 Ambrose light station, rebuilt in 1999 |
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| Location: | Lower New York Bay; Ambrose Channel |
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| Coordinates WGS-84 (GPS) |
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| Year first lit: | 1823 |
| Foundation: | Steel piles |
| Construction: | Steel |
| Tower shape: | Tower on red square worded AMBROSE |
| Height: | 76 ft |
| Intensity: | 60,000 candles |
| Range: | 18 nm |
| Characteristic: | Flashing White 5 seconds. Fog horn (2 s blast every 15 s) |
Ambrose Light, often called Ambrose Tower, marks the convergence of several main shipping lanes in Lower New York Bay; Ambrose Channel, the main deep water shipping channel into New York Harbor, to its North; Nantucket-Ambrose Shipping Lane, the main shipping lane between Boston and New York, to its East; Hudson Canyon-Ambrose Shipping Lane, a major shipping lane into the North Atlantic, also to its East; and Barnegat-Ambrose Shipping Lane, another major domestic shipping lane, to its South. The tower is owned and maintained by the National Data Buoy Center and is officially designated as Station ALSN6. The tower structure is located at , the light sequence is white flashing and flashes every five seconds, and its RACON has a unique radar signature (−•) which helps distinguish it from other large objects using the shipping lanes. Ambrose light station is an important navigation aid for all ships entering and leaving the Port of New York and New Jersey.
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History
The original light station was put into operation on August 23, 1967, replacing the obsolete Lightship Ambrose, and cost $2.4 million. The tower design was a Texas Tower, a very strong steel pipe structure based on the oil platforms built for use in the Gulf of Mexico. The structure was prefabricated in Norfolk, Virginia and shipped in sections on barges for assembly on-site. The tower station was situated about 7.5 miles off of the coast of Sandy Hook, New Jersey in approximately 70 feet of water and was supported by four 42 inch steel pipes, sunk down about 245 feet to the bedrock. The light was about 136 feet above mean low water and the 10,000,000 candle-power light could be seen for 18 miles. The lower deck was designed for fuel and water storage while the top deck served as living quarters for a 6 to 9 man crew. The roof of the platform also served as a flight deck for helicopters, the main mode of transport to and from the station for crew rotations. The tower was automated and the crew was removed from duty on October 15, 1988. Ambrose light station was controlled electronically by the United States Coast Guard station on Governor's Island until the island and base were transferred to New York State and City for $1 in 2003. In October 1996, on a clear night the 754 foot Greek oil tanker Aegeo struck the tower, causing severe damage. It was discovered that the light was not functioning when the tanker hit the tower (i.e. at the time of the allision). The Aegeo's captain was later found to be at fault. Three years later, in September 1999 after repairs were deemed insufficient, the old structure was razed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and replaced with a new tower. The new tower was built about 1.5 miles East of the old site, and is approximately 76 feet above mean low water, and the 60,000 candle-power light is visible for 18 miles. In January 2001, the 492 foot Maltese freighter Kouros V struck the new tower, shortly after the repairs from a previous allision had been completed. On November 3, 2007, the tanker Axel Spirit struck the tower . No injuries or pollution were reported.
Miscellanea
- The Lightship Ambrose held its station from 1823 until its replacement in 1967, and was only the fourth lightship designed and commissioned to serve a U.S. coastal port.
- The tower carries an automated weather station, which is of interest to scuba divers, fishermen, and other small craft users.
- The tower is a staging point for pilot ships; notably the Sandy Hook Pilots.
External links
- Lighthouse Depot - Story about destruction of original structure
- Night Beacon - About lightships, including Ambrose Lightship
- South Street Seaport Museum - Current location of the Ambrose Lightship
- New Jersey Scuba Diver - Information, charts, and history of Ambrose light station
References
- Lighthouse Depot - Reference article
- USCG light list - Ambrose Light is listed as number 720
- U.S. Coast Guard - Historic Light Station Information
- U.S. Coast Guard - Information on lightships
- National Data Buoy Center - Station ALSN6 - Ambrose Light
- New York Harbor Approaches, NOAA Chart 12326 online.
