The Nantucket Lightship Will Be a Floating Exhibit

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T h e N a n t u c k et L ig h tsh ip w i l l b e a F l o atin g E x h ib it

Greeted by a show of community enthusiasm and welcomed by the Selectmen and officers of the Nantucket Historical Association, the veteran lightship Nantucket came around Brant Point shortly after noonday on December 7, and was moored at a temporary berth on the south side of Steamboat wharf a few days later. The coming of the vessel to the port for which she was named was the result of careful planning by the Town and the Historical Association, and was made possible by the determined efforts of a group of local men who brought her here from East Boston.

The story of the eventual arrival of the lightship in Nantucket began last March, when word came that the older of two lightships that guarded Nantucket shoals was to be decommissioned. Of the once sixty lightships which were stationed along the east and west coasts, Nantucket Shoals is the last manned lightship, all the others having been replaced by huge buoys. On March 21 the Nantucket was officially decommissioned by the U.S. Coast Guard, and her former post on the exposed South Shoals station was taken by a newer craft, formerly guarding the Portland, Maine, area. The older vessel was then turned over to the General Services Administration.

A few days after this ceremony it was learned that at an auction sale the Nantucket had been purchased by the New Jersey Labor Department, and was to be taken to Atlantic City. The announcement led to a burst of activity on the part of the Selectmen and the Historical Association. After extensive discussion it was determined that the Nantucket belonged in Nantucket; the New Jersey group was approached and a deal was arranged whereby an exchange was effected — the delivery of the old Boston Lightship to Atlantic City in place of the Nantucket. To accomplish this a company of islanders volunteered to go to Boston and take the other lightship — the Boston — to Atlantic City. Led by Captain Mitchell (Mike) Todd this company succeeded in their enterprise, and included: Thomas "Les" Eldridge, Arthur "Pete" Grant, Kenneth Holdgate, Anthony Docca, Richard Mack, Dr. Roy Stuart, Dennis Dias, Jr., Robert Allen, Jeffrey Marks, Richard Hardy and Daniel Kelliher.

It was during this voyage that there was a close brush with disaster when, during a heavy fog off Block Island, the lightship was side-swiped by a Liberian freighter, striking a glancing blow at the stern. Having her steering gear damaged, the lightship put back into Jamestown, R. I., where the Nantucket mechanics restored the apparatus and the voyage continued, arriving at Atlantic City without further incident. In itself, this was an unusual achievement.

NANTUCKET LIGHTSHIP A FLOATING EXHIBIT 17

Before the Nantucket could be brought to the Island, it was necessary to haul her and paint her hull. This considerable expense was borne by the Historical Association. On December 3, the volunteer crew flew up from Nantucket and began getting the lightship ready for her voyage to the Island. Under the supervision of Mike Todd this difficult assignment was accomplished, and the vessel prepared, including pumping bilges, getting the heating system to function, over-hauling the gear, electrical system, etc., and starting the 8-cylinder diesel engine for testing it, etc.

With Mike Todd as the general manager of the expedition, the Island group was made up of the original twelve and an additional eleven — bringing the company to twenty-three. As the licensed Master Mariner, Robert S. Grant was selected, with his father Captain Arthur "Pete" Grant and Captain "Les" Eldridge as his able assistants. The licensed Chief Engineer was Arthur Hardy, with Kenneth Holdgate, Robert Allen, and Dennis Dias as assistants. Richard Mack and Richard Hardy were the electrician mates. Roy Stuart was named Ship's Doctor, and "Andy" Docca was the Ship's Cook. Daniel Kelliher, and Jeffrey Marks were Able Seamen, with Frederick Clow the official photographer.

Also making the trip were Russell Merriman and Wayne Saker, associated with the New England Regional Commission; Charles J. Gardner, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen; Benjamin S. Richmond, Chairman of the Nantucket Historical Association's special Lightship Committee; Ralph Packer, of Martha's Vineyard; William Rezendes and "Mike" Bachman, who helped in the galley, and John Dooley of Channel 3, the Nantucket Cable Television representative.

