South Carolina Waters Expedition--The Ashley River Baptism

Practice makes perfect was the calling of the day on the prestigious Ashley River just before it makes its entrance into Charleston's deep water harbor at White Point Gardens. It would be the maiden voyage for the expedition team's recently acquired Trident ROV into South Carolina waters. The main target of the preparatory National Geographic Open Explorer exploration into the rivers murky liquid was a casualty of a past hurricane, a solitary sunken sailboat. Launching point was Bristol Marina.

You couldn't ask for better weather for mid-January with temperatures in the sixties and considerable sunshine. We rendezvoused at Rick Olson's boat, the expedition team's home base, where we discussed objectives, strategies, and equipment. The Trident was unpacked and readied for a trial run around the marina's docks. Team leader Dave Eslinger discussed the ROV's features, controls, and video capabilities with the team members.

The Trident was then launched and we got a view of the marina's pluff mud bottom dotted by various abandoned sea shells. After the quick run, the equipment was loaded unto the Sea Hunt where team mascot, a Golden Doodle named Willow, waited patiently and the necessary safety checks were made.

Leaving the protective confines of the Bristol Marina behind, it wasn't long before we passed under the historic Ashley River drawbridges of Highway 17. We could hear the loud traffic overhead zipping past on their metal grating. The first, a one way span built in 1926, is known as the Ashley River Memorial Bridge--dedicated to the lost soldiers of World War I and one of four remaining bridges of its kind in South Carolina. The second, a bascule bridge built in 1961, was named after T. Allen Legare--a Charleston lawyer and senator. After slipping past the next bridge in line, the concrete span of the James Island Expressway, our target came into view.

Sitting in about twenty-seven feet of water at present--depth changes with tide--the solitary mast of the sunken sailboat rose out of the Ashley River across from the City Marina. Time was nearing the beginning of the high tide cycle. Our excitement was peaking in anticipation of getting some good underwater video and possibly marine life using the boat for cover.

The Ashley River was once an important water thoroughfare for upriver plantations Drayton Hall, Magnolia Gardens, Runnymede, and Middleton Place in Summerville--an upstream town recognized as an important summer refuge for plantation owners escaping the heat and mosquitoes of downstream Charleston. Their cash crops were indigo, cotton, and rice, with rice the most popular.

Navigating and anchoring the boat into an optimum position in the afternoon breeze and changing tide was a little tricky. We changed our proximity and deployment of the ROV several times throughout our exploratory practice. If anything, it was a golden opportunity for team leader Dave to hone his skills at controlling the feisty Trident. Needless to say, the restless tidal current kicked our butts and the demised sloop was a formidable opponent to tangle with in the murky waters, literally.

With our first mishap recorded in the log, including someone getting wet, we have something to look back on and enjoy a good laugh. Though it wasn't a perfect beginning and we weren't able to get any underwater video of the sailboat, we considered it a success. We learned some lessons, equipment was tested, and the Open Explorer ROV had its baptism into South Carolina waters. Enjoy the video as we share our first preparatory excursion we'll call The Ashley River Baptism.