Two Schooners- Getting ready for a shared Mission

 Two traditional Tall Ship Schooners, from opposite ends of the American east coast found themselves docked together last weekend. 

Spirit of South Carolina had been tied up at the Charleston Maritime Center for almost a year, partially due to the COVID, canceling planned programs, but more critically, disabled by a near lightning strike in late May, and since, with operating budget gone, no Executive Director for program development, and crew all paid off, no ability to  hold even dockside events. Only her volunteers remained to take care of her.

Harvey Gamage, an older, but in many ways similar vessel out of Portland Maine, with a crew of 12  had docked last Saturday to disembark their Ashley Hall School passengers to their parents.  The next day, Spirit of South Carolina Volunteers welcomed the Gamagers aboard for a social gathering, introducing them to a selection from local breweries, while Spirit's cooks, served up a jerked chicken dinner. 

Yesterday- Saturday, Harvey Gamage returned the favor.  As 12 Spirit volunteers mustered Saturday morning amidships, 10 Gamagers clambored aboard under their Chief Mate Rachel Young, and stood together with the volunteers to receive the day's project priorities.

 This was their day off, but they came aboard as volunteers to reinforce Spirit's crew.   As paid professional tall ship sailors, the Gamagers were in a position to take on  some special skill tasks, so Spirit's Chief Mate Charley Porzelt  split most of them off to get into harnesses and bosun's seats for getting aloft.  Harvey Gamage's Engineer, John ...... went below  to help Hunter trouble shoot some electrical and plumbing issues that had bedeviled the ship for months. 

That enabled Volunteer Coordinator, Bryan Oliver to concentrate the 12 volunteer crew-over half of them new volunteers,  around 3 different  projects, and rotate them out  for practicing some basic deckhand skills, such as line handling, and knots. 

Old Salt Joe Gorman
coaching John Crane, Rob Harrington
in making a bowline.

To boaters cruising along side Spirit of South Carolina during the day, the scene must've been unique, a bit hectic, and certainly noteworthy.  Three Gamage sailors each were positioned in column on both fore and mainmasts, scraping and oiling, while the Mates tended their tethers to lower them down to the next section.  Another five volunteers were busy around the dory, oiling her gunwales,  screwing in thwarts and hardware then rigging her spars.  

Laying down the final coat
 of varnish on the Jumbo boom.

Another two Gamagers, armed with cups of D2 varnish were laying down initial layers onto the jumbo boom, and back aft on the starboard caprail.  

And still other volunteers, the new ones, under the tutelage of Capt Ben Hall, and Volunteer Coordinator, were on a  pinrail learning safe and proper methods for line handling, then heading onto the dock to practice tossing a heaving line. 

Ben Hall and Frank Thigpen, Dave Brennon, with Mike Davis check off line coiling

Danny Johnson and Volunteer team
 lifting "Dory" up onto the floating dock
 and her new temporary berth for rigging up.

Following a lunch break aboard their respective vessels, Volunteers and Gamagers mustered again on Spirit's deck to finish up their work.  By day's end, Spirit sported some new varnish.  Her dory was launched, and rowed to it's new berth on the floating dock,

 and The Fore and Main masts were major steps further along to being ready to raise sail.

Finishing up the Foremast oiling

Calvin Milam fine tunes
 his working coil before
 starting a Ballantine

 And six new volunteers had learned six or more safe line handling skills.   Together they gave 184 volunteer hours to Spirit of South Carolina.

There is an immediate purpose to it all.. Next Saturday, Harvey Gamage has arranged with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization to host up to 24 Big/Little pairs for some activities aboard both schooners. The intent is to generate excitement, and anticipation for reconnecting next year for a  series of two-day cruises with both schooners. 

Phillippe Agofonovas, John Whitsitt,
 and Mike Evatt work at restoring
 a salvaged bicycle for shore transportation.

Spirit of South Carolina Makes Front Page News

 This is special. Y'don't get this kind of publicity very often- a chance to tell our story to such a large audience. Here's hoping you'll spread this link around.  As of this posting, we are already welcoming aboard 7 new volunteers because of this excellent piece by Post and Courier reporter, Adam Parker.

Post and Courier Front Page Headline Feb 22

Harvey Gamage Welcomed by Volunteers aboard Spirit of South Carolina.

 Sunday afternoon, Spirit of South Carolina Volunteers invited Harvey Gamage crew aboard for a "Welcome to Charleston"  happy-hour and food gathering.  Thanks to a generous donation from Old Salt, Joe Gorman, Spirit's Cook Hunter was able to provision for, and prepare a grilled Jerk Chicken dinner with Potato Salad.  Old Salt Volunteer and alumnus Cook, Ray Krugger brought aboard his killer Collard Greens, Guacamole, and brownies.   Danny Johnson some munchies to dunk in the guacamole.  Old Salt, Phil Frandino brought a great and plentiful selection of local craft beer and other brands, as well as his guitar, but it was just to cold to break it out of its case.  Charlie Porzelt, Bryan Oliver and John Whitsitt unrolled the port side (windward) awnings, lashed the edge to the port stanchions as a welcome windbreak to the 10-knot 52 degree temp winds.

