A century ago, an icy end to Cross Rip Lightship

The frigid weather of late brings to mind one of the saddest of all New England sea ice sagas, the loss one century ago this winter of the Cross Rip Lightship (LV-6).

The Cross Rip, one of several lightships by that name stationed in Nantucket Sound over the decades, became stuck in pack ice in late January of 1918. The ice was so thick and broad that no rescue ships could approach to assist.

The lightship’s captain was stuck on shore at the time, leaving First Mate Henry R. Joy in command.

Joy trekked across seven miles of sea ice to Nantucket Harbor to seek permission for his crew to abandon ship. Instead he was ordered by the officer in charge to return to his ship and keep it on station.

On February 4, the anchored lightship was dragged off station as the ice began to move. The next day, the Cross Rip was spotted by the keeper of the Great Point (Nantucket) Lighthouse as the lightship headed in the grip of the ice to the southeast and out toward sea. The lightship’s ensign was reported to be flying upside down, a signal of distress.

Several US Lighthouse Service and Navy ships were dispatched but could find no trace of the wooden lightship or her six-man crew.

The lightship was never found.