Spirit of South Carolina's Crew gets downsized. No Information on Ship's Future.

Below is a summary of an email sent out to the Volunteer Contact List on Friday evening, the 20th. As of  time of this posting, no new information is available regarding future operations.  So, as Volunteers we are continuing to march. 

The Board of Directors has reduced the payroll of the ship that basically now allows only for a Captain.  Period.  Captain Cleveland has negotiated to spread that reduced payroll amount among the three key crew:  Captain, Chief Mate, and Cook. , in hopes of retaining those positions at least for the short term.  

Our Schooner is still at the dock, technically ready to cast off and set sail.  She still needs taking care of. 

These things remain the same:  Capt Dan Cleveland’s vision that this ship have a deep bench of competent volunteers who now how to take care of her, and know how to sail her.   A few of us are even actively reaching out to potential corporate customers for additional programs.  All of you on this email list can have a hand in making that happen. I believe we make a difference.

I propose we stay our course;  Ship’s Maintenance and deck hand training.

Last Volunteer Day we split the day between maintenance tasks and building up deck hand skills. No reason not to keep to that heading.  But of course, there’s the complication:

Our city is dealing with COVID-19. Social distancing, self-quarantining-meaning no groups >10.

This Weekend is sort of shot. But starting next week with Monday, the 23d, I propose we resume a routine, that allows for small groups of volunteers to report aboard to help the  crew finish up, and take over the remaining projects planned for the remainder of March, and even April.  In the meantime, planned harbor sails that generate revenue, pending the College of Charleston locking in their proposed programs, just might help turn a corner.

With all the closures, many of us are now with unexpected time on our hands. If you have some free hours these coming weekdays-and are in excellent health of course-which you can devote to some projects/deckhand skills training, please let me know as soon as possible.  I’ll work out a schedule that keeps us to a small group at any given time.. Same goes for the scheduled Volunteer Days on alternating weekend days.  Again, it will be a small group <10.

To keep maintain everyone’s motivation to contribute, I’ll be a gatekeeper in sense of making sure that everyone who want’s to volunteer will get some opportunity on deck, during these days of social distancing.