Frying Pan (lightship)

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Image:fryingpan.jpg
Frying Pan Lightship on its last day at station (replaced by Light Tower)
Career United States Navy ensign
Name: Frying Pan
Builder: Charleston Dry Dock and Machine Co.
General characteristics
Tonnage: 632 gross tons
Length: 133 ft 3 in (40.6 m)
Beam: 30 ft (9.1 m)
Crew: 15

Contents

[edit] Frying Pan Shoals Station

In 1854, because of complaints from mariners that the height of the existing Bald Head Lighthouse was inadequate, and the light of its Third-order Fresnel lens wasn't bright enough to warn mariners of the shallow waters of the treacherous Frying Pan Shoals off the coast of Cape Fear in North Carolina, United States, the first lightship was stationed on the shoals, [1] in lieu of a proposal to improve Bald Point Lighthouse. Lightships remained on station for 110 years.

The Bald Point lighthouse, and others, were turned off during the Civil War to avoid aiding the Northern ships.

The ship was replaced by a lighttower in 1964. Naval Records The lighttower, a Texas tower was manned until 1979, is a great diving spot and still stands to this day.

This ship, LV-115, was the last of 9 ships that served in succession, with some alternation, at the Frying Pan Shoals station during and since the American Civil War. [2].


[edit] Construction and Features

LV-115 was built in 1929-1930 by Charleston Drydock and Machine Co. for a contract price of $274,434. [3]. [4].

[edit] Service

It served at Frying Pan Shoals from 1930 to 1942, and again from 1945 to 1964. During World War II the ship was used as an examination vessel, as part of training.

FRYING PAN was retired from duty at Frying Pan Shoals in 1964. It served briefly as a relief ship at Cape May, New Jersey, and then was decommissioned in 1965.

The ship sank in 1984 or 1986. Photos of the sinking in progress, and description here. [4].

Having been underwater for three years, it was raised in 1987.

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

Frying Pan is one of about 13 surviving American lightships, out of about 100 built. Two other lightships, AMBROSE (lightship) at South Street Seaport and NANTUCKET (lightship) at Oyster Bay, Long Island, became National Historic Landmarks and are open to the public as museum ships.

[edit] Party Ship

"Unlike the staid Ambrose lightship at the South Street Seaport Museum, the Frying Pan lightship is now used basically as a bar.)" -- Blog of Brian.

Frying Pan can be rented for events and functions. It became known as one of the top 100 party sites in NYC.

FRYING PAN SHOALS LIGHTSHIP NO. 115 (lightship)
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Frying Pan (lightship) (New York)
Frying Pan (lightship)
Location: Pier 63, Chelsea, New York, New York
Coordinates: 40°44′59.57″N 74°0′36.7″W / 40.7498806, -74.010194Coordinates: 40°44′59.57″N 74°0′36.7″W / 40.7498806, -74.010194
Built/Founded: 1929
Architect: Charleston Dry Dock and Machine Co.
Added to NRHP: January 28, 1999[5]
NRHP Reference#: 98001615
Governing body: Private

FRYING PAN (lightship) LV-115 is a lightvessel moored at Pier 66a in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It served at Frying Pan Shoals, off Cape Fear in North Carolina.

[edit] References

  1. ^ TITLE HERE. PUBLISHER HERE (2007-09-15).
  2. ^ Frying Pan Shoal Lightship Station History. United States Coast Guard Lightship Sailors Association, Inc. (2007-09-15).
  3. ^ USCG LV-115 / WAL 537. United States Coast Guard (2007-09-15).
  4. ^ a b Frying Pan Shoal Lightship Station History: LV-115 WAL 537. United States Coast Guard Lightship Sailors Association, Inc. (2007-09-15).
  5. ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-01-23).

[edit] External links

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