International African American Museum Opens while Spirit of South Carolina begins her third life; Coincidence?

IAAM Opens to the Public

Suspended on pillars over Gadsons Wharf, the place where for over 150 years, untold thousands of kidnapped African Americans were landed to be sold into slavery, the IAAM officially opened this past weekend. 

From the first slave-ship landing here, the labor of their generations built a city, began an indigo, then a rice industry.  They operated a burgeoning maritime industry around the harbor and along the coast, crewing and piloting everything from small river bateaux to coastal steamers and schooners. Their presence would have been noticed in virtually every line of business that built the second largest deep water harbor commerce in the colonies. 

African Americans also recognized the opportunities for escaping to freedom, using the waterways and seaways an additional dimension to the Underground Railroad. Escape from the deep south by the land-bound route was close to impossible. With the knowledge and experience gained, they enabled thousands to make their way to freedom by sea to the North, and even Canada.

Schooner Spirit of South Caroline Refits to start a Third Life  

Meanwhile, just down the finger dock from the  IAAM, easily visible from the Museum's terrace by her two towering wooden masts, lies a 19th century wooden sailing ship, a schooner, more specifically; the kind very likely to have been seen by the hundreds, sailing in and out of Charleston Harbor since the 1840's. Among her crew would have been a few free Black seamen, and a possibly one or two skilled, but enslaved sailors.  Chances are, it was an African American mariner who piloted this vessel in and out of the harbor. At one time or another, she may have even harbored a stowaway or two seeking passage north,  unknowing to the crew, or even with a crewman's help at their own risk. The stories they shared with folks on shore, of foreign lands, news of the world, particularly the rest of the country and the North, brought hope and fostered dreams of freedom that often led to action.

In reality, that schooner is our SSV Spirit of South Carolina, a replica of  the 19th century "Francis Elizabeth". Except for the give-away little radar dome at her masthead, from a short walk away she would be indistinguishable from the typical coastal vessels working his harbor 180 years ago.

rground Railroad for African Americans escaping to freedom, particularly in the deep South.

Spirit of South Carolina can, and ought to be a significant platform for immersive, experiential education around the above themes.  Partnering with IAAM, the Avery Institute, College of Charleston, and others, Spirit of South Carolina could host programs ranging from hour-long dock-side tours to themed cruises with ports of call supporting these themes. 

Volunteers can play a part in growing this synergy. 

• Advancing ideas on developing and executing programs 
• Researching and drafting story lines, talking points, scripts
• Recruiting help
• Helping make a video
• Guiding an on-deck tour, leading a discussion, 
• Reaching out- speaking to a group, 
• Publicizing, posting ads, 

Anybody else seeing an Opportunity for Synergy here?

Two themes arise; 

-The African American contribution to the Maritime Heritage of the Low Country, in the skilled trades, commerce, skilled sailors, pilots, and captains.

-The significance of the Sea-borne dimension of the Underground Railroad 

• Guiding a tour, Playing a role, leading a discussion
• Outreach-publicity; Contacting groups, telling the story, 

Three Excellent Books that will expand on these topics(You may find them in the Spirit of South Carolina's Salon library, or :

Black Jacks -W. Jeffrey Bolster 

Sailing to Freedom - ed. Timothy Walker

Charleston's Maritime Heritage 1670-1865 

I hope y'all are as excited about this as I am.

Light Volunteer Turnout this week salvaged by focused effort of a few.

 Last Saturday's Volunteer Day was one of the lightest turn-to's in month's . I hope it's just chalked up to the Father's Day Weekend.  Nevertheless, The Day was saved by Nate Mack, Mikell Evatt, Logan Day and Jamie Wert. First they laid onto the Mainsail boom; sanding down all 52 feet of her all round, to remove the gray weathering and prepping the spar for an initial coat of Deks-Olje D.1 preservative.  At this point the boom only needs another 8 coats of D.1, followed by 12 coats of the Varnish D.2, and she'll be ready to up-rig. 

