Lightships Showed the Way

摘要

For the past two decades, mariners have missed a long familiar sight off America's coastlines — lightships. With the decommissioning of Nantucket I March 29, 1985, nearly 165 years of American lightship history came to a close. The first American light boat took station in 1820 off Willoughby Spit, Va., to guide shipping through the Chesapeake Bay. Whereas this and follow-on boats marked shoals within the bay, the Sandy Hook lightship, taking station in 1823, was the first to patrol the open sea. As aids to navigation, lightships offered flexibility. As shoals shifted and shipping patterns changed, lightships could be moved as needed. During the 19th century, the service experienced growing pains as poorly designed and non-standardized ships were added to the fleet. The formation of the Lighthouse Board as part of the Treasury Department in 1852 helped remedy the situation.