By the time I get this published, Spirit of South Carolina will have been resting peacefully, fendered-up against a huge barge at Stephens Towing Company (Shipyard) on Yonges Island since Thursday afternoon the 4th of September.
She had been brought there by a hastily recruited Pick-up delivery crew of professionals and Volunteers, on less than 18 hours notice.
Yours truly was informed late Tuesday afternoon, and requested to, from a standing start, organize what volunteers could be reached, and react; 2 hands on the dock to take off the gangway and cast off dock lines, and a few more on board to take in lines and send them out again once arriving at the destination. The directive was not to publicize this event, i.e. no standard email/text blast to 100-plus Volunteers, and see how many could respond, then select the most able-bodied. It was a quick reaction drill that none of us really wanted, but-there we were. If you ever wondered why the Volunteer Attendance Log exists, this is why.
On getting his marching orders, Bryan contacted the delivery Captain, Andy Hudak to coordinate efforts and get his plan. Capt Hudak was well acquainted with our Schooner having delivered her back to Charleston in 2023 from her previous shipyard. Other old volunteers might remember him from the times he Captained the schooner Harvey Gamage during her port calls here in Charleston. Along with Capt Hudak, Dave Gugliatti, a Charter Captain/Engineer/second license holder came onboard to inspect, monitor the engines and electrical power, and work the throttles. Also coming aboard would be Sam Gervais, Director of the Low Country Maritime School.
So, Bos'n Bryan sent out some hasty text and voice mails to the most likely available, and sufficiently capable volunteers to take on this delivery. No time for training-up. So, starting with the most recently active volunteers, based on logged hours and demonstrated competence, Bryan started texting. Ken Fonville, and Walter Barton quickly responded, but could only be present to get her off the dock. They would take charge of the gangway and casting off the nine dock lines. Lance Halderman, and Maxwell Dale, happened to be on their "weekend" during a cycle break as instructors at the Naval Nuclear Electronics School. They would be able to join crew as deckhands for the delivery.
The plan was to cast off between 0700 and 0800 to catch favorable tides both, outbound for speed, and inbound over the bar off the Edisto Inlet, and.. before the Shipyard closed for the day. Since she was completely down-rigged, she would be motoring the 46-mile route out past the jetties, down the coast, and up the Edisto River/Intracoastal Waterway to her destination, to be hauled out and begin her long- anticipated every-10-Year Shipyard Phase.
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| Capt Andy jumps the gap to take a shore-side look at dock lines before the crew arrives at 0700.. |
Bryan assigned tasks, and things started moving fast. While Capt Dave disappeared into the Engine room to check out what worked and what didn't. Dock lines singled up. Ball Fenders reset to orient on the pilings. Water hoses unhooked and coiled. On the dock, gangway steps were cleared way, as well as space for stowing the gangway, which was next, Ken and Walter deftly unhinging, lifting and swinging the inboard edge all the way inward
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| Ken Fonville sends off the schooner while he and Walter secure the gangway on the dock. |
swung off onto the dock. Un-necessary open hatches secured for sea. Capt Hudak directed taking in dock lines according to his predetermined tactic to manage an ebbing tide current.
By 0815 we were pointed down the North Channel and Ft. Sumter
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| Sam Gervais in overwatch, Capt Andy on the helm, Dave G. adding reverse throttles to clear the bowsprit off the dock while Kyra and Maxwell coil dock lines. |
On the way out of the harbor, and pretty much the entire passage, there was no wind. The sea was like glass. Our colors on the transom and on the spreaders hung limp. Cloudless sky. Temp high enough to feel the heat, but not yet oppressive. Water bottles filled from the on-deck orange jug, just before, fortified by 3 pounds of bowl-frozen ice.
Just beyond the Jetties, Capt Hudak slowly put the helm to starboard, swinging us around the Red 17 channel buoy and onto a southwesterly course down the coast. There was nothing left to do but enjoy the remaining 5 -hour motor cruise to the North Edisto inlet, then up river to the shipyard.
Bryan broke out the Six-Knot Challenge bag from the rope locker and arranged six one-fathom ropes. on the fife rail, and invited volunteers to a little practice. Maxwell got serious with it, and after three rounds, reduced his time for the six knots to 35 seconds. 30 seconds for all six knots made to standard will get his name on the Brass Plaque in the saloon. He and Nick Swartz are both in striking distance of that distinction.
An unannounced excitement occurred when a Coast Guard Patrol Boat rapidly approached from our stern, hailed the schooner to prepare to be boarded. Turns out it was a random Safety Inspection. The "Coasties" in this department were required a quota of on-the-water contacts to inspect, as we were literally the only vessel in sight. The inspection was quick and efficient, and they were off.
In another hour, Bryan brings his Mark 25 sextant on deck, and a few try their hands at bringing the sun down to the horizon for a shot, with a promise from Bryan to compute a line of position, sometime in the coming week. One by one, crew goes below to build a sandwich or wrap for lunch with fixin's brought aboard by Capt Andy. While not setting a watch, Capt Andy made sure that each hand took a turn at the wheel. We'd been averaging between 8 and 9 knots under power, so making better time than expected.
By one PM, the schooner turned up to a Northwest bearing, motored over the bar and into the Edisto River. In another hour and a half, followed the curve and northerly fork that became the Wadmalaw River. Now we could make out the yellow crane on the horizon that marked our destination. .At 1445 hrs, fully an hour earlier than predicted, we slowed back, put out fenders starboard side, and ran out dock lines. Stephens Towing Project Manager Dagin Clark met us at a huge barge where we would tie up. On questioning, his plan was to lift the schooner out in slings either Monday or Tuesday.. After that..?
One last event: Bryan had been sitting on it for four months , but now the time was right to award Lance Halderman his pin, marking 100 Volunteer hours in supporting the schooner. Look for a photo here,, sometime soon..
By 1530 we'd off-loaded our personal gear, secured hatches and disembarked. Rachel Berquist appeared next in the LCMS truck to take off Sam Gervais and Maxwell. Old Salt Volunteer Chris Sosnowski had been alerted to come for us, but not for another hour so we idled in the very comfortable lobby of the Shipyard. Right on time, Chris appeared and the remaining five of us piled into Chris's classic 1998 Lincoln for the hour-drive back to the Maritime Center.
So, Why the short notice? It would've been great to throw a Volunteer Bon Voyage party on board just before her departure. But, in reality the chance of that happening turned out remote. Heath Hackett had predicted this sort of situation awhile earlier, described all the moving parts that had to be synchronized for this event. a Delivery Captain had to be found for the short time window. The Shipyard had to identify a time window to accept us. Initial funding had to be secured for the shipyard and costs of professional delivery crew: (Captain Hudak and Dave Gugliotti). All those dates and situations had to come together like the tumblers in a padlock. It ended up taking months for that to happen,
But here we are. the next phase we'd hoped for is here. There will be calls for volunteer time to support Spirits shipyard projects, likely to last weeks to months. There's stuff that needs to be taken care of at our dock so we'll organize some volunteer day(s) to gang up on those. and... There Will be a Party.
Watch this channel for news, and instructions for signing up.
Stay tuned.
