August 16, 1998.
On Thursday morning, I got a call from one of my board members of our No Barriers Education Foundation. Jane is a teacher at Midland Park Elementary School, on of our No Barriers Schools. She was sharing the good news that she and twelve students were given the opportunity to sail from Charleston to Norfolk, Virginia on the missile cruiser, "South Carolina". This would be their first experience at sea and although it was on a huge ship, it would give her and the children the opportunity to experience what it would be like to be at sea for an extended period. They will be at sea for four days, and were going to compare life on the "South Carolina" to life on "No Barriers".
Gwen and I went to see them off dockside where we had the opportunity of meeting some of the officers and an Admiral. With several hours prior to sailing, I had the opportunity of showing an officer "No Barriers". A radio schedule with the war ship was arranged.
With the President of News Printing Company, Mark Barnhart and his family, one of my major sponsors visiting us, we decided to take "No Barriers" sailing to see the war ship off. Sailing past her at anchor, she hailed us on the VHF radio. We arranged to pass each other inside of the harbor.
We were sailing west in the channel, under our beautiful orange spinnaker, when the war ship passed heading east and to sea. Her deck was lined with the crew in uniform, looking a smart as the US Navy always does. We saw Jane and some of the students waving. When the two vessels were abreast of each other, with our crew lining the rail and waving, the entire crew of the USS "South Carolina" saluted our little vessel.
This was a very touching sight to us. To have our students at sea learning from these men will be a wonderful experience. To be honored by the crew of this ship will be a lasting memory for me. The sea is an equalizer of mankind. It is the power of the sea that commands respect, but it is mankind who celebrates our victories of going to sea in small boat. I am proud of being a part of this maritime family and…two small ships, two nations, the human spirit and one big ocean.