The LV605 remains one of the finest examples of a substantially unaltered lightship in the United States. The U.S. Lighthouse Society receives many complements from our visitors on both the condition of the ship and the quality of the tours given. This of course is due to the fine efforts of those volunteers who maintain and show the ship to the public. Although record rain through the late winter and early spring months have kept visitation down so far this season, our docents wait eagerly for the warm summer months when they can enjoy the sun and a cooling sea breeze off the Oakland Estuary. Between tours, docents can relax on deck, read a book or simply chat with passer-by’s. We always encourage nearby residents to consider becoming a docent on the RELIEF, to “tell the story of the lightship” to our visitors, most of whom have never even heard of a lightship. Over the past 15 years, all of the below deck compartments open to the public have been cleaned and/or painted out. So, with the exception of the forward hold and the B1 Engine room, no further below deck “restoration” work is planned, at least in the near future. Although considerable hours are still spent in the on-going maintenance phase, the ship has long since gone from the “restoration” of a historic vessel, to the “operation” of a museum vessel. Short term projects include refurbishing our brow sign, lifeline stanchion repair, acquiring new zincs for all generator heat exchangers and replacement of #1 Generator starting batteries. Clean up work in the B1 Engine room has commenced. Our long term goal is preparation of a repair specification for our next dry docking. If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area and can spare one weekend day a month, consider joining the lightship crew, it is an experience that we are sure you will enjoy. Currently the ship is open to the public Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm and during special events.

San Pablo Rotary Club Dinner

On May 11, 2007 the San Pablo Rotary Club held it's first dinner / live auction. The theme for the event was a "Night in Tuscany". The purpose of the auction was to raise funds to assist schools in field study trips to learn about educational opportunities after high school. The focus was on 6th grade students to let them know how important their grades are during the high school years. One of the live auction items that were "sold" to the audience was a tour and dinner for six aboard the U.S. Lighthouse Society's Lightship RELIEF.

The three winning couples of the lightship auction chose Friday June 15th for the date of the dinner, which was expertly catered by San Pablo Rotary Club member Sonya Wyland and her husband Bill. Winners received a private guided tour of the ship followed by dinner in the Wardroom. After dinner a short video depicting life aboard the COLUMBIA Lightship was shown. Our guests learned about lightships and the efforts of the Society, plus they had an enjoyable summer evening aboard. We hope this may be the start of many such events aboard our ship.

Winners of the Lightship dinner from left to right ; Dick & Susan McCloskey, Pat & Jim Storer, and Charlotte & John Bernardin just prior to boarding.
Photo by Bill Wyland

Our dining guests relaxing in the Crew's Library prior to dinner, event coordinator/caterer Sonya Wyland is on the right.
Photo by Bill Wyland

Evening toast with dinner in the Wardroom.
Photo by Bill Wyland