SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: Decommissioned May 19, 1975 and laid up; a volunteer civilian crew of 12 Nantucket Islanders made the vessel ready for sea and delivered her from Boston to Atlantic City NJ Jul 14-19, 1975; struck by tanker en route; donated as training vessel; converted to museum 1980 at Atlantic City
NOTE: Gash in Lightships Stern.
ONE GASH. ONE LOST LIGHTSHIP !
| Type: | Lightship, USA | |
| Name: | Named for the harbor that it served as marker for during its long active career. | |
| Built: | 1946, Bay City MI USA | |
| Specs: | ( 128 x 30 ft ) 630 tons | |
| Sunk: | Friday January 28, 1994 - Atlantic City Artificial Reef | |
| Sponsor: |
Atlantic
County, Trump Casino, Atlantic City Seafood Festival Artificial Reef Association & Atlantic County Party & Charter Boat Association |
|
| Depth: | 85 ft |
Although known as the Boston Lightship, this particular vessel spent most of her career off North Carolina, New Orleans, and Cape May, where she marked a shoal in the approaches to Delaware Bay known as the Five Fathom Bank. After decommissioning in Massachusetts in 1975, the lightship was under tow back to Atlantic City for conversion to a floating museum when she was struck by a tanker, tearing a large hole in her port side. The museum conversion never materialized, probably because of the collision damage, and the ship languished until taken over by the Artificial Reef Program. She was dismasted and sunk intact with a wealth of historical artifacts that have probably by now been stripped away by happy divers.
To the
Dramatic Sinking of Lightship WLV 189
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