So, if you have any interest in sailing whatsoever, you’ll definitely want to be in town two weeks from now for the fifth and final leg of the VELUX 5 OCEANS around-the-world sailboat race that coincides with Harborfest 2011.

The 3,600 nautical mile final leg will be leaving Charleston May 14th, racing to the finish line in La Rochelle, France.

‘Sprint’ really encapsulates what the finale to the VELUX 5 OCEANS will be: an all out adrenaline-fueled race across the North Atlantic and back into the Bay of Biscay, where La Rochelle will celebrate the unique achievements of the skippers in completing The Ultimate Solo Challenge. They are expected to arrive in La Rochelle in early June 2011 with prizes presented June 11.

“I have a lot of incentives to get to Charleston first, my kids are there, my family is there and my home is there. The sooner I get there the longer I get to spend at home. Mentally that is a bit of a liability, and it will be important for me to keep my head straight and not get too excited about sailing home.” – Charleston’s own Brad Van Liew, skipper of Le Pingouin.

Charleston Harborfest 2011 Schedule

Thursday, May 12th

• VELUX 5 OCEANS Vessels and Race Village Open to Public >> 1:00 – 6:00 PM

Friday, May 13th

• Festival Grounds Open to Public >> 1:00 – 6:00 PM
• Skipper Bon Voyage Party >> 5:00 – 8:00 PM

Saturday, May 14th

• Festival Grounds Open to Public >> 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
• VELUX 5 OCEANS Parade of Sail >> 12:30 PM
• VELUX 5 OCEANS Race Restart >> 3:00 PM

Sunday, May 15th

• Festival Grounds Open to Public >> 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

From the Shem Creek blog.

Charleston Harborfest 2011

1. his trailer axle threw one wheel’s studs
2. he forgot his code to buy more minutes on his cell phone
3. his bank declined his attempt to withdraw funds (first time in 20+ years at that bank)
4. so, his parts won’t be ordered ’til his wife gets there in another hour!

UPDATE: $500 bucks later (hub, wheels, hotel…), he made it down when we discovered his starter was dying on him. I didn’t wanna-make-a big deal of it, but David really hooked us up in a 24 hr squeeze – thanks again!

From the Shem Creek blog.

What’s a guy gotta do to go fishin around here?

A Civil War cannon protecting Fort Moultrie.
Credit: NPS

This triumph was the first decisive victory by the American Colonies in their fight for independence and prevented the British from gaining a foothold in South Carolina for another four years.

Artillery and musket firing demonstrations will be performed on both days by volunteers portraying the various units that took part in the battle. Eighteenth century medical displays will also be on exhibit near the visitor center. Following the last artillery demonstration on June 28th, a short program about the battle will take place.

The year 2009 marks the bicentennial (200th) anniversary of the current Fort Moultrie. This is the third fort to be built on Sullivan’s Island. This brick fort opened December 19, 1809 and remained in military service until 1947. The first Fort Moultrie, constructed of palmetto logs and sand, was the site of the “battle of Sullivan’s Island” on June 28, 1776.

Admission to Fort Moultrie for this weekend’s event is free.

2009 Fort Moultrie / Fort Sumter Summer Events

Since 1960, the fort has been administered as part of Fort Sumter National Monument, a unit of the National Park Service. For more information, call the park at (843) 883-3123.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Carolina Day 2009

With Pres. Obama’s AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT PLAN in place, one of the items South Carolina has to look forward to is “enacting the largest investment increase in our nation’s roads, bridges and mass transit systems since the creation of the national highway system in the 1950s.”

On that note, we sure could use some funds for all the road construction that’s been going on around here. As far as bridges go, our only suspension bridge also happens to be the newest one in town (for now) – but if a suspension cable ever broke on it, it would be a complete disaster.

The Cooper River bridge
falling down.

According to Raimondo Betti, professor of civil engineering and engineering mechanics, who is leading an experiment that tests bridge cable weaknesses, one suspension cable failing on a bridge such as NY’s older Williamsburg, Brooklyn, or Manhattan Bridges would cause the failure of the entire bridge. “You can imagine what could [happen] if one of these bridges needed to be closed for a major repair. This would mean that the city basically shuts down,” Betti said.

