Great news. The schooner Spirit of South Carolina is on her way home to Charleston, South Carolina. We recently heard from Meryl Huckabey:
“As a long-time reader of oldsaltblog.com I am pleased to tell you that the Spirit of South Carolina, tall ship out of Charleston, South Carolina just finished sea trials and Coast Guard inspection in Newport, Rhode Island. The Spirit will leave for her home port of Charleston, SC in the next day or so. She is skippered by Christopher Trandell, recently the captain of Spirit of Bermuda. The Spirit is a two-masted, 140-foot-long wooden ship built in a field near Charleston harbor, modeled after a 19th century, Charleston-built pilot schooner. She was launched in 2007, running educational programs until financial difficulties stopped her from sailing. The Spirit was bought by local businessmen Tommy Baker and Michael Bennett to keep her in Charleston harbor. Plans for educational programs, recreational trips, and dock tours are being considered, although “teaching children will still be our focus” according to Director Ashley Bridges.”
Congratulations to all involved with the schooner Spirit of South Carolina.
In 2004 I started a Sea Scout program at Patriots Point. The Coastal Carolina Council (BSA) has about 25 boats at Camp Moultrie from Sunfish to 26-foot keel boats. I have suggested that the Spirit of South Carolina people get with the Coastal Carolina Council people and find a way to work out a maritime youth program. Training from small to large boats would have a powerful impact.
Bob Webb
220 Ibis Lane
Goose Creek, SC 29445