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Shipwrights are hard at work laying the new wooden deck over on LV 83 “Swiftsure”. While the majority of the new planking is Douglas Fir, hefty chunks of Purple Heart are also being laid where the vessel’s bitts will be re-installed. (This one is for the starboard aft bitts)
from Northwest Seaport’s Facebook Page
In honor of the final closing of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, have a photo of two of our historic vessels along the Seattle Waterfront with the Viaduct. This photograph of the tugboat Arthur Foss and Lightship no. 83 was taken July 24th, 1970, the day that Arthur Foss was donated to become a museum ship.
The Viaduct will soon be gone, but our museum ships live on!
From Northwest Seaport’s Facebook Page
Cold temperatures haven’t stopped work on the deck of our lightship. The entire stern section has finally been finished in Douglas Fir planking. Soon enough, it’ll be caulking time.
Lightship #83 on station at Blunts Reef, California with steadying sails raised, 1916.
LV 83 was built in New Jersey in 1904 and was brought around Cape Horn to be placed on the Blunts Reef station. She served there until 1930, when the ship was moved to the San Fransisco Lightship station. After WWII, the vessel became Relief for the 5 West Coast lightship stations, finally being retired in 1960.
LV 83 now carries the name “Swiftsure” (the nearest lightship station to Seattle) on her side and is at Northwest Seaport on Lake Union being restored.
from Northwest Seaport’s Facebook Page
The duel light beacons of Lightship LV 83 “Swiftsure”
from Northwest Seaport’s Facebook
“ Throwback Thursday:
In honor of International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend a few days back, here is a photo of our Lightship No. 83 in September 1949. She is in drydock undergoing repairs, modifications, and upgrades prior to her transfer from duty as the primary San Francisco lightship to the relief lightship for the three northern stations (Columbia River, Umatilla Reef, and Swiftsure Bank) in 1950.
She finished her career in Washington State waters a decade later, in 1960. Note the massive primary mushroom anchor and oversized bilge keels, called rolling chocks, in the picture. “
From Northwest Seaport’s Facebook Page
Lightship no. 83 (today known as “Swiftsure”), seen here in 1947. The ship had just completed a comprehensive refit following its World War II patrol service and was ready to return to normal lightship duty after trials.
From Northwest Seaport’s Facebook page.
