Dismasting of the Mexican Sail Training Barque Cuauhtemoc

 

Here's the latest link produced on YouTube by Sal Mercogliano- a maritime historian at Campbell University and former Merchant Mariner. He's highly recommended by a number of us for his depth in Casualty Analysis. He's been following this via a number of YouTube entries as this situation unfolded.  

  breaks down a vSal Mercogliano's Latest Analysis of the Cuauhtemoc's dismastingideo showing the entire voyage of the Mexican Navy sail training ship om the South Stre

et Seaport to its allision with the Brooklyn Bridge and was the Controllable Pitch Propeller system the root cause?

Publicity.. You take it where you can get it.

With no budget, no one on Spirit of South Carolina's team performing in a role as Marketing-publicist-Business Developer-"mouthpiece" or whatever,, the publicity, visibility, brand, of our schooner is built on, well, just us volunteers, really. We tell her story, invite walk-ups aboard for a tour, somehow manage to throw the schooner's name into conversations we are having with who'ever might be interested. 

Every once in a while, an opportunity drops on us. In this case a request for a magazine photo shoot.  If you've been aboard since 2020, there has been two. Given the  readership, and chance to be on a cover.. well, it's a big deal.  Free publicity. 

Last month, Ken Fonville greeted Photographer Mark Staff and his team on board to set up a special shoot for a feature article in the  Summer edition of  "Charleston Women".  The magazine is Charleston Women is a lifestyle magazine that focuses on the needs and desires of women who are business leaders, daughters, mothers, grandmothers, neighbors, wives, sisters and much more.  Mark had earlier coordinated coming on board, with Bryan Oliver, who would be out of town. So Ken stepped up to host the event, whatever that might be .

Ken was probably set back momentarily at what happened next.  Mark's work is a serious production. The shoot showcased nine women. According to Ken's recollection, an entire ensemble climbed down the gangway and began stalking the deck  first to identify their "set", then looking for the best angles to compose their shots, lighting equipment, bringing aboard the "Talent", in this case, nine Charleston women business leaders/entrepreneurs, make-up-wardrobe, and of course.. catering.  

The results were pretty impressive, given the deck was largely stripped of rigging. No matter,, his staging crew gathered up loose gear and arranged it in places that would create an effect.  The results of his work are in the cover  below.  You can access the digital magazine at:

read.charlestonwomen.com/charleston-women/summer2025/6/#zoom=true

New Volunteers on the way to filling in gaps left by some of our stalwarts..

We didn't get chance to bid Fair Winds to Nick Swarts, who recently signed on to the Denis Sullivan's crew for the passage to Boston,, I understand they departed Thunderbolt Shipyard on Saturday. Bittersweet, losing a volunteer like that, but it's also a Good thing, for the reputation of  Spirit's Volunteer Crew.  We train deckhands.  . I'll have him try to keep us posted.  Nick had been helping them out on occasion during their shipyard period out there.  

This past Saturday, the 24th, two new Volunteers, Benji, Norman, and Emma Etheridge mustered aboard along with Ken Fonville, and David Reid. They were all on time.  Bos'n Bryan was not.  It took him longer than expected to ghost across the Wando from Remley point, and down-river in his Beetle Cat, "Sean-O". finally docking at 0930.  Actually he confessed to a particularly disorganized up-rigging process on the catboat's trailer before even launching. After all it had been several months since she was in the water. .. of which very little seeped into her bilges during the passages, less than a quart after six months in stocks,, a testament to solid planking and caulking.

While Bryan was working his way down-channel, Ken led Benji and Emma thru an on-deck orientation. Shortly afterwards Ken disembarked to shift over to the final intensifying coordination of  the Salute to Veteran's Regatta. 

Bryan segued the orientation from history of the vessel, and what her intended mission has always been,  into an introduction and practice in safe line handling. In the course of conversation about what Spirit of South Carolina does, Benji and Emma's core professional competence in Marketing came up.  It's an essential component that's been absent from Spirit South Carolina for the past three years.  Given current absence of any visible activity in that area, there's a void that needs filling. 

Five of us was a decent number by which to make some progress, but not enough to launch the RIB rescue boat.With that in the water we can inspect the hull, maneuver the hull away from the yokohama's and possibly reset them for good.  Provide some Coxwain skills training to those interested..  Then there's Dory, that needs some exercise.  

Can we get six next week? or later, after Memorial Day? Hope so.

