I spoke with Dave Snyder at USLHS today-and went over with him the plans for the RELIEF. He told me that the ship should be dry docked early next spring, and that is when we will know for sure the condition of the hull. If the hull repair goes beyond what USLHS can afford (there is grant money coming) then the ship will be offered to anyone who can take care of it.
I suggested the idea of the giant lightship paperweight, and he said that may be an option. The ship will be given away before USLHS will sell her for scrap. So at least she won't meet the blowtorch. HOWEVER, we still need people to donate time (if you are in the San Francisco Bay Area) or money to help her make it through drydocking and, hopefully, to a new berth where she can be open to the public. There are 2 Bay Area possibilities for permanent display, but unless we can afford repair to the hull, the ship may not ever be displayed. Please help keep the RELIEF in the Bay Area at one of our new maritime museums (one is still in the works on Treasure Island-Yerba Buena to LH folks-sight of the old lighthouse depot where tenders were docked.) If you do send in funds, be sure to mark them for the RELIEF. I did check to be sure that money sent for the ship does go to the ship. USLHS is a reputable, non-profit organization. Any questions can be sent to me at thenest@cwnet.com

You are to be commended for your
perseverance in trying to save a
lightship. These ships served a very
important function--- lighthouses
afloat---in a much more dangerous
environment than most land-based
lighthouses. I had the privilege of
attending a slide lecture this May in
Cape Cod, during the Maritime Week, put
on by Douglas Bingham of MA, who is an
authority on lightships, having helped HL
when it came time for the definitive
design of the Anchor Bay lightships. The
stories he told to accompany his archival
photos of many of these lightships at sea
were riveting --- the dangers (like
lightships being hit broadside and cut in
two by huge freighters in the fog) and
the sacrifices made by the crew in trying to prevent ships from being involved in
accidents. These ships deserve to be
preserved, as another part of our
maritime heritage. I hope current and
retired San Francisco Bay area Navy and Coast Guard personnel will respond to your call for hands-on volunteering to keep the ship in presentable and safe condition for visitors to come see her and support any fundraising efforts your group will organize.

Please keep us posted on your progress to open her to visitors, so that if any of
us come to CA, we can go see the ship.
Doug mentioned that groups here on the
East Coast have worked hard to preserve a lightship; the problem now being to find
a city, museum, or group willing and
financially able to sustain the ship in
good physical condition.

Ladylightkeeper

Barb
Keep us informed about what is happening to the RELIEF. I am especialy interested since I was stationed on the 605 when it was the OVERFALLS back in 1952 at the Delaware Breakwater off of Lewes Delaware. If I lived in Ca I sure would be there to help out.
A group here on the east coast did a great job restoring the FRYING PAN lightship back in 1986 after it had been sunk through neglect for 2 ½ in Whitehaven Md. and is now open to the public by arrangement in New York City at Pier 63
Hal