200-YEAR-OLD LITTLE GULL LIGHT STATION STILL SAVING LIVES By Merlon Wiggin August 27, 2006 Even though the Little Gull Light Station is no longer manned, and has been fully automated by the Coast Guard, it is still fulfilling its mission of saving lives. When approaching Little Gull Island this a.m., the writer was on an LCM 85 landing craft, captained by Joe Edgar. We were doing a trial run for landing on Little Gull in preparation of the public event in recognition of its 200th anniversary, when the radio came alive regarding two individuals stranded on the island. It seems that Arben Kolotini and Anostros Simi from Astoria had launched their 22-ft inboard/outboard that morning from Gull Pond in Greenport to go fishing in the vicinity of the Race. It was reported that their engine had failed to start and that their boat had drifted ashore on the rocky coast of Little Gull Island. When this island was a manned light station, they would in all probability have been immediately rescued by the station's light keepers. But that was then and this is today with all lighthouses and light stations, except one, automated and unmanned. Richie Jensen on the "Nancy Ann" out of Orient, who was fishing in the vicinity, observed the incident and called the Coast Guard, who responded with their 41-footer out of New London. After observing the frantic waving of the stranded guys on shore and thinking that the landing craft might be their only means of rescue, Joe Edgar on the LCM 85, despite the 4- to 5-foot seas, decided to make an approach into the Island's very narrow boat basin through the rough breaking seas. Before we could complete the landing, the Coast Guard called and asked us to back off as they were sending a helicopter. Approximately a half hour later, with no help in site, Douglass Marine, who was now on the scene in "Redfish," with Bob Douglas as captain and Bob Haas as crew, decided to launch their aluminum-hull rigid inflatable powered by a 4 HP outboard in command of Peter Douglas. The inflatable powered into and through the rough seas into the Little Gull Island's small boat basin, picked up the stranded fishermen, helped them into life jackets, and brought them back to Douglass Marine's "Redfish." Inasmuch as the rescued fisherman apparently were not injured and wanted to get back to Greenport, the Coast Guard's offer to have them transferred to their 4-footer and taken to New London was declined. It is assumed that the rough seas that are occurring will not be kind to their boat, aground on the rocky shore of Little Gull Island. The above is an on-the-scene report of an occurrence that could have ended with serious consequences. Much larger fishing boats with experienced captains decide not to go out to those waters with the reported small craft warnings. That the two fishermen were safely rescued is a tribute to Richie Jensen, who reported the incident; the Coast Guard, who monitored the incident; and especially to the expertise of the Douglass Marine crew, who made the difficult look easy. The author is not only President of East End Lighthouses, but is Vice Captain of Division 18 of the Coast Guard Auxiliary and holds a Coast Guard Masters license. Commemorative History of Little Gull Light Station now available. Click here to order now.