BACK in the DAY - FIVE FATHOM BANK LIGHTSHIP -



FIVE FATHOM BANK USCG LIGHTSHIP (WAL 530)
15 MILES OFF DELAWARE BAY

FIVE FATHOM BANK LIGHTSHIP circa 1966
Taken from USCG 30500 dropping off an Electonic's Tech

 After graduation from USCG bootcamp in Capt May, N.J. in 1965, my first duty assignment was "Cape May Station", Boathouse - A "Fireman Apprentice" at the time, I was assigned as Engineer crewman to the Patrol Boats that ran SAR calls off the coast of N.J. and the Delaware BAY.  In addition to Search and Rescue, we also ran "service calls" to the two Lightships off the Jersey Coast and the 5 lighthouses in the Delaware Bay.  Crew changes, supplies and other runs to the "lights" were made by one of the boats and crew from Cape May station.  I took this photo on one of my first runs as crewman aboard a 30ft CG Patrol Boat (CG 30500, Fiberglass 30ft patrol boat with Turbo-charged 671 GM Diesel).

"LIGHTSHIPS" were USCG floating Lighthouses which were anchored on or near dangerous shoals, marking their location to warn off  large vessels to steer clear.  They also sent out a constant radio signal (beacon) which often made them "targets" for large vessels running on "Auto-pilot" - - Lightships stayed put in virtually all weather they would sometimes "blow" off station.  Lightship duty was sometimes boring and could be dangerous - -

VESSEL DESIGNATION: LV 108 / WAL 530
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YEAR BUILT: 1923
BUILT AT: Bath (ME)
BUILDER: Bath Iron Works
CONTRACT PRICE: $200,000
SISTER VESSELS: LV 106,107,109,110,111
DESIGN: Steam screw; steel hull, steel pilot house and deckhouses; 2 masts with lantern galleries, smokestack amidships
LENGTH: 132'4" (loa); BEAM: 30'0"; DRAFT: 14'7"; TONNAGE: 775 displ

PROPULSION: Steam - compound reciprocating engine, 400 IHP; 2 oil fired Scotch marine boilers, 120 psi; 4 bladed propeller; max speed 9 knots
ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: 375mm electric lens lantern at each masthead
FOG SIGNAL: 12" steam chime whistle, submarine bell, hand operated bell
Delivered Sep 17, 1923-
Equipped with~ radio and radiobeacon when built-
1935: Fog signal changed to steam diaphragm horn-
1945: Fitted with detection radar-
1959: Steam power plant removed; repowered with GM 268A diesel 500HP, 4' 9" dia propeller; max speed listed as 6 knots-
1964: USCG lists vessel with duplex 375mm lens lantern on foremast, 15,000cp each lamp; F2T air diaphone; CR-103 radar, otherwise as shown above-
Radio and visual call sign NMGW (1940-1964)
HISTORICAL NOTES:
1929 Jun 8, crew rescued USCG warrant officer, pilot of amphibian aircraft which made forced landing near lightship; plane was brought alongside and pumped out; later picked up and taken ashore by tender-
1930 Jun, radiobeacon of Five Fathom LV 108 sequenced with Overfalls and Winter Quarter
1945-1970: She was stationed at Five Fathom Bank (NJ) until retired.

HistoryThe Five Fathom Bank Lightship station was located in the Atlantic Ocean about 14.7 miles and 100 degrees from the Cape May Lighthouse.While records indicate the station was established around 1837, there are some records that indicate it could have been as early as 1835. The first vessel stationed on Five Fathom Bank has not been identified, but contemporary accounts describe the vessel as "decayed and leaky."

ADDITIONAL “Five Fathom” LV history can be found @ http://www.njlhs.org/njlight/fivefatham.html
(Gives additional background and history on Previous lightships stationed @ Five Fathom prior to WAL530)

RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1970; AGE: 47
SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: Decommissioned Aug 31, 1970; donated Dec 29, 1971 (recipient not shown). Said to have been scrapped at Norfolk (VA), 1975

Below - Five Fathom Circa: 1945