MAJOR MILESTONE Number TWO: Private Charter Harbor Cruise-CHECK!

 Yesterday, Saturday afternoon, Spirit of South Carolina successfully executed her first Private Charter Harbor Cruise since 2018. For the first time, ever, the event was crewed by Volunteers, with Captain's Bobby Nobles and Will Ventress at the helm and throttles.  

Up until the previous Thursday the event appeared to be iffy, primarily by the weather gauge, and it wasn't until Thursday that Volunteers actually had a firm time to muster.  That made for a particular challenge in recruiting Volunteers available at that notice to provide crew. Furthering the difficulty was that The volunteer program was now managing a "Disabled Roster", several veteran volunteers out with injuries, or prior family vacation commitments,, real-life stuff).  Thanks to Ryan Smith, Nick Swarts, Walter Barton, Calvin Milam and Danny Johnson, at the last minute, who responded as able, and ready. 

We all mustered on the dock at 3:30 pm, an hour before a caterer, plus A DJ with serious equipment were scheduled to come aboard. At 5:00PM the Wedding party of 35 was scheduled to come aboard.  Our crew used the time to:

• Single up the four dock lines, 
• lower the small boat, with Calvin as Coxwain, to practice some pushes, 
• Re-rig the Yokohama fender set which had been temporarily tied off to the ship, back to the dock.
• Top off the fresh water tanks
• Stage the gangway jacks and tools. 
• Hand up all the new bench cushions and deck chairs from the forecastle and arrange them throughout the deck.
• Rehearse boarding procedure, safety briefings,  and undocking assignments.

Precisely at 4:30 EVERYBODY appeared at the gangway at the same time. The crew shifted immediately into a welcome-aboard mode, simultaneously carrying aboard and stowing all the catering provisions for the wedding and reception following, then stuffing our Yeti with champagne's, wines, and other beverages I didn't recognize. 

Up to this point, it was ambiguous as to whether we might raise a sail, mostly for show, depending on the desires of the guest party.  As the crowd spread out along the deck, and eyeing the alchoholic beverage stash, Capt Bobby agreed that we would not be setting any sails.

Just as well, if any more than headsails, the guests would need to pitch in, and they were dressed for a wedding, aboard a yacht, not an educational sail on a working schooner. 

Vows on the Fore Deck

From 5 PM on, the event went like clockwork.  All the wedding party except bride and groom gathered on the dock, where Bos'un Bryan took the mike to administer the mandatory safety briefing. Then all on the dock looked down on the happy couple take their vows at the bow, officiated by the groom's brother.  

Now the DJ cranked it up.  From that point on, spoken commands were practically useless, and all reverted to hand and arm signals, and sign language. After guests re-boarded, and a quick session of wedding photo's, Walter, Danny Johnson, and Calvin teamed up to disconnect the gangway at the bench, while Ryan, Nick and Jay, a friend of Wil's worked the falls. 

Party Getting Started

 

Once the gangway was set off, crew went to dock line stations and stood by.  Calvin in pushboat took up station on starboard bow. Capt Bobby called docklines off in succession leaving only #3 as a springline to back off, forcing the bow further off the dock.. Pretty much text book. Due to the short duration of the cruise, dockline bowline knots were left in place hanging on the lifelines, and  fenders stayed hanging overside, normally a most un-seamanship-like lapse of discipline. However, the size of the crowd, took up space otherwise allocated for the large ball fenders' stowage.

The next two hours was a slow steady course of two laps up the Wando, and back towards Castle Pinckney. A nice sea breeze made the deck comfortable, and the awning over the port side of the  deck midships ameliorated much of the suns last attempts to bake us all. The deck was the scene of a crowded classic good-time wedding reception. hors d'oeuvres, and Chick- filet spicy sandwiches laid out on the saloon butterfly hatch.

Wedding Cake coming out soon.

The DJ's energetic dance music,, throbbing thru the deck effectively drowned out the the ship's otherwise annoyingly loud generator  powering her rig. Nick and Walter helped the caterer fill, and hand up monogrammed plastic cups of sparkling wine for the toasts. The contents of the Yeti steadily depleted. 

By 7:30, Capt Bobby aimed the bow back to the dock, and crew transitioned to setting up heaving lines for the dock lines, and launching Calvin in the Small boat. The last approach to the dock exposed the hull to a really ripping flood current, so Capt Bobby directed to stand off and approach from another angle. This time the combination of current driven drift, countered by Capt Will's throttles, inched her at just the right angle enabling Ryan to make his throw across to Danny Johnson and get #3 over and cleated, to act as our warping line. Next, Nick sent over #1, and rest of the maneuver went like clockwork again, Spirit of South Carolina's midships settling in perfect alignment to the gangway. Nailed it.  Textbook...

 Did I say that again? well, it was on purpose. Looking back the whole cruise seemed to go pretty much that way, even small hiccups' were recovered from expeditiously.  By 8:40, Happy, well-watered guests were safely ashore, the DJ and caterer assisted with their gear back to the dock, and crew left to secure the vessel.  That meant doubling up a couple of lines, adjusting the gangway for the tides, wiping off and sending below all the 12 seat cushions, and eight deck chairs. Moving garbage bags ashore. Wiping down the saloon table and galley areas.

And finally, a quiet gathering by remaining crew off the port engine vent box, and offering a rum toast to Francis Elizabeth, Spirit of of South Carolina, and her crew.