Major Milestone for Spirit of South Carolina is made this last Friday

 Friday, the 14th at 1047 hrs, Spirit of South Carolina cast off with Captain(s) Bobby Nobles, and Will Ventress, a crew of 11 Volunteers, and 16 North Charleston teenagers for  a two-hour Team-building Harbor Cruise- her first Mission-oriented program since 2019. The cruise was sponsored by Board Member Tommy Baker. 

A Major Milestone for Spirit of South Carolina, eclipsing the Volunteer Crewed COI Inspection Milestone.

I'm sure, for most of us on board that morning, the scene must've felt like barely controlled chaos.  By all accounts, it was judged a success.  Not only did we conduct casting off-docking operations twice, we set and later doused the headsails and Foresail..all the while engaging 15 teenagers who had not seen this harbor before coming aboard to pitch in ..everywhere.   Capt Heath has asked to pass on his thanks to all the crew for making that happen.

The cruise was a relatively short-noticed proposal, surfaced only 10 days prior. Nevertheless, 11 Volunteers, signed up to crew for the event, many, some with less than 20 hours of Volunteer, skill-building time.  Bos'n Bryan Oliver selected stalwarts Doug Hartley and Dave Brennan to lead the two "watches".  In turn they organized guests and volunteers under them for ease in executing the different tasks;  dock line handling, gangway operations, sail raising and trimming, and deckhand  work such as coiling, line handling, sail setting and furling.  Walter Barton, Nick Swarts, Jim Morrisette, and Steve Folwell filled out the Starboard Watch under Dave Brennan.  Doug Hartley took the Port Watch with Dallas Spencer, Wayne Burdick, Scott Cross, and Carin Bloom.

Nick Swarts gets some help nippering
 up a dock line for stowing

Watch Captain Dave Brennan coaches two students
 in raising the Jib.

After a swinging on board the gangway,
and a box lunch, Bos'un Bryan lines up crew
 along the foresail for a harbor furling.

Carin Bloom sets up the flake
 for the foresail furl.

Check out Spirit of South Carolina's Instagram Account, "spiritofsc" for more photos of the day's cruise. Yes, it's up and running again, thanks to Volunteer Nick Swarts, who will be administering it.

With this first one under our belt, we're also taking notes of what went well, and what could be improved.  Look for some words on that, when you muster with us, on next Volunteer Days.