Barnegat Lightship

About Barnegat Lightship:

The United States lightship Barnegat is located in Camden, New Jersey. The 668-ton, steam-propelled Light Ship Barnegat was designed and built by the New York Shipbuilding Company in Camden, New Jersey in 1904. The ship, currently docked at a private marina in Camden, is 130-foot long with a 28-foot beam. As a light ship assigned to the Barnegat Station, its role was to warn commercial ships along the New Jersey coast of shallow water and shoals in order to avoid strandings or sinkings. Two masts, each of which contained three oil-fed lanterns; a steam-chime whistle that blasted every 20 seconds; and a submarine bell were employed to provide the warning.The ship was first posted from 1904-1924 at Five Fathom Bank near Cape May Lighthouse. It was then used as a relief Light Ship for two years before being permanently posted to Barnegat from 1927-1942. During the closing years of World War II, it was withdrawn temporarily to serve as an examination vessel at Edgemoor, Delaware, where it would intercept all vessels entering the Delaware River to determine the ship’s identity, cargo, homeport, and last port of call before clearing them to proceed. Following the war, the Barnegat was returned to service at the Barnegat Station until its decommissioning in 1967. The ship was added to the National Register of Historic Places in November 1979.

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