At approximately 1:30 Saturday afternoon, the mooring lines were cast off and the lightship got slowly under weigh. Boston Lightship was passed at 3:05 and the Nantucket headed well out into Massachusetts Bay for Cape Cod's tip end, and Peaked Hill Bar buoy. From Tom Giffin's excellent account of the voyage in The Inquirer and Mirror we excerpt the following: "She rounded Peaked Hill at 6:30, steaming at the unexpectedly high speed of nine knots, and began progressively altering course to the south as she followed buoys marking the contour of the outer Cape, staying inshore of the main shipping lanes. "At 10:05 that night they came up to the seabuoy off the east end of Pollock Rip Channel and altered course slightly offshore for the buoy marking the seaward end of Great Round Shoal Channel. This buoy they made at 11:45 p.m. and turned west to enter Nantucket Sound, passing Great Point at about 1:30 Sunday morning. They proceeded southwestward down pastTuckernuck Shoal Buoy and anchored approximately two miles southwest of the buoy at 2:27 a.m., one of the ship's 7,000-lb. mushroom anchors and two shots of chain giving her a very secure anchorage for the remainder of the night notwithstanding the 30-knot northerly breeze that had arisen.

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HISTORIC NANTUCKET

"The arrival in Nantucket Harbor was purposely delayed so that the 12-foot-draft ship could be brought in and berthed on a high and rising tide, and also so that the townspeople could see the arrival. At 11:17 Sunday morning (high water being at 2:55 p.m.) the anchor was weighed and the "Nantucket" got under way. She passed the Bar bellbuoy at 11:50 and rounded Brant Point at 12:02 noon, tieing up across the end of Steamboat Wharf a few minutes later. At 12:15 Capt. Grant rang 'Finished with engines' on the telegraph, and the Nantucket Lightship was home."

When the lightship first came into sight a large number of residents in automobiles at the Jetties Beach were gathered to watch her enter the jetties mouth and proceed down the channel. At Brant Point another group — on hand with cameras for the most part — greeted the Nantucket as she rounded the point. There was a considerable gathering on Steamboat Wharf as, with a strong breeze behind her, she came swiftly up, nudging vigorously the spiles at the southeastern end of the wharf before slipping alongside the east end and getting her lines ashore.

A brief but interesting ceremony then took place. Russell F. Merriman, Chairman of the New England Regional Commission, and Wayne Saker, also a member of the Commission, presented a scroll which officially deeded the lightship to the Town of Nantucket. Selectman Charles J. Gardner, Chairman of the Board, accepted the scroll, then read a letter from Senator Edward M. Kennedy complimenting Nantucket for its efforts in obtaining the lightship. Arnold Small, Secretary for the Board of Selectmen, was introduced as one who had worked diligently in the process involving necessary "red tape;" and Leroy H. True, Administrator of the Nantucket Historical Association, was next to be introduced for a few words of welcome. Mitchell Todd, the general supervisor for the "voyage home," received warm applause when he was called upon for a comment — which was brief and emphatic, as one might expect from this hard-working citizen.

The lightship Nantucket will eventually be moved over to the north side of Straight Wharf, where a berth has been prepared for her by the Sherburne Associates. The Town has leased the vessel to the Nantucket Historical Association, and she will become an exhibit vessel, open to the general public during the coming year. As some dredging will be necessary to accommodate the lightship, permits have been requested from U. S. Corps of Engineers for this work.

One of the largest lightships ever constructed by the government, the Nantucket was built in 1935, and placed on station the following year. She is 149 feet long and, when fully loaded, draws 16 feet, and has a maximum displacement of 1,100 tons. On her bow are two 3-ton anchors, of mushroom design, and on her stern is an emergency naval style anchor. Thick, 1 5-8 inch iron, chain secure her anchors, with 1,080 foot lengths. She is powered by a 900-h.p. Cooper Bessemer diesel engine, turbo

charged, with 8 cylinders. Her two tall masts carry the customary lights, with the radar equipment on the foremast, which also holds the main light.

The story of bringing the lightship to Nantucket is a tribute to the supporters of the entire enterprise, and a matter of pride to the men who volunteered to serve as officers, crew and galley stewards. The successful completion of the voyage is in itself a story involving the confidence and determination of a company of men serving in the best traditions of Nantucket.