LATE October 1984

I am not sure exactly what the date was that the Nantucket I Lightship was to sail for Miami, Florida and on to Key West, however to the best of my recollection it was late October 1984. Our mission was to sail Nantucket I to Florida for an evaluation as a fuel transfer ship and crew resting quarters in support of the Drug intervention operation in progress in that area. This District was using Surface Effect Ships, (SES) that held a maximum of 3000 gallons of fuel on board. These ships expended 1000 gallons of fuel on the trip out to their search area, and 1000 gallons on patrol of this area before they were forced to return to port for refueling. This meant that these ships, ideal for this operation were limited in the operation length of time on station, forcing a relief about every two or three days. This routine was hard on the crew, allowing little time in port for rest and relaxation due to the need to refuel and refill the fresh water tanks.

The Lightship carried thousands of gallons of fuel in its seven (7) fuel tanks, and almost ten thousand gallons of fresh water, with the ability to evaporate 500 gallons of water daily. In theory, this could become an ideal fueling and water transport for this operation. Since the ship was capable of steaming to any location it was needed, these SES's could run as long as they needed to without fear of running out of fuel. This was a do or die situation for this lightship, failure, or any undesirable remarks meant that the ship would return to Boston and be decommissioned soon after its return. We sailed for Miami.

It is my belief that few if any people in the Coast Guard knew that the Nantucket I Lightship was en-route to Miami, except for those in Boston and Miami. This ship is 128 feet long, painted Red, has NANTUCKET painted down the port and starboard side of the hull, and has two masts. She also flew the following flags: National Ensign, Coast Guard Ensign, and "LO" a series of two flags to signify that the Lightship was "off station", and its underway maximum speed was ten knots.

I do not know the exact location, but somewhere between Boston and Miami, the Lightship was stopped by a Coast Guard 82 ft patrol boat on a mission of drug intervention in its area. It seems that few people in the Coast Guard remember or have ever seen a lightship. At least that is the case on this day. The suspect vessel list, a listing of suspected vessels conducting what is believed to be drug operations had a lookout for a red vessel, with white lettering on the sides, and two masts. So here you have what would appear to be a matching suspect vessel. Everything fit. Well that is almost everything.. When we stopped and the patrol boat came to our port side, the Lightship Commanding Officer Dana P. Lewis stepped out onto the bridge wing and said something along the line of "Good morning gents, what's up?"  So now you have a Coast Guard patrol boat crew looking face to face with what would appear to be a CWO2 Warrant Bos'n in uniform. Same uniform he is well familiar with, and it would seem that all of the people on that red boat wear what looks like the same uniforms that his crew wear... However the skipper on the patrol boat and none of his crew had ever seen a Lightship. Mr. Lewis explained that we were heading for Base Miami, that we were removed from station and were going to evaluate the ship as a portable "gas station" for the SES's. This still left the patrol boats skipper skeptical, and until he got confirmation via radio from his command, we were staying put. Confirmation came a few minutes later, a few laughs were had by all, and we proceeded on our way. The trip took seven days to complete.

BASE MIAMI OCTOBER 1984

We arrived at approximately 2200 and tied up to the pier. The Capt granted liberty to those that had it and we shut down for the night to a normal dockside watch on generator power. The following morning we had lots of puzzled looking Coast Guardsmen wondering just what we were. We were to receive some training for our mission prior to sailing to Key West that would keep us in port here for a week or two. Miami was HOT! Or at least it is when you have 128 feet of light grey decks beating in the sun along with a red hull absorbing the suns heat.

The temperature inside the ship rose to over 100 degrees rapidly before noon. You must remember that we did not have air conditioning. After sitting in this sauna for one day, Capt. Lewis set out to obtain some kind of air conditioning for the ship. This was met with some resistance. What we ended up getting at first was a Base Miami crew that would assist us in painting the hull WHITE for us. The Base Miami crew tried, but I don't think they were ready for the heat to do this job. For us, we had just left Boston a week ago and the air temperatures were getting cooler... this was nice outside to us. So it was decided that we would paint our ship. We ran into a few problems painting her to look like a white one... and no one thought about this until she was all WHITE... what about the racing stripe, shield, and placement of "COAST GUARD" on the hull.

