Capt. Dan Berg's Wreck Valley Collection   

VINEYARD LIGHTSHIP

The steel hulled Vineyard Lightship (LV-73) was built in Baltimore in 1901. She was 112 feet long had a 29 foot beam and displaced 693 gross tons. The Lightships had been changed several times over the years. She was named Pollack Rip Shoal, Pollack Rip Slue and Pollack Rip before being re-named Vineyard Lightship.

On September 14, 1944during a severe hurricane the Vineyard Lightship foundered and was sunk. All of her 12 crew men went down with the ship.

In 1963 the Lightship was discovered with a side scan sonar. Divers who explored the wreck discovered why she went down. The reported that her auxiliary anchor had crashed a slice into her hull.

Today the Vineyard Lightship sits in 70 to 80 feet of water a few miles west of Cuttyhunk. According to Captain Eric Takakjian the Lightship is partially covered in sand. Her entire outline of her hull is still recognizable. The wrecks bow provides the highest relief and rises about eight feet off the sand. Eric reports good artifact hunting especially after a storm.

 

Courtesy Bill Carter Collection			Courtesy Bill Carter Collection

 

All photographs, sketches, images and text

Copyright Capt. Dan Berg / Aqua Explorers Inc

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Baldwin NY 11510
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