Delaware Bay Lighthouse Keepers

& Friends Association, Inc. 

"Our mission is to preserve the history of the Delaware Bay

 and River Lighthouses, Lightships and their Keepers."

Northeast End Lightship

Delaware Bay, NJ

The Northeast End Lightship was built in 1882 by Pussey & Jones in Wilmington, Delaware. She was the first iron lightship built in the United States. The Northeast End vessel was described as: schooner rigged: cagework day-mark surmounted by ball at fore-masthead. Two foremast, red, and one on the mainmast, white, at half-mast high, and lower than red light: (visible) 11 1/2 miles and 10 miles respectively. The fog signal is a 12 inch steam whistle: blasts, 4 seconds: alternate silent intervals, 5 and 107 seconds.

Number 44 was stationed on the northeast end of Five Fathom Bank from 1882-1926. She was then transferred to Cornfield Point, Connecticut where she served until 1938. A hurricane in 1938 almost destroyed her. She was damaged so badly that it was uneconomical to repair her and she was sold for scrap.

In 1926, #44 was relieved by Lightship #79 (#79 went on to become the Barnegat Lightship from 1945-1967). Lightship #111/WAL #533 took over the station in 1927 and remained until the station was discontinued in 1932. (LV #111 went on to become the Ambrose Lightship from 1932-1952).