Many Veterans Joined VoD for a Day on the Water!
On Tuesday November 11, Veterans on Deck honored those who served our nation with a special sail and harbor tour aboard four boats–our sailboats DD214, Caithness and First Light, as well as Hope, a motor yacht owned by Board Member Rob Atkinson. Each vessel featured a guided narration of Charleston provided by the Charleston Tour Group. All boats were filled to capacity with a total of 26 participants onboard, as well as a captains, first mates, and a tour guide on each boat, bringing our grand total to 38 individuals.
At 2PM all boats met up at Buoy R4 to collectively observe the National Moment of Silence at 2:11PM. Boats were called to order with a boatswain’s pipe from Navy Veteran Mark Ellwanger aboard First Light, first with an “Attention” call, followed by a “Silence” call, and finally an “As You Were” call.
Cool and breezy conditions on the water did not diminish our appreciation of the sacrifices our veterans have made for our nation, and several participants remarked afterward on how meaningful this special sail was for them. Thanks to all our captains and first mates for making this happen, and a special thanks to Rob Atkinson and the Charleston Tour Group. We hope to make this an annual event.