Maybe this Forum needs a subtopic to bring in both some new postings and some new posters and registrants and bring it back to "life." Seems I saw some links on the INDEX to special interest groups who have their own websites for: lightships and the coast guard men who were on them; the retired Coast Guard group; a website called 'Fred's for coasties; and someone even mentioned those who were on the tenders for servicing buoys and lighthouses.
It is amazing how many lighthouse enthusiasts, collectors, and even members of HL clubs are not aware of these great General Forums. I made up a xeroxed article on how to find the Collector Forums, and used to carry copies wherever I traveled and handed them out to anyone I met who liked lighthousess. So I can only assume that those involved in the above coast guard groups also would not know of these forums. But they might very well be interested in what we wackos post, and would probably have very interesting stories to tell here of their experiences with the types of ships which HL is modeling. Such postings could turn this Forum into a great combination of what HL is making in new Anchor Bay models, and stories of the real ships which are/were the prototypes for what HL is creating.
Maybe St. John could communicate with the webmasters of the above mentioned sites and post an invitation to those members to come visit and participate here. A little cross-fertilization is always good to keep sites growing on both sides. I had personal e-mails in the past from several who were involved in lightship preservation, which evolved when someone had posted about trying to save that lightship near Oakland/S.F. harbor a few years back. If there was a forum where they thought their postings would fit in and would be of interest to us, they and others in their groups might post here and make this a lively spot. Doug Bingham of the ALF, who is an expert on lightships, could certainly add some interesting postings here.
I am sure that out of the thousands who belong to the HL Collectors' Society, that there would be many who would enjoy the Forums. Maybe a small boxed notice on how to find these Forums should appear in each Legacy.
I would be interested in hearing more about the real ships whose models rest in the glass HL cases on my bookshelf, especially the lightship models.
Maybe a new title would be needed for this forum to reflect both the HL ship products and the real stories from those who were on these ships. Do you have any ideas? Would you be interested in such an expanded forum topic?
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ladylightkeeper
