The Nantucket Lightship is currently docked in Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York!

Imagine my surprise when coming back from the annual Mill Neck Manor Harvest Festival (which is a fundraiser for a school for the deaf), driving along Oyster Bay, and seeing the Nantucket Lightship out in the water!

Of course, we had to stop and go take a look. And, as is typical for my life, I did not have a camera with me. DRATS! We walked right up to it (could even reach out and touch it) and got a great look at it. Too bad there wasn't anyone around, otherwise we would have tried to get a tour.

The lightship is in Oyster Bay for their annual festival that takes place this weekend (Friday night thru Sunday). I haven't been able to find out if they are doing tours. I may try to get over there next weekend before I head to NJ to visit family.

Is this the same lightship Nantucket that is normally docked near the Staten Island Ferry terminal on Staten Island?

This lightship is owned by the National Lighthouse Museum:

LV 112 - Nantucket Lightship

LV 112, I believe, is the lightship formerly known as the New Bedford and that is normally moored in New Bedford. When we were there last month it looked to be in excellent shape, but it was definitely nested in at the pier - would be a "move this boat here, then move that one up" type of deal to get it underway.

I saw the New Bedford in Aug...here's a photo...(HOPE IT WORKS!!!)



edited to fix link - case must be an exact match to file name. Dave

alright, what am I doing wrong?!?!?

Actually, the lightship that is moored at New Bedford (LV 114) was the former Fire Island Light Vessel.

New Bedford Light Vessel

This is the ship that was parked in New Bedford on 9/11/03. . . .





Definitely not the same one SeaGirt saw, and looks as if it were moored at a different location. This one has yardarms where the other doesn't. I guess New Bedford has a lightship du jour program in place. . . . . . . .

Dave:

The Nantucket lightship in your photos is definitely NOT the same one I saw last Saturday. The one you saw is freshly painted, LV 112 was not. Plus, it didn't have "Nantucket Lightship, Nantucket, Massachusetts" painted on it. In fact, the lightship I saw had "Portland, Maine" on the back (which was painted over, but still visible).

I just asked Bob Muller and he said there is more than one "Nantucket" lightship. In fact, he said he was on the one you took a picture of when he was in New Bedford last year. He believes it was bought by a lawyer (possibly on ebay) and is going to be turned into a bed and breakfast. He didn't think it was going to stay at New Bedford, but that is was just being worked on there before it went to its final destination.

So, there are two lightships at New Bedford: LV 114, the former Fire Island lightship, with "New Bedford" painted on the side (the one that appears in SeaGirt's great photo) and the "Nantucket" (not sure of its designation).

The "Nantucket" that is currently in Oyster Bay is owned by the National Lighthouse Museum and is LV 112.

Hope that clears up the confusion! I'm glad I finally got it straight!

Last year or so I saw two Nantucket Lightships in one day, completely by accident. One was in Wareham, Mass., right off of Rte 6. This is the one that eventually was refurbished and sent to Nantucket Harbor.

The second one I stumbled upon was tied up in New Bedford at the USCG Station. I also understand there is another one down New York way.

Bob

Oh brother, not the Nantuckets again!

The one Diane saw is the one owned by the National Lighthouse Museum and hangs out in the NY area.

The one that's been in New Bedford all summer and at other times is the one the Goldens bought and remodeled/restored. (This is the one HL just made.)

The one in Wareham is owned by somebody else.