And Now They Are Gone: documenting the last sailing lighter of Nevis, West Indies

Abstract

The island of Nevis in the eastern Caribbean was until recently home to a unique traditional-built sailing lighter. The last two working vessels were hauled out for the last time only in 2001. The lighters of Nevis have a rich history and were built without plans, conforming to traditional proportions and practices. One of these vessels was carefully documented by the author in the grounds of the Horatio Nelson Museum in Charlestown before it completely succumbed to the elements. The vessels have since deteriorated and are gone. The maritime legacy of Nevis and the lighters are described.

Slaves to Sailors: the archaeology of traditional Caribbean shore whalingc.1850-2000. A case study from Barbados and Bequia (St Vincent Grenadines)

“…The St Kitts lighters reported defunct by Meniketti (2012) also belong to this form of boat. The St Kitts lighters reported defunct by Meniketti (2012) also belong to this form of boat.…”

“…There is also a tradition of building larger boats, sloops or schooners, for inter-island and regional trade. The St Kitts lighters reported defunct by Meniketti (2012) also belong to this form of boat. Four remained when Pyle visited the island in the 1970s (Pyle, 1998: 114); a lighter is used to transport goods from a ship lying off a port, but they were also used to transport cargo between St Kitts and the neighbouring island of Nevis.…”

‘This Islande is Inhabited with all Sortes’: The Archaeology of Creolisation in Speightstown, Barbados, and Beyond, AD 1650–1900

“…See also Pyle 1998, 184–90. Vernacular sailing boat construction in the Caribbean islands is a much understudied topic, and one which requires urgent attention from maritime archaeologists; cf Meniketti 2012.…”