Practical Navigator USCG Approved Online Learning Now Available to Spirit of South Carolina Volunteers

Volunteering aboard Spirit of South Carolina is part service and part education. You can't spend even one day without learning something new, from varnishing techniques, or proper application of increasingly finer sandpaper grits to realizing the impacts of weather, tides, or a poorly made knot, boxing the compass, not to mention an entirely new language.  Some Volunteers even aspire to picking up skills and sea time that will advance them closer to gaining a license.  Now with Spirit of South Carolina's new status as a designated Partner Organization by Practical Navigator, our Crew, including Volunteer Crew, can take their skill building and Mariner education to a new level. 

Practical Navigator is offering the following USCG approved courses at a Deep Discount, or even at now charge for qualified Volunteers

• Able Seafarer (ne; Able-Bodied Seaman-AB
• 100 Ton Master or Operator of  Uninspected Passenger Vessels
• 100 to 200 ton upgrade (master or mate)
• Sailing Endorsement
• Assisted Towing Endorsement
• Sailing Endorsement
• Assistance Towing Endorsement
• Radar Observer Unlimited and Combined Radar/ARPA
• Radar Recertification
• Lifeboat Operator (PSC) - Limited - for Tall Ships Members
​

Active Volunteers who have completed 50 Volunteer Hours (as documented via the Volunteer attendance Log) can now can gain access at steep discounts($100) to a Complete library of USCG approved Mariner Credential online courses, including personalized instructor guidance;

Active Volunteers completing 100 hours are eligible for Free Tuition for one course. Spirit of South Carolina is allocated 5 slots per year at no charge.

To register for courses and obtain a deep ($100) discount:

Volunteers must first complete 50 Volunteer Hours, documented in the Volunteer Log.

• The Volunteer must first contact  the Volunteer Coordinator(bryan@spiritofsc.org, or text 314-409-0433) with Intent to enroll. 
• On confirmation from Volunteer Coordinator, the Volunteer should contact  Instructor at Practical Navigator who will confirm your eligibility and guide you thru the enrollment process.

To Register for Free Courses (Volunteers with 100 documented hours)

• The Volunteer must first confirm 100 Volunteer hours in the Volunteer Log, and contact  the Volunteer Coordinator(bryan@spiritofsc.org, or text 314-409-0433) with Intent to enroll. 
• On confirmation from Volunteer Coordinator, the Volunteer should contact  Instructor at Practical Navigator who will confirm your eligibility and guide you thru the enrollment process.
​

 

Spirit of South Carolina Hosts Charleston Collegiate 8th Graders Aboard

In spite of our Schooner's apparent Limbo status, these past few months, Spirit of South Carolina has still found ways to execute her mission.  This last April 16th, she hosted onboard, thirty 8th-grade students from Charleston Collegiate School for an orientation and 2-hour educational program. 

Boatswain(Bos'un) Bryan Oliver points out
 the berthing arrangement
during the group's orientation.

Hosted jointly by the LowCountry Maritime School, and Spirit of South Carolina, three facilitators, presented an introductory 15 minute orientation and tour of the Schooner.

 Following the orientation, students organized into three watches and rotated thru three 300-minute  learning sessions.

  

LCMS Director Sam Gervais illustrates
 the ship's sail plan.

On the Quarterdeck, LCMS Director, Sam Gervais  gave a more detailed explanation of Sail Trim on a schooner, steering, knots and seamanship.  

CAPT Heath Hackett pointing out buoys
 along the channel entrance

Below in the Saloon, Capt Heath Hackett, Project Manager for the Spirit of South Carolina led students thru simple navigation techniques on hard charts spread over the table. 

Bo'sun Bryan explaining a Schooner

Forward at the Sampson Posts, Boatswain and Volunteer Coordinator, Bryan Oliver led students thro a historical perspective, including the evolution of commerce in the harbor, contributions of Enslaved African Americans to the economy of the harbor, and their developing a "Seaborne Underground Railroad, in which escaping slaves found their way north to freedom. 

Bryan pointing out the route
 of the runaway Container Vessel last year,
 and the Pilot-in-Command's role
in avoiding catastrophe

Finally, Bryan wove into the conversation the significance of Harbor Bar Pilots, and their evolution over the past 300 years.

The experience proved the viability of hosting students aboard for bespoke programs, in spite of her decks constrained with lashed down spars and gear in preparation for a movement to Shipyard.