Harvey Gamage Chef, Tyler Calderwood
 reviews latest edition of Hunters draft
 "Complete Galley Guide" while Hunter
 sets up the chicken marinade.

The arrival of Harvey Gamage this weekend also provided a special opportunity for her cook, Tyler Calderwood, to finally meet in the flesh, his professional colleague, Hunter, cook of Spirit of South Carolina.  The meeting was poignant. Two and a half years ago, at the request of Harvey Gamage's Captain, Hunter had drafted a notebook full of notes, tips, advice, and a few recipe's for Harvey Gamage's new cook, (Tyler) who happened to be new to the Tall Ship Industry and culture.  

It was quickly realized that that collection was "gold!" as Bryan Oliver first described it, and so began a two-year project by Hunter to build it out , and move it towards eventually publishing it as "The Complete Galley Guide; Notes of a Tall Ship Sea Chef."  Next time you're on board you might get a chance to sneek a peak at the draft.  Priceless! 

As Harvey Gamage boarded,  all grabbed something out of the Yeti and Bryan Oliver gathered them onto the bow to start a ship's tour.

 

By the time Bryan completed his usual lengthy tour-guide spiel in the ship's cockpit, Hunter and Ray had everything off the grill and ready to serve.

Harvey Gamage Captain Graham McKay
 loads a plate in the salon. 

Volunteers and Guests filed down in small groups to the Salon to spoon out chicken, potato salad, collards and dessert, returning to the deck to hunker in the shelter of the cockpit or butterfly hatch to spread out and enjoy. 

The whole thing probably would've lasted into the night, but that cold NE wind fetching down from the Wando made itself felt, so leftovers were parceled out between crews, and all secured by dark.

  So, a BIG THANKS to Joe, John, Danny, Phil, Ray, and Hunter their efforts, donations, and attendance to make this  a successful welcome for the Maine schooner sailors.

 But there will be more encounters coming.  Harvey Gamage crew will join Volunteers aboard Spirit of South Carolina, Saturday to pitch in on some selected projects.  The next scheduled joint event will follow in 2 weeks with visit from the Big Brother-Big Sister organization on March 6.

T

Harvey Gamage docks and disembarks Ashley Hall student Crew

 Chief Mate Charley Porzelt, and Volunteer Bryan Oliver stood by at the Fuel dock at 1100 today to take lines from the Portland, Maine Schooner Harvey Gamage, as she took advantage of a rather slack flood current to effect a portside tie-up.  She had aboard approximately 20 students from Ashley Hall School in Charleston, who had boarded Wednesday in Brunswick, GA  for a 3-day passage.  As she slowed and set up to toss heaving lines, it was evident her student crew were in high spirits, having just braved 3 days and nights at sea in cold, blowing,rainy conditions.  We are confident their character has definitely built up some as a result.     

Friends and family and plenty of signage were in evidence on the dock as dock lines came over and we set to securing her. 

We didn't stay long, except long enough to introduce ourselves to the chief mate, extend our welcomes as well as an invitation to join volunteer crew on Sunday afternoon for a story swap, some refreshment and jerk chicken.  

Harvey Gamage and Spirit of South Carolina share some similarities and interesting differences. 

Both are wooden coastal schooners, built to represent mid-19th century sailing vessels, and both are schooner-rigged, with generally same hull design.  Both  are designed to accomodate approximately 30 crew and students.

 Harvey Gamage is older, being launched in 1973, from the same Bristol RI shipyard that built other notable tall ships,, Shenandoah, Clearwater, and Appledore II. She was built not as a replica of a past vessel, but representative of the New England Coasting schooners engaged in fishing or cargo trades. 

By contrast, Spirit of South Carolina was launched in 2007, over 30 years later, as an enlarged replica of an 1879 Pilot Schooner, Frances Elizabeth which ranged out of Charleston for 25 years.  She carries a taller rig than Harvey Gamage by 20 feet, and almost 1,000 more feet of canvas under full sail, reflecting the intention of her designer to be a fast, competitive vessel for the pilots who would take her to sea competing with other pilot schooners,  to find inbound shipping.

Harvey Gamage is scheduled to remain at dock until March 13.  She will be conducting some dockside venues and possibly a harbor sail or two during that time.  All are welcome to come down and take a look at her.

While docked her, both vessels hope to generate more public interest in their missions and capabilities, leading to organizing sailing and educational programs that will generate funding to continue their existence.

