USCG Barque Eagle cancels Charleston Visit , but the disappointment brings out unexpected support.

In hindsight, it shouldn't have been a surprise, but still the decision last Thursday by the Coast Guard to cancel their visit to Charleston due to the Covis19 pandemic was a big disappointment for Spirit of South Carolina Crew and volunteers.  In cooperation with the College of Charleston, the ship had planned for two deck receptions, one private and one public, and two harbor cruises, one for  CSCG Eagle visitors and the second, a public cruise to escort Eagle back out to sea on Sunday.  The event's promised some significant publicity as well as badly needed revenue generation, and... a great opportunity for lots of volunteers to finally join crew and cast off, or host visitors aboard for receptions.

All of that was shut down in a moment of flurry of hurried emails and texts, notifying everyone to stand down on all events.  Out of that disappointment rose a glimmer  that can only be described by words like, "affirmation, hope, "  

Sponsor, Derek Astorino, Volunteers, John Whitsitt,
 Tim Geoghegan, Ken Fonville, Derren Casale,
 Citadel Semester at See, Ed, and  Old Salt, Joe Gorman.

It started at the same time the texts, emails, and phone calls were going out shutting things down, when Dr.Brumby McCleod  of the College of Charleston asked Capt Cleveland for permission to host a short-notice breakfast meeting aboard Spirit of South Carolina, the next morning (Friday, the 13th). The request included an invite for Volunteers, and crew, who could respond on short notice, to come on down the the ship.  So an immediate drill went out to contact the most active volunteers, and Old Salts, who might be able to respond.  On Friday morning, about ten volunteers we able to show up, not sure what to expect.

Captain Dan Cleveland,
starting off with some thoughts
on Volunteer's role in the ship's success.

What raised eyebrows was, who else appeared on deck.  Several past sponsors of the ship, including Derek Astorina, Citadel grad, and owner of Charleston Docks and Marine, Dr. Don Sparks of the Citadel, and  a few others I was otherwise too flummoxed to recognize.  They had come aboard to express their appreciation to the Volunteer effort (that's y'all) which had contributed so much over the past months to making the ship ready for just such as event (that was cancelled), but more importantly to make possible the future sailing programs, near and longer term programs that they hope to bring aboard.

So, just what did Volunteers accomplish?  If you start back in September in Savannah Thunderbolt shipyard, just labor hours; Volunteers provided over  135 hours, just in shipyard alone. approximately 320 hours for remainder of the year;  then 129 hours in January, and a whopping 324 hours in February.   In all cases, that's like giving the crew an extra deckhand continuously every week since last September, for free. No really, a  competent deckhand.  Volunteers have  pumped bilges, gone aloft to scrape and slush the masts, scraped, varnished and painted, hoisted off the anchors, swayed across the spars and helped the up-rigging by lacing on sails, . I could go on.   

By the first week in March, per the Executive Board's intent, Spirit of South Carolina was ready to cast off and sail. Would not have been possible without volunteers.  There's more ahead.  Spirit's crew is waiting for you to come aboard and lay in with them.  It's your ship too.

More Volunteers representing all of you;
 Citadel Cadet, Ed.  Joe Gorman, Chuck Waring,
 Carter Edwards, crewmember Daniel,
Volunteer Dani Feers, and Hunter.

Dani Feerst lays out humongous biscuit
 sandwiches donated by Dr. Brumby Mcleod of CofC.