North Carr Lightship

The light was berthed off the coast at Fife Ness on the northern approach to the Firth of Forth.
The first light was exhibited on a wooden boat on 7th June 1887. The light was positioned approximately 1 mile off the North Carr Beacon and was in 22 fathoms of water.
In 1889 this was replaced by a purpose built vessel for the NLB.
The third and final North Carr lightship was built in Glasgow by A & J Inglis at a cost of £15,430. The vessel had no power of her own so had to be towed into position. This allowed more space to be given to generators and other light related apparatus.
The 4th order optic for the vessel was supplied by Chance Brothers of Smethwick near Birmingham and was first lit in 1933.
The lighthouse was crewed in rotation by 11 men who spent a month on board followed by two weeks ashore.
On the 8th December 1959 in violent storms the Lightship broke adrift from her moorings. The Lightship was able to anchor some 900 yards off the shore at Kingsbarns and the crew were taken off by helicopter in a daring rescue.
Unfortunately the Broughty Ferry lifeboat that was sent to assist the lightship capsized and was lost with all her crew.
The Lightship was eventually towed to Leith on 11th December where she underwent repairs before returning to her duties on 16th March 1960.
In 1975 the Fife Ness lighthouse was commissioned and the lightship was replaced by a lighted buoy.
The light vessel was acquired by North East Fife District Council and spent time as a floating museum at Anstruther before being moved to its current home at Victoria Docks in Dundee. Here the vessel is undergoing refurbishment by the charity Taymara.
The Chance optic has been removed and is now in the care of The Museum of Scottish Lighthouses in Fraserburgh.