Over the course of my life one of my passions has become reading. Because the present leadership of this Association is strong and, the BOD operates well I have been able to return to my passion, reading.

A few years ago a close friend gave me a book titled Lightships of Cape Cod by Frederic L. Thompson. I consumed this little gem in one sitting. It was 109 pages sheer enjoyment for me.

At the end of this web page I will give you instructions how you can get this book .

Here then are some fascinating tid bits of information.  All are quoted from the book.

Conflicts

" Lightships had their full share of internal conflicts. On one occasion, the captain and the first mate of the Nantucket Lightship were so estranged that whenever they sat down to dinner, they pulled a curtain between them so they would not have to lay eyed on one another."

" A delay in the arrival of the relief lightship on Diamond Shoals once pressed tension beyond endurance. The first mate, upon urging of the crew, wanted to head for shore without waiting for the relief lightship. The Captain disagreed, pulled a gun, and had him put in irons. Upon finally reaching port, the captain left the ship quickly and rushed to headquarters to file his complaint. When the captain's superiors realized he had left his ship without putting the proper officers in command, he was charged with desertion, the first mate released, and made captain of the vessel."

Anchors and Chain

NOTE: Keep in mind that the first "chain" was actually hemp rope. It took 70 years experimentation before it was realized the mushroom anchor was the only reliable anchor.

"The Nantucket Lightship (612) is equipped with Di-lok forged steel anchor chain 1 and 5/8 inch thick It's breaking load is325,000 pounds. The chain weighs about 155 pounds per fathom (6') with an overall weight of 18,600 pounds for 120 fathoms of chain.) Today's mushroom anchor may weigh up to 7,800 pounds."

One Tough Wood Lightship

NOTE: Lightship # 1 was one tough cookie. Built in 1855 she was still afloat in 1986. Here is one of the the reasons  why.

"She was a strong vessel, built with a double hull to keep her collision-proof. Commenting on her toughness, a 1930 editorial in the Baltimore Sun read, the tough oak timber that would go into her was cut from the swamps of southern Virginia.  Then it was carried to New England, where it was sunk in blue mud of some cove and allowed to season. When her hull was completed it consisted of her outer frame and an inner shell ( double hull.) In the space between, salt was poured to harden the wood until it became virtually petrified, so hard  it defied the carpenters brace and bit."

First Radio Call For Help

December 10, 1905. Relief Lightship # 58 on Nantucket Station. " A heavy gale set in. As the storm grew, a small leak developed in the ship's engine room. Soon the pumps were unable to keep up with the incoming water and the ship's fires were extinguished. She used her wireless radio to call for help and became the first American vessel to use the new invention for a distress call at sea. Neither SOS or CQD had been established as the emergency call, so the relief lightship radioman used the plain, old-fashioned, "HELP", and broadcast the message in both the new International Morse Code and the long established American Morse Code."

Iron Men Wood Ship, Christmas 1866

NOTE: The second lightship to serve on the Cross Rip station was a former two-masted schooner. Christmas day 1866.

" First Mate Charles M. Thomas took command of the lightship in the Captains absence. The following day, while most people enjoyed the holidays on the mainland, the crew of the Cross Rip Lightship watched the ocean with grim reflection. Within a few hours they were in the midst of a roaring gale. On the morning of the 28th. both anchor chains snapped and they were adrift. Two days later the attendant at Great Point Lighthouse came to Nantucket Village and exclaimed that he had seen the lightship passing the light with distress flags flying. Weeks past and relatives conducted memorial services. On February 2 word came that the crew was alive! They had been rescued by a passing vessel, Henry L. Richardson and taken to New Orleans. On February 15 the crew arrived home."

Hankerchief Lightship, The Original Perkins Restaurant?

During WW II the Hankerchief Lightship # 98 became one of the favorite haunts for Coast Guardsman running supplies to the different lightships and lighthouses in Nantucket Sound. On board was a cook named Gus who was reputed to serve the most delicious hot twisted rolls in the area. At 0600 most morning there was at least one Coast Guard patrol boat moored to the Lightship. The crew was aboard the lightship sampling the chef's delicacies."

