Lightship SAN FRANCISCO

by James Williamson

Original - Sold

Price

$1,800

Dimensions

24.000 x 16.000 inches

Title

Lightship SAN FRANCISCO

Artist

James Williamson

Medium

Painting - Pen & Ink Watercolor

Description

Lightship San Francisco
Pen and ink, watercolor painting by artist James Williamson.

Artist James Williamson, ASMA
Signature Member of the American Society of Marine Artists

Located at 37 degrees 45.0 N. 122 DEGREES 41.5 w., the San Francisco lightships, were a fixture off the entrance to San Francisco Bay from April 7, 1898, until the advent of the ocean buoy in 1971. Lightship No. 83, which served off Blunts Reef from 1905 till the 1930s, is seen here years later serving as the San Francisco Lightship. During the period of the San Francisco Lightships, three different lightships and several relief vessels served the post. Many tempest tossed souls were saved by its presence in a vital navigation area. Lightships are no longer positioned at perilous spots along the west coast, but before the electronic revolution in navigation aids, they played a vital role in guiding seagoing vessels.

Duty aboard a lightship was the most dangerous and uncomfortable in the lighthouse service. Pitching and rolling, the lightship was designed for its purpose, which was sea-keeping ability, to stay on station when the sea got rough. Lightships took fearful poundings. The greatest danger to lightships were storms or collision with another vessel, usually these rammings were not too serious and damage was slight.

Serving as a warning to navigators of a dangerous hazard the lightship served well through the years - whether as a haven of refuge or as an aid to navigation - and has been a most useful instrument. Lightships could be placed where no lighthouses could be built or where no buoys would remain. The sun has set on all the lightships as an aid to navigation. Stationary towers or improved buoys have replaced all the country's lightship stations. It was a nostalgic day when that era ended.

Uploaded

January 2nd, 2012

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