They weren't done yet.  Waiting for the D.1 to soak in, the team selected one of the new, stiff, unwound, brittle brand new mast hoops, and choreographed  a slow, deliberate, measured in inches-at-a -time,  winding the hoop onto the mast, then cinching it tighter with come-along's, awls, screwdrivers and vaseline. That's another one down, and five to go; but it was a good day on deck, and it sets up everything for a strong start on the next Volunteer Day, on July 1, not for another two weeks.

Spirit of South Carolina's Draft Website Still needs a look-over.

this one at  www.spiritofsc.info

You'll recall in the last Blog entry I invited everyone to walk thru the draft of the ship's Website and provide some feedback, suggestions, criticisms, comment, trolling, anything.  Judging from the amount of feedback received, I gotta be the best dam website content developer there ever was, or no one ever received the email with the invitation, or nobody bothered to read it. 

Cmon.. 

We have an opportunity to drive the look, feel, themes, and content of the most significant social media platform for our schooner.   a lil help!

It's ON! Getting our COI back is goal Number 1!

The Ship's Draft website is temporarily published  for 2 weeks, for your review and comment:  www.spiritofsc.info

It's not complete in many areas. Send feedback, critics, and suggestions to bryan@spiritofsc.org.

That's right. If there was any confusion about the direction this ship is headed, the simple straightforward near term objective speaks volumes. Project Manager Heath Hackett reminded me four days ago. Our Near-Term objective is to regain our COI. From that point, be positioned to start up any number of harbor sails, and dockside events that will start Spirit of South Carolina generating some revenue. 

The ships overall mission has not changed. The plan, for the coming year is aimed at; generating some operating revenue, building visibility across the state and publicity around her mission and capabilities. Attracting public interest, and sponsorship that can eventually put Spirit of South Carolina on the road to self-sustainment. 

 It's a tall order. Other tall ships, once better funded than us, are struggling with the same issues.  Recruiting a licensed Captain for one thing. Hiring on a core of competent deckhands, another.  But, they have one thing, we haven't got (quoting The Wizard of Oz).  A "COI". 

Acquiring a COI is a straightforward drill. We have already had, and passed our haulout inspection, and have necessary documentation.  What remains is for USCG t o observe the schooner operating under supervision of a licensed Captain, a Mate, another license on board, and at least four competent deckhands. Observed in the drills of casting off, setting and adjusting sail, conduct a man-overboard drill. walk thru the drill for FIRE, and prepping for "Abandon Ship."  Volunteers, are expected to play a role in filling out the complement of 8 deckhands needed to cast off, raise and handle sail, take in sail and secure to the dock.

Aside from training up, as Volunteers, our more immediate objective is to uprig the Mainmast. 

That will first require:

    Reinstalling remaining 6 new masthoops.

    Finish coating the jib boom and jumbo boom with Deksolje D.2 varnish

    Sanding and revarnishing the main boom and gaff.

    Laying out and Sending aloft and uprigging the Mainsail peak halyard and Main boom lifts.

    Remounting the Main boom and gaff

    Bending on all four sails. 

The simple fact is.  These tasks are mostly all on us Volunteers.  Capt Hacketts' team is preoccupied with finishing up all the systems work, installation and testing, and some deck brightwork coating.  Volunteers are already in the middle of some of those tasks (see photos), , but we need a surge. 

Volunteer Coordinator Bryan, and Mikel Evatt
 argue the best technique for squeezing on the
mast hoops.

Just this past Saturday, Dave Lazar laid out on the jib and jumbo booms with a coat of varnish. After an extensive ship orientation from Bryan Oliver, New Volunteers, Logan Day and Jamie Wert followed up later in the afternoon hot-coating a sixth layer of varnish.  

Ken Fonville reports back with a plan
to lift the mainsail boom a foot.

