Tale of a Tall Ship

We ride along on a special

training ship voyage

Sailing on any tall ship is cool. Sailing from Bermuda to Charleston on the Spirit of South Carolina  is awesome!  It’s a dream come true for me, one of a stalwart band of sailors who believed South Carolina should have a tall ship to honor our maritime heritage and to instill a love of the sea in our state’s youth. In fact, Spirit’s main purpose is as a mobile classroom. The program is based on what educators call experiential education, teaching subjects such as math and science with hands-on practical applications while developing leadership qualities in the students. Operated by the South Carolina Maritime Heritage Foundation, to date the Sea Spray Scouts program has involved more than 3,000 children to rave reviews from both the young sailors and their teachers.
In June, Spirit joined an international group of tall ships in Bermuda to celebrate the commonwealth’s 400th anniversary and then sail with the fleet to Charleston. The Bermudian and American students aboard for this unique trip, not all of them sailors, ranged from 13 to 17 years of age. They boarded Spirit at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club in Hamilton next to other tall ships such as the Pride of Baltimore II, the Virginia and the Spirit of Bermuda. Most seemed in awe of the ship and their adventure . . . or maybe it was the shock when Julia Hammer, Spirit’s head educator, gathered up all cell phones and locked them away for the duration . . . or their realization that there were no sodas onboard.

Tips from a Bridge Tender

Drawing advice from an ICW pro

If you’ve ever held your vessel in wind and current waiting for a bridge opening, this information may make the next time more pleasant, and you’ll understand what the bridge tender is going through. Many captains don’t know it’s necessary to make a radio call on channel nine—or channel 13 in Virginia and North Carolina—to alert the bridge tender of their request, so they sit and wait, or turn around or holler on channel 16. Not all spans operate on a schedule, many open on demand only. But here’s a little-known fact: Every vessel is supposed to radio for a “reservation” no matter how many boats are in line or even if there are scheduled openings because bridge tenders are required to keep a log of vessel name, type and direction traveled. Here are some tips to keep in mind when approaching a low span.
• Bridges only open off-schedule for emergencies.Government vessels, tugs and tows, and vessels-in-distress are allowed to request emergency clearance. Bridge tenders are allowed to have a very narrow definition of an emergency.
• Always contact the bridge.  No matter how many vessels are gathered. If it is a demand-operated bridge, the tender will appreciate a few minutes notice to clear pedestrians and stop vehicle traffic. Be patient. Requesting an opening just so your droppable antennas or outriggers can make it through is against federal law.
•  Use the low-power setting on your VHF radio. The folks in Boca Raton don’t really care that you’re requesting an opening in Miami and it may create confusion.
• Don’t ask questions like: “How much clearance under your bridge?”  Sorry, but bridge tenders are not required—or even allowed—to give out that information. The tide gauges located on the bridge structure are the minimum high tide clearances at the lowest point on the bridge. Post a list of frequently used bridge schedules and clearances near your radio.
• Don’t block traffic. Please don’t wait so close to the bridge that you hinder other, lower boats from getting by you.
• Organize your passage. It is common practice among professional captains awaiting an opening on opposite sides of the bridge to agree by radio who will go first and which side they prefer. Bridge tenders cannot offer maneuvering advice.  If there is a current running, the vessel with the current from astern is privileged under Inland Rules of The Road; Rule 9 Narrow Channels.  Agreeing to agree is a good practice.
• Prepare for emergencies. It is a very good idea to have a back-up VHF radio or a cell phone handy. Bridge phone numbers are posted on the span. The specified sound signal to request an opening is a long blast (4-5 seconds) followed by a short (1 sec) blast but don’t feel dejected if the bridge tender doesn’t hear it over radio noise and passing vehicle traffic.
• Proceed with caution. The water under bridges is an Idle Speed–No Wake zone. Excessive speed is not safe in narrow confines, especially when passing in opposite directions. This rule applies to boats of all sizes whether the bridge is up or down. Tenders appreciate a simple notification that you’re clear of the bridge and a short thank-you goes a long way.
A good source for vertical clearance numbers as well as opening times can be found on the Internet at cruisersnet.net with more details at aicw.org/bridgelistings.htm. NOAA paper charts and viewable on line versions indicate bridge clearances at the center.