic supper, your favorite beverages, beach/lawn chairs to sit on the decks of Nantucket/LV-112, which will remain at the dock. We'll supply the ship, panoramic views and lively music. The ship's powerful rotating light beacon will be activated just before the fireworks begin.
WHY: We want to show you our restoration progress. Plus, this is a fundraising event for LV-112, for which we still have much work to do; visit our Facebook page. The ship's restoration solely depends on the generous contributions of corporations, private foundations, federal, state and municipal grants, maritime enthusiasts and individuals such as you.
RESERVATIONS: We request a $30 donation per person. Tickets can be purchased by clicking on EventBrite.
WHERE: LV-112 is berthed at the Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina, 256 Marginal St., East Boston, MA; directions. There's free street parking next to the shipyard, but it's limited due to holiday weekend volume.
For more information, contact: 617.797.0135 or email.
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Nantucket/LV-112 is the perfect venue for watching the Boston Harbor fireworks. Photo: Bob Metell
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Just before the fireworks begin, LV-112's main rotating light beacon will be activated, as shown during National Lighthouse Day.
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89 years ago...
Nantucket LV-117 was sunk by the
sister ship of the RMS Titanic
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The painting "Lightship Nantucket sunk by RMS Olympic" by Charles Mazoujian was commissioned by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) as part of the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976. Thanks to the generosity of the USCG, a copy of this painting is on display at the Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum. For more information about the RMS Olympic / Nantucket LV-117 incident, click here.
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Click on red arrow graphic to view vintage Fox Movietone news story video footage to see LV-106 RELIEF Lightship departing the USLHS Chelsea (MA) Depot on May 15, 1934, to replace Nantucket/LV-117, which was sunk by the collision of the RMS Olympic on that date. Credit: University of South Carolina
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Two former U.S. Coast Guard sister lightships, LV-106 (foreground) and LV-109, lie as abandoned rusting hulks on an overgrown tidal riverbank in Suriname, South America. Both lightships were sold by the United States after decommissioning in the mid 1960s to two South American countries. LV-106 was a relief lightship that replaced Nantucket/LV-117 after its sinking by the RMS Olympic on May 15, 1934. It also served as Nantucket Lightship until it was replaced by the newly built Nantucket/LV-112 in the spring of 1936, today a museum ship in its homeport of Boston.
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USLHS Chelsea Depot, 1935 — This depot was where navigational buoys, lightships and buoy tenders were serviced by the U.S. Lighthouse Service (USLHS) 2nd District until 1939, when it merged with the U.S. Coast Guard. The former USLHS/USCG depot is presently the road-salt storage facility and offloading terminal of the Eastern Salt Co. The photo above was taken facing towards East Boston. Credit: Leslie Jones—Digital Commonwealth |
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4th Annual Maritime Beach Festival —
Constitution Beach, July 7
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The USLM will be participating in the Harborkeeper’s 4th Annual Maritime Beach Festival held Friday, July 7, at Constitution Beach in East Boston. Our booth includes interactive educational exhibits and artifacts — a fun day of learning for all, young and old. The U.S. Coast Guard will be attending with one of their rescue boats, and the event also will feature marine fisheries activities, environmental exhibits, games, music and more. |
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A festival favorite with the youngsters in the USLM's booth is a block-and-tackle exhibit “Work Smarter, Not Harder,” which gives children a fun lesson in physics. The equipment for this hands-on exhibit was generously donated by Westerbeke Fishing Gear Co., East Boston. For more festival information, click here. |
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USS Nantucket (LCS-27) crew visits
Nantucket/LV-112
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Visiting Nantucket/LV-112 in April were crew members of the USS Nantucket/LCS-27 (left to right): CDR Angela Eickelmann, Executive Officer; CMDCS Monica Bolton, Senior Enlisted Leader; CDR Kari Yakubisin, Commanding Officer; GM1 Victor Hernandez, Gunners Mate; BMC Eric Chavez, Boatswains Mate; LCDR Kelly O'Bryant, Combat Systems Officer.
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As shown in the first photo above, crew members from the newly built USS Nantucket (LCS-27) recently visited Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 for a tour. The ship's leadership team and crew members were visiting Boston in April and were interested in touring the Nantucket Lightship while in the city.
Former Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer named a new Littoral Combat Ship USS NANTUCKET (LCS 27) in February 2018. The USS NANTUCKET Commissioning Committee, formed by the Massachusetts Bay Council of the Navy League of the United States, is working with the Navy and the ship's leadership on planning the commissioning ceremony in Boston next year.
Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 served in WWII as a converted armed examination vessel from 1942-45 and was renamed the the USS Nantucket. The Nantucket was reassigned to patrol the entrance of Portland Maine Harbor. Shortly before Germany surrendered, a German Nazi U-Boat (U-853) sank a Naval vessel, USS Eagle-56, outside of Portland Harbor and the Nantucket was involved in helping to rescue the Eagle-56 crew members. For more information about the USS Nantucket (LCS-27) and the USS Nantucket (LV-112), click here.
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USS Nantucket (LV-112), 1942-45
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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, painted by 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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ACK Marine and General Contracting, LLC
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
Boston Marine Society
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
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Capt. Robertson P. Dinsmore Fund
Donahue, Tucker &
Ciandella, PLLC
East Boston Foundation
Eastern Bank Charitable
Foundation
Eastern Salt Company
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
Marine Systems Corporation
Massachusetts Historical Commission
McAllister Towing &
Transportation Co.
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)
Melvin's Welding
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Joe and Pepette Mongrain
Fund
National Park Service
Save America's Treasures
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
U.S. Lighthouse Society
West Marine
Westerbeke Company
Verizon Foundation
Zuni Maritime Foundation
USS Zuni / USCG Tamaroa
Individual Donors
USLM Members
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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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At left, students visit LV-112's pilot house and pretend they are steering the lightship. At right, 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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