Ken Fonville started the prep of the mainsail boom for sanding, Mikell Evatt and Dave Brennan, refined their technique for compressing and fitting on an additional two new mast  hoops. 

Bosun's Mate-for-a-Day, Dan Maurin
 untangles the peak halyard, months-long
 piled in the forecastle.

Dan Maurin and Nate Mack hauled out of the forecastle, the massive gordian knot that was the mainsail peak halyard tackle, stretched it out, and labeled the blocks and shackles, in prep for sending them aloft.  Nate prepared an invaluable sketch of the tackle rigging diagram for the one designated to set up the whole thing. (TBA-a volunteer for going aloft)

The Payoff,, a sumptuous lunch of Caribbean inspired fare,
 created by Chef Hunter.

Next weekend's Volunteer Day needs to be a continuation of what was begun and progressed, this past Saturday.  The following Saturday, will be restricted due to Security around the Veep's visit to the IAAM Grand Opening.   We know what needs to be done. If you want to pitch in, but unsure where to start, what to do. start with the Volunteer Coordinator.  (314-409-0433).  

 It's up to us.  Update your Volunteer Blog with your hours, and annotate the deckhand skills you think you've improved.  I'll be checking.

Military Salute Regatta Competes with Volunteer Day ; Some of Us get in both.

 Yesterday morning, 3 June, welcomed aboard two new volunteers, Jamie Wert, and Logan Day, both U.S. Navy NMM's (Nuclear Machinist Mate) currently in school and waiting for their next Boat assignment in December. They're pretty motivated about spending their Saturdays in culture-shock, transitioning from 21st Century Nuclear propulsion technology to 19th Century wooden ships. 

They came aboard just in time to effect repairs on the schooner's plastic sheet covering some repair work that had been cut away for examination during a shipwright's visit.  

Two full-hull models, top a rounded deep-water hull,
below, a flat-bottom indicating inshore
-shallow water design.

While Jamie and Logan were hanging over the rail duct taping and cleaning, Sandy Jackson came on board with a bundle covering two 30-inch full-hull(not half-hull) wood models for us to examine, and thus began a 1/2-hour of self education in forensics of traditional ship design.

Close up of hull stern showing section
 and diagonal lines.

One of the models showed distinct measured out section and diagonal lines indicating it was ready for transcribing dimensions to a molding-full sized framing. We're looking for a marine architect that might shed some light on the provenance of these models. 

As far as Saturday's Volunteer Day happened, the three of us were it, and even then, only for only an hour.  We were in conflict with the annual Salute to Veterans' Sailing Regatta, hosted and produced by CORA, (Charleston Offshore Racing Association) and Veterans On Deck. 

Danny Johnson's Dehler 42, waiting for her crew
to board prior to the Salute to Veterans Regatta.

At least five of Spirit of South Carolina's regular volunteers, Ken Fonville, Danny Johnson, Laura Johnson, Wayne Burdick, and myself, plus a few others I missed, were all involved in that event, either as organizers, skippers, or crew members.   While Ken was running the whole show, Laura, Logan, Jamie, and myself were crewing on one of the sailboats in the Regatta; Laura and I on Danny Johnson's "Trinity", Logan and Jamie on "Flatiron", and Wayne skippering his own "Marion Maid".

Thanks to David Brennan, and John Hart, who came aboard mid-week and figured out how to install one of our new mast  hoops, we did make some headway. We learned not to remove the bolts from new hoops until we were ready to install on the mast.  Left unfastened, these new hoops started unbending out to their original state, posing a challenge in muscle-ing them back into a circle. John was here only a few days, laying over for his run back north to New England area, living and working from his sailboat and taking on the occasional delivery job.

Our progress against our maintenance punch list has suffered primarily from weather delays and associated shortage of hands to advance the important projects.  Hopefully, on coming weeks, the Hurricanes and monsoons will stick to the weekdays, and Mother Nature will grant us favorable weather for Saturdays and any other volunteer sessions during the week.