Swiftsure (Lightship 83): Preserving the Past to Benefit the Future

Swiftsure is the oldest floating lightship in the U.S. and is being restored by Northwest Seaport in Seattle, WA. For more information, visit nwseaport.org.

[@rickbar123]

I was on the Barneget in Philadelphia about 50 years ago. It was spotless, an absolute showpiece. Now it’s sinking into the mud on the Jersey side of the Delaware. Glad to see you folks saved this one.

[@chrisambrose8838]

Very interesting and insightful! I’m building a model of the lightship AMBROSE with all the details and this is a big help ! Thanks for posting! 🇺🇸👍🙋‍♂️🖖🏻

[@WidleyWesident]

Wow. A lightship with an engine. Amazing!

[@richardgordon6442]

Very informative. Great job restoring. Hope to visit the lightship someday.

[@jlpytlewski]

Barnegat LS 79 was built the same year, and is still afloat, but abandoned and rotting away at a NJ marina. I was a Sea Cadet in the `70s and sailed on Barnegat several times on the Delaware River and when she was taken to Wilmington DE. for some work. She is also registered as a historical vessel, yet she`s rotting away in the mud.

[@MrJeep75]

Great work guys

[@2minniegirl]

I love the way it sounds beeee ooooh

[@StuffBobbyDoes]

I was a member of NW Seaport when Kay Bullitt was at the helm, and also a crew member of the 508 in '60 before she was decommissioned. She was never named Swiftsure, and I'll never know why the name was changed. Her last station was Umatilla Reef. I know her pretty well. Surprised that the de-gaussing system was never mentioned.

[@marzsit9833]

they changed the name to swiftsure because swiftsure banks is the closest lightship station to seattle. when i was a kid in the early 70's it was named "relief".

[@2minniegirl]

I like the fog horn up close if I was standing right in front of it wow it would sound loud I wonder how did they operate the fog horn?

[@Shipwright1918]

I hope one day the boilers and the engine can be restored to operating condition and the lightship be steamed up and run under her own power once more, for there's nothing quite like a steamship under way. All the other lightships that exist today have either no engines at all or were converted over to diesel power, this one is unique to have its original machinery still intact.

[@StuffBobbyDoes]

There is no propeller, unless it has been recovered from the block of concrete it was embedded in.

[@Shipwright1918]

@@StuffBobbyDoes Well, it was certainly built with one, and a rig of sails as well, as it had to come and go from its station at sea under its own power. If nothing else, a new one would have to be made. As it's a static museum, not strictly necessary as it's not going anywhere, but if the boilers and engine were restored to be operable again, you'd definitely need a prop.

[@StuffBobbyDoes]

@@Shipwright1918 I think you will find the propeller embedded in concrete in front of the office of a certain marine service company. It was traded for repairs or drydocking, can't remember which. Same for the bunkers (diesel fuel) that was left on board.

[@marzsit9833]

@@StuffBobbyDoes it was "traded" for drydocking, cutting out the prop shaft and welding a plate over the remaining hole. this is because northwest seaport didn't want to pay for repairs to the leaking shaft seals.

[@marzsit9833]

@@Shipwright1918 doubtful it will ever be restored to operating condition. northwest seaport takes in tons of money from donations and most of it goes to paying their corporate staff. when a group of volunteers restored arthur foss to fully operational status in the 1980's, none of the volunteers were paid and a lot of the parts were purchased with volunteers own money. when most of the volunteers got pissed off and quit, arthur fell into disarray again. now it never leaves the dock and hasn't been drydocked in decades. the front of the wheelhouse is rotted away, that's why it's always covered with a tarp now.

[@dreamingflurry2729]

Nice...if it were mine I wouldn't exactly restore it...I'd remove most of what is on it and then re-make it into my floating home with solar-panels, a more modern engine (maybe even electric?) etc. etc. (seems to be about the right size for a decent floating home :) )

[@StuffBobbyDoes]

Lol.

[@jimsonbrown9768]

The engine must last forever on a lightship.

[@bongrips4jesus364]

My uncle was on this ship in the coast guards in 1953 to 1956

[@StuffBobbyDoes]

@@bongrips4jesus364 And I was stationed on it in '59-'60.