United States lightship Columbia facts for kids
 |
|
Quick facts for kids History |
|
|---|---|
  United States |
|
| Name | USCGC Columbia (WLV-604) |
| Namesake | Columbia River |
| Builder | Rice Brothers Corporation, Boothbay, Maine |
| Launched | 1950 |
| Commissioned | 1951 |
| Decommissioned | 1979 |
| Homeport | Astoria, Oregon |
| Status | Museum ship |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 617 long tons (627 t) |
| Length | 128 ft (39 m) |
| Beam | 30 ft (9.1 m) |
| Draft | 11 ft (3.4 m) |
| Propulsion | 1 × 550 hp (410 kW) Atlas-Imperial direct reversing 8-cylinder diesel engine |
| Speed | 10.7 knots (19.8 km/h; 12.3 mph) |
| Complement | 17 enlisted, 1 warrant officer |
| Anchor | 7,000 lb (3,200 kg) mushroom anchor |
| Light | 600 kilocandela lens, 1,200 watt light (13 nmi (24 km; 15 mi) range) |
| Foghorn | Diaphone foghorn (5 mi (8.0 km) range) |
|
Lightship WAL-604, "Columbia"
|
|
 Location in Astoria OR
|
|
| Location | 1792 Marine Drive, Astoria, Oregon |
| Built | 1950 |
| Architect | Rice Brothers |
| NRHP reference No. | 89002463 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | February 17, 1978 |
| Designated NHL | December 20, 1989 |
The United States lightship Columbia (WLV-604) is a special kind of ship called a lightship. It used to float near the mouth of the Columbia River in Astoria, Oregon, United States of America. Today, you can visit it as a museum ship!
Contents
What is a Lightship?
A lightship is like a floating lighthouse. It has a powerful light and a foghorn. These help guide other ships safely. Lightships are used in places where building a lighthouse is hard. The Columbia helped ships cross the dangerous Columbia River Bar. This area was known as the Graveyard of the Pacific.
History of the Columbia
Building and Launch
The Columbia was built by Rice Brothers Shipyard. This shipyard is located in Boothbay, Maine. The ship was launched in 1950. It was built alongside its sister ship, the Relief (WLV-605). The Columbia was officially put into service in 1951.
Service on the Columbia River
The Columbia was the fourth and last lightship to serve at the mouth of the Columbia River. It replaced an older ship called LV-93. LV-93 had been guiding ships since 1939. Lightships helped guide vessels in this area from 1892 until 1979. The Columbia was the very last lightship to be taken out of service on the U.S. West Coast. An automated buoy took its place in 1979. That buoy has also since been retired.
Life on Board
The Coast Guard kept a crew of 18 people on the Columbia. This included 17 enlisted men and one officer. The officer was the ship's captain. Everything the crew needed had to be on the ship. During winter, bad weather could stop supplies from arriving for weeks. Life on the lightship could be boring at times. But it also included riding out strong storms. The crew worked in shifts, usually for two to four weeks. Ten crew members were always on duty.
A Historic Ship
In 1978, the Columbia was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of important historical sites. It was removed in 1983 because it moved from its original spot. But it was put back on the list in 1989. At that time, it was named a National Historic Landmark. Today, the Columbia is at the Columbia River Maritime Museum. You can see it there along with the buoy that replaced it.
See also
- List of lighthouses on the Oregon Coast
- Columbia Bar