There are no blueprints ANYWHERE that cover painting a Lightship to be a white cutter. Since the CO, and XO were 378 sailors, they worked out and designed the needed stripes and lettering for the hull. It just so happened that they also painted this themselves. During the painting of this logo if you will, it got hot. So the Capt. And the XO dressed as they would have in Boston. That is to say hats off over the side for the XO, and hats off, dress shirt off, and a white rag tied around the forehead as a sweat rag. During this time, an unknown officer, either an Ensign or a Lieutenant came along the dock and yelled to the two "seamen" that was painting the stripe about the proper uniform of the day etc. He asked the name of the CO from the larger of the two seaman he was talking to. "CWO2 Dana P. Lewis sir" was the reply. This officer stated that he wanted to speak with him, and instructed the seaman to go and get him. This "seaman" climbed up off the floating dock they were on, walked over to the officer and said "What can I do for you sir, I am Dana P. Lewis, and this is my ship" The officer shook his head, shook Lewis's hand and after a brief discussion left.  

Approximately one and one half weeks later we set sail for Base Key West. As I recall it, while en-route to Key West we had some mechanical problems. These problems forced a yard period to be corrected. I am not sure but I believe it was a problem with the shaft, but at any rate a full scale yard period was held in Tampa/St. Pete. Everything that was done during this yard period was documented and the records are most likely still aboard the ship. This yard period took us almost to Christmas, and most of usflew home for the holidays.

JANUARY 1985 EVALUATION OF THE LIGHTSHIP.

With all the crew back onboard in early January, we began the evaluation of the Lightship. We sailed wherever we were designated to be, and fueled and watered the Surface Effect Ships as we were directed to do. It seemed to us that the system was working out fairly well.

During the time that we were doing these refueling operations, we received a message that one of the SES's had broken down and was in danger of crossing over into Cuban waters. We were sent to assist the SES in any way possible since we were the closest vessel to it. We sailed. As we sailed, we began to make preparations to take the SES into tow. The XO, BMC Mathurin designed a bridle for this purpose, and upon arrival we took the SES in tow a short distance from Cuban waters. For the first hour or two that we towed this SES, we had a Cuban "fishing" boat following us. Once it was certain that we were not going to cross into Cuban waters, this boat left. We towed the SES towards Key West, and was relieved of the tow just outside the harbor.

END OF JANUARY 1985

After completing our sea trials of the refueling operation, we returned to Key West. Over the course of the next week or two, a team from Miami came aboard to plan and evaluate the crew living space if they were to accept the Lightship for this operation. It was determined that this boat would be too small to handle the needs of its crew, plus berth those from the SES ships on rest periods. It is my understanding that this was the reason that the LIGHTSHIP was declined for that operation. We sailed for Base Miami and spent a few days in port there before leaving for home.

FEBRUARY 1985

We sailed for home on or about February 1 1985, with the fate of our ship sealed to be decommissioned. During the trip home, we took advantage of the Gulf Stream waters and sailed at an unbelievable speed of about 14 knots for a day or so. However, we hit a storm off of Cape Hatteras and were forced to anchor for the night due to complications with the main engines caused by air filling the sea chest from the bow hitting the seas. The following day found the sea to be smoother and we continued on towards home. We sailed through Cape Cod Canal and on to Boston. During this time Coast Guard Helo's came into sight and we later learned that photo's were taken of the white lightship arriving home.

MARCH 1985

During the month of March 1985, we transferred all spare parts to various locations throughout the district. All parts were sent with documentation on form 1149 and at one time these 1149's were still on the ship. These documents may become valuable to locate parts no longer in use or needed.

ON MARCH 29 1985, at a ceremony at Coast Guard Group Boston, Nantucket I WLV 612 was decommissioned and the last lightship in service was darkened and locked until removed at a later date.

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.