Lightship Colors

" Since there were so many Lightships off Cape Cod (12 at the beginning of the last century, each one needed a different color for positive identification and proper navigation. Shovelful Lightship #3 was supposedly the only lightship ever painted green. Other colors used were yellow, white, red, some had stripes, one had checks. Succonnessett was listed as being painted red with white squares; Pollock Rip, red; Hankerchief, straw-colored; Cross Rip, black with a white streak; Vineyard Sound, red with a yellow streak, and Hens and Chickens, lead colored." " Lightship, The President. (In 1938 she was given the arbitrary letter "Z" to simplify the records.) The President, like many lightships of her time was built of white oak and yellow pine, , locust and red cedar. She was also copper-fastened and copper- bottomed. She must have been a pretty  sight with her red hull and copper trim."

Lightships VS. Submarines

" War years have always been anxious times for lightship crewmen. Bound by duty to maintain their station, they were sitting ducks for their enemy. But in February of 1942, the crew of Stonehorse lightship # 53 felt reasonably safe from German U-Boats in the shallows of Nantucket Sound. On the 12th. of the Month , the # 53 was ordered to Boston for much-needed repairs. She was rounding Race Point when a gale set in, blowing her out to sea. The crew dropped anchor, but after the chain was completely played out, there was no sign of the bottom. The anchor hung in the depths like a watch-fob. The storm completely disables the engine and radio. After five days of battering the vessel the wind subsided and the skies cleared. The crew had barely gathered their wits when a German U-Boat surfaced not 100 yards from their bow. The only armaments aboard the # 53 were two 45-caliber pistols and a few old WW I rifles. Completely at the mercy of the U-Boat the crew braced themselves for the inevitable torpedo. The submarine turned and moved slowly toward the lightship. Then the captain called over in perfect English, " Aren't you somewhat off station?" Before anyone could reply, he climbed back into the submarine and gave the order to submerge. To the amazement of the crew, the U-Boat disappeared and was never heard from again. A few days later a patrol plane spotted the helpless lightship and a cutter was dispatched to retrieve her."

Punishment For Being AWOL

During WW II the #53 was considered the Siberia of Coast Guard duty. Delinquent Coast Guardsmen were sent there as punishment. One adventurous crewman swam ashore to visit his girlfriend in Chatham. When he was reported AWOL, the Shore Patrol came after him. Instead of going in the brig for a few days, he was returned to the lightship, ample punishment for a love-sick sailor."

Brenton Reef And The Little Girl Who Never Knew Her Name

" One of the most interesting stories of Brenton Reef concerns a little girl who never knew her own name. Like so many of the shoals which the cape Cod lightships guarded, Brenton Reef has a fascinating history."

"The story takes place in the 1750's, almost a hundred years before a lightship was first stationed there. A British ship bound for New England struck the reef, leaving only a few survivors. One of them, a little girl, who was too young to know her own name. She was adopted by Jahleel Brenton, the leading member of the Brenton family after which the reef was named. Brenton was a Royalist, and as the Revolutionary War drew near, he played host to numerous officers stationed in the colonies."

" One of His Majesty's officers apt to visit the shipping tycoon's home was a Lieutenant Jared Stanley. On each visit, Stanley was struck by the strong resemblance of the beautiful Alice Brenton and his own kin in England. When he heard the details of Alice's rescue as a very young child, he realized that she was his sister, Beatrice Stanley, whom his family had given up for lost some 15 years before! despite Alice's new quandary over what name to go by, there was a joyous reunion."

Lightship Crew Leaves a 14 year old boy in Charge.

An inspection of a Lightship found that a 14 year old boy was left in charge of the lightship when the crew went ashore. He could not even raise the oil lamps that provided the light for the beacon at night!

Here are some ways to get your own copy of this fine book.

Go to: http://www.lighthouseantiques.net and order on line.

Send an email to jclaflin@lighthouseantiques.net and ask for instructions.

Or write to Kendrick A. Claflin and Son

Care of James Claflin

30 Hudson Street

Northborough MA. 01532-1922

NOTE: As a side bar to this book review, I will tell you that there was one time much later in history, when a Lightship was not painted the standard red color. The year was, 1984. Here is that story.

Copyright © 2005  United States Coast Guard Lightship Sailors Association INC. All rights reserved. Copyrights also protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998
Revised: 10/23/06.