To visit the Lightship Portsmouth, take the exit to downtown Portsmouth off of I-264. Then make a left onto Court Street, a right onto Hight Street, and a left onto Water Street. Travel about a block and make a right onto London Street and the lightship will be directly in front of you at the end of the road. ***Note*** Parking may be hard to find since the lightship is in downtown Portsmouth.
In 1916, the lightship "Portsmouth" or LV (light vessel) 101 was constructed and commissioned into service. The lightships' first duty was to mark the "Charles" light station at the northern most entrance to the Chesapeake Bay. The lightship effectively marked the station until 1924 when it was reassigned to the "Overfalls" station off the coast of Delaware. There, the lightship marked the entrance to the Delaware Bay until 1951.
The lightship was then used to mark various other stations in the New England area before it was retired from service in 1964. It was later moved to the waterfront in Portsmouth, VA, and as tradition would have it, its name was changed to "Portsmouth," being the location where it is now stationed. In 1989, the lightship was chosen as a National Historic Landmark.
Today, the lightship serves as a museum and is open to the public. The lightship is outfitted with relics such as uniforms and photographs and was recently given a fresh coat of paint. The lightship looks as though it is about to be reassigned to active duty. For more information on the lightship, visit the Naval Shipyard Museum & Lightship Museum.
Photo taken on June 12, 2003
Lightship Portsmouth
Photo taken on June 12, 2003
Photo taken on June 12, 2003
This photograph is of the interior of the mast. When maintenance was needed on the light, members of the crew climbed this narrow cylinder to get to the light. Imagine what it would be like to climb up to the light during a storm at sea.
Being the captain of a lightship had its advantages. One of those advantages was not having to share your sleeping quarters with five of your crew mates (see photo below).
Photo taken on June 12, 2003
Photo taken on June 12, 2003
This photo of the crew's quarters shows the cramped space that they slept in and the limited space for their clothing and other belongings. This picture shows on half of the room. The other side is a mirror image, with beds and lockers for three other crewmen.
In times of bad weather and fog, the ships light was often ineffective and sometimes useless. The crew were required to ring the fog bell to notify nearby ships of the presence of the lightship and the naviagtional hazard that it marked.
Photo taken on June 12, 2003
Photo taken on June 12, 2003
This is the right side of the machine that raised and lowered the anchors.
Lightships were also equiped with lifeboats to use in assistance of a nearby distressed vessel, or in the event that something happend to the lightship itself.
The light, the most important part of the lighthship, remains operational today to show visitors how it looked when it was first put into use.
This is one of two massive anchors used to keep the lightship in place. Occassionally, lightships were moved off their station in extremely rough seas.
