Spirit of South Carolina
Charleston is no stranger to Tall Ships®. This historic port city hosted a fleet of ships in 2000, 2004, and 2007. These visiting ships were no doubt part of the inspiration for South Carolina to build its very own tall ship, the Spirit of South Carolina. The Spirit of South Carolina exists to offer effective, unique educational opportunities for the students of South Carolina. These programs focus on the history, math, science and literature of South Carolina's water resources, and encourage personal responsibility, contribution to community and stewardship of the environment.
The Spirit of South Carolina proudly carries student crewmembers on harbor, coastal and ocean voyages while conveying an unparalleled education in leadership and life skills. Sailing under the flag of the Palmetto State, this ship and all its crew are goodwill ambassadors, representing the best of South Carolina to the world.
The Spirit of South Carolina is owned and operated by the South Carolina Maritime Foundation. This organization manages several events that support its mission and serve to underwrite educational programs onboard the Spirit of South Carolina. Charleston Harbor Fest serves as one of these events, so as you enjoy all that Charleston Harbor Fest has to offer you can feel good that you are also supporting the youth of South Carolina and experiential education aboard our state tall ship.
The Spirit of South Carolina was launched on March 4, 2007 and began serving educators and students in the summer of that same year. The ship is constructed from several types of woods traditionally used in shipbuilding, including: live oak, Angelique, long-leaf yellow pine, chestnut oak, juniper, and Douglas fir. The Spirit of South Carolina serves approximately 2200 students each year with meaningful lessons that tie directly to state standards. Some sample topics covered onboard include simple machines, water quality, navigation, weather, human impact and run-off. Learn more about the Spirit of South Carolina at www.scmaritime.org.
Student Testimonial
“Learning about the tides, erosion, peninsulas, islands, inlets, beaches, and estuaries was cool.” -5th grader from Pleasant Hill Elementary in Hemingway, South Carolina. “The water cycle was interesting. How it moves and goes from place to place, how earth collects water and cycles provide a lot of information that educated my mind. This was one field trip I enjoyed.” -Student from Sanders Clyde Elementary in Charleston
Picture Gallery
