We Did Everything Right-We even threw overboard the bananas

All ship-shape, Spirit of South Carolina's crew
departs Thunderbolt Shipyard and bears off
 southward down the Wilmington River.

 Spirit of South Carolina departed this morning, on time  at 0830 from Thunderbolt Shipyard, with a crew of 8, Capt Andy Hudak-the Tall Ship Captain for the delivery, Capt Heath Hackett-Project Manager, his two Engineers; Captains in their own right, three deckhand volunteers- Bryan Oliver, Todd Cole, and Nate Mack, and our Cook, Hunter. New volunteer deckhand, Eli Bundy, after spending time aloft clearing the fouled peak halyard and laying in on other sea-stow tasks the day before, cast off all our four lines, then drove one of our cars back to the Maritime Center, in anticipation of our later arrival on Tuesday. 

 It was an extraordinarily successful sea trial. All her systems were exercised and worked. The crew rehearsed sail evolutions, and anchor-setting drills, prepared to set the watch,  and even prepared to set her foresail and jumbo for an easy reach up the coast for the rest of the day.  A Towboat US tug guided us toward the bar at entrance to Wassaw Sound. 

Deckhand Todd Cole voluntarily sends
 his just -purchased supply of fresh banana's
 overboard

We basically did everything right; we even threw overboard a small bunch of bananas one of the crew had innocently brought aboard the night before; honoring the mariner's age-old superstition of their bringing bad-luck. 

The whole atmosphere on deck was growing ebullience, Hunter was feeding it with a great pork-steak dinner the night before, followed by a hot breakfast , and soup and sandwich lunch for the crew. We had so far overcome all the anticipated variable so far for a successful delivery.  Morale was high, a sea chantey was hummed here and there. We were approaching  Cabbage Island Spit Light #16 just at slack High tide and began a slow circling.

And yet, 

Hunter and Bryan when still outbound,
waiting on the Insurance call.

Somewhere, overseas, a new marine insurance technicality popped up. It was as if a goal post had been moved on us.  Capt Hackett had been on the phone since departure, pushing every button he could find for an overdue Insurance letter assured delivery earlier this morning, but inexplicably late.   The reason, after several phone calls to different agencies;  Our Marine survey, conducted by the Coast Guard and submitted six months ago during shipyard, was determined insufficient, but was not communicated until we were already underway.   To continue the passage would be technically illegal, and risk forfeiture of the professional licenses on board.  There was no choice but to turn the ship around and motor back to Thunderbolt.  

The mood aboard turned somber, but not sour. It had been a short, but enormously successful cruise; professionals and volunteers, diverse on technical and professional levels bonded into an effective, motivated crew. 

Immediately after docking, doubling the lines and securing the deck, Capt Heath mustered our crew and explained the facts as he knew them and laid out a path forward. The delay in obtaining a separate survey, though not extensive, would force the break-up of our crew, pending a new cast-off date. A separate survey would be executed as soon as possible.

If you're reading this, please note, that the crew, professionals and volunteer alike felt a deep disappointment at not being able to complete their journey. They also felt a deep pride in their shipmates, and our shared experience, as short as it was. The sharing of experience and cross-learning was astonishing.

It also came with a concrete optimism that "We'll be back", and Spirit of South Carolina will come home.

Back at Thunderbolt, doubled-up
and put to bed, til the next call.