We all know things are much better now with our new bridge: it’s so wide that a wreck in one lane could be averted by moving over to another, where in the past, we were all tied up for hours, and the question of the day was: ‘Which way do I go home?”, and forget about before the Mark Clark was built, you might as well cancel dinner.

The idea is that the sensors would alert engineers and maintenance personnel immediately when a cable becomes weak – because sooner or later, every bridge will have it’s day.

This short video shows a mockup the Columbia University engineers have built to test sensors they imagine being placed within the suspension cables while being built.

Thanks to our beautiful new bridge here in Charleston, we won’t have to worry about stress tests of this magnitude during our lifetime, but it’s good to know there’s a plan in place for older bridges.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Weak bridge cables mean disaster

As bad as we did here, at least Charleston County didn’t do as bad as Greenville County did Upstate for two months in a row – small consolation for all the homeowners in trouble right now, but with President Obama’s foreclosure plan coming online to help many homeowners, many banks have started to cease foreclosures until a concrete plan can be put into action across the country.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Charleston County foreclosure numbers top the state

Homebuyer Tax Credit

An $8000 tax credit will be available for qualified purchases of a principal residence by first-time home buyers between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009. The credit does not require repayment. Individuals who purchase in 2009 using financing assistance from state and local mortgage bonds will be permitted to use the credit as well. NAR estimates that the home buyer tax provisions could stimulate up to 300,000 additional home sales, helping stabilize home values and potentially preventing some homeowners from falling into foreclosure.

FHA, Fannie and Freddie Loan Limits

Revised loan limits for FHA, Freddie Mac, and Fannie Mae to 2008 levels.

Foreclosure Mitigation & Neighborhood Stabilization

Funding for states and local communities to be used for neighborhood stabilization activities for the redevelopment of abandoned and foreclosed homes are authorized.

“This hopefully will get buyers off the fence and into the marketplace. First-time home buyers not only stimulate the housing economy and therefore the economy as a whole, but since first-time buyers don’t have to wait for their home to sell, it moves the stabilization and revitalization of the housing economy along quicker.” – Herb Koger, legislative chairman of the Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS®.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Stimulis package should boost Charleston real estate market

Two of South Carolina’s premier destinations were named to the list of America’s “Top 10 Value Cities for Couples”.

Charleston was rated number one on the list and Myrtle Beach eighth. The ratings were based on value for the money available in cities visited by couples.

“Flowers are nice for Valentine’s Day, but a romantic getaway to one of these high-value cities can generate a lasting memory and still be within a couple’s budget.”

Here is this year’s Top 10 Value Cities for Couples:

1. Charleston,
2. Williamsburg,
3. Asheville,
4. Nashville,
5. San Diego,
6. San Francisco,
7. Ocean City,
8. Myrtle Beach,
9. Branson, Mo., &
10. Las Vegas

“While Charleston comes out on top, a common thread among these cities that make the top 10 value list is their significant offering of free or nearly free cultural exhibits, galleries, walking tours, and reasonably priced romantic dining,” – Cheryl Schutz, DKSA’s V.P. of account services.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Top 10 Value Cities for Couples

1. Have an urban adventure in New York, N.Y.
2. Soak up the sun in Honolulu, Hawaii.
3. Savor a quiet retreat on Cape Cod, Mass.
4. Conquer the great outdoors in Aspen, Colo.
5. Dance the night away in Miami, Fla.
6. Have a white wedding in Las Vegas, Nev.
7. Experience southern charm in Charleston, S.C.
8. Savor world-class wine in Sonoma, Calif.
9. See breathtaking views in San Antonio, Texas.
10. Embrace your inner history buff in Philly, Pa.

Filled with antebellum mansions, flourishing gardens and Civil War landmarks, Charleston, South Carolina specializes in southern charm.

Try these activities for a romantic day in our historic city Charleston:

1. Morