Every year since the Volunteer program was resurrected in 2019,  Volunteers gathered on deck, the evening of July 4, along with family members, bringing their own appetizers and beverages, to celebrate our Volunteer Contributions and enjoy the City of Charleston's Fireworks display over the Aircraft Carrier Yorktown. 

As the day approached this year,  the atmosphere was understandably tentative. After all, for the past six months, Volunteers had maintained the Schooner in a "Standby" status, waiting for a signal that she would finally be dispatched to a shipyard for her 10-Year haulout. This year, Bryan remembered he had a source of funding with which to sweeten the pot.  In a second email, Bryan added that Home Team Barbeque would be supplying a BBQ buffett, and beverages were included.  The responses measurably perked up, such that, by Wednesday, the deadline to RSVP, 12 Volunteers with another 31 of their guests, had signed up. 

Lance Halderman, Maxwell Dale, and their friends, Ashley, and Kyra, came two hours early to help set up retrieving serving containers, utensils, and glasses. 

But before that could really start, the volunteers needed to complete two sailor jobs,,downrigging and storm furling the large awning, which was no longer providing shade in the afternoon, but was obstructing the raising of our small boat up off the deck and swinging over the side to free up a large area of deck for visitors on board.  Compliments to Ashley and Kyra who supported their guys in hauling boatfalls, tailing lines, forcing the heavy smallboat out over the rail and easing her into position. 

With traditional Maritime music floating over the ship, Walter  Barton and wife Amanda brought out two serving tables. Bryan picked up all the food and drink from Home Team, and Harris Teeter, where Amanda then took charge in setting up the serving line.  Walter filled the huge Yeti with ice and a large assortment of beverages.   By 1900 hrs, the deck was full of people, seated in the chairs they brought, or along the lockers and cabin tops, filling glasses and gazing at the layout. Amanda opened the buffet line, and a line immediately formed.  

As plates emptied, refilled, and re-emptied, Bryan passed the word along that he would like to address the crowd, and offer a few toasts, before the fireworks started.  Meanwhile a large crowd of the public had gradually gathered on the dock for advantageous views, looking out over our deck and the expected show across the harbor.

At 2045, fifteeen minutes before the scheduled performance, Bryan Called out for a "Muster Midships" the traditional call for all hands to gather in the center of the ship.  Bryan offered a message that recalled the significance of Spirit of South Carolina's existence, some tidbits of history, and restatement of her hoped for operations going forward post Shipyard. Finally, he offered three toasts.. to the United States,, the Armed Forces and Veterans here.. Lance Halderman, representing the US Navy, offered his own toast to the Navy's sailors.   At that, the fireworks commenced a truly extraordinary show that had to last 45 minutes before culminating in one large illumination. 

Check out the video reel that Walter Barton created.. now on Facebook.

July 4 Celebration aboard Spirit of South Carolina

A special thanks to all the same volunteers, and others, Carin Bloom and husband who helped secure the deck afterwards, start the dish and cutlery washing, wrap leftovers, and get filled garbage containers all the way back to the dumpster.. It was almost midnight when the final items were cleaned and put away or disposed.                                                                                                                        

Saturday morning brought the same stalwarts aboard who had helped clean and secure the evening before.  They tied up some loose ends, including hauling the smallboat up and swinging her over onto the deck setting her firmly in her chocks and lashing down the gripes.. 

Their reward was a break from maintenance and clean up, in order to get an introduction into the Schooner's Bloom six-knot challenge, with the help of chief instigator, Carin.