In that vein, Spirit of South Carolina has been laboring to "get well" after suffering the double whammy of COVID-19 canceling planned programs last year with the College of Charleston and  Boy Scouts, exacerbated  by a summer lightning strike that disabled her critical electronic systems. Reassuringly, in conjunction with the arrival of Harvey Gamage, the Executive Board overseeing Spirit of South Carolina issued the following statement this morning:

"After a devastating setback caused by a lightning strike this past summer, our team is diligently working with several companies to get the Spirit of South Carolina back to her full capabilities. The pandemic has presented additional obstacles with scheduling repairs, receiving shipped replacement parts and other logistics.  Although the schooner is still able to host dockside venues, the challenges of Covid-19 have limited many possibilities. It is our intent to get the Spirit's functionality fully restored and operational.  Along with her sheer beauty and rich maritime heritage, the Spirit of South Carolina will continue to educate and enrich all who admire her."

We Lost a Shipmate

 Last week we lost a shipmate.  Volunteer Jonathan Shew passed away on 5 February, according to his brother who notified us via this Blog.  Spirit of South Carolina was a bucket list item for Jonathan. He was among the first to volunteer with Spirit of South Carolina in the spring of 2019, when we first began to rebuild the Volunteer program. Jonathan was an enthusiastic learner and active participant, having followed the progress of Spirit of South Carolina from afar until finding himself in a position to devote his time to her.

Jonathan's family has set up a Remembrance Page[click this link] for him and would welcome your contributions of photos or any remembrance of him.

PBS Documentary Series Producers Visit Spirit of South Carolina

 This past weekend, the co-producers of the PBS Documentary Series, 'The Good Road", came aboard for a tour and information-gathering conversation with Acting-Captain, Charlie Porzelt, and Volunteer Coordinator Bryan Oliver.  The team was in Charleston scouting possible locations and topics for one or two episodes of the second series of "The Good Road" to be delivered on PBS stations possibly this coming Summer.   Check out this  Link to 'The Good Road" Series 2 Trailor for a description of the program.   

The producers expressed interest and asked tons of questions about the schooner's history, it's programs, and mission. At some point, schedules permitting, they hope to include footage of shipboard activities, and an actual sail.  That means we'll need a competent volunteer crew, to be ready when the ship completes repairs.

Saturday Morning brought up yet another new project for the Ship's Maintenance Punchlist.

First, things:  Welcome aboard to new volunteer, Frank Thigpen.  Frank first came aboard during our rather hectic last Saturday morning, which lasted only a few hours, but was seen early on laying in on the headsail halyard downriggin'.  Frank, hoping to see yourself back this next Saturday. 

The routine of a ship "in shipyard", or in winter maintenance, as Spirit of South Carolina currently lies, can sometimes appear to become a boring place. There are lots of projects to perform, some are excruciatingly repetitive, like varnishing and coatings. However, others add novelty, with opportunity to practice new individual skills, such as canvas repair(with sailors palm, or with sewing machine), replacing the foremast boot, or turning in an eye splice.. or working together  

A tall-ship's rigging is the bone and muscle of how she functions, and arguably just as complex,, and just as likely to wear out. Traditional sailing rigs tend to wear faster. As such, they need regular inspection and maintenance.  And so it was this Saturday morning,, the Chief Mate surprised volunteer crew with something new. Down-rig the Head-rig.  

While Calvin and Frank Thigpen secure the gantline,
John Whitsitt keeps watch on Charlie
 while he solo free-climbs aloft.

Translated,, completely disassemble all the lines and tackles operating the jib and jumbo sails from the foremast, and bowsprit/jibboom, lower them on deck, and inspect/repair tackles.  The project requires going aloft or out onto the headrig to cut seizings, mousings, unscrew shackles while not dropping tools onto the deck or overboard, and then safely lowering the freed tackles by gantline down onto the deck. 

Doing it safely, especially with a crew new to the task requires not a little preparation, explanation, demonstration, and rehearsal.  After walking thru the procedure with volunteers, Charlie secured the tools required to his belt and climbed aloft.

Charlie cuts mousings and frees
 the shackle holding the jumbo halyard tackle.

When its not flying the head of the fisherman sail, the foremast gantline acts as a utility line turning on a block at the masthead, and belayed port and starboard pinrails. Charlie bent the gantline onto the jib and jumbo halyard tackles, and volunteers lowered them to the deck.  To prevent the piles of line from tying themselves into gordian knots, volunteers flaked  them on the deck, then set about inspecting and sanding down the blocks for repainting.

The volunteer day ended at lunch this last Saturday. 

This coming weekend, and ongoing, as weather permits, we'll devote the afternoon after lunch to deckhand skills and drills.  Volunteers hoping to be asked aboard as crew, will want to be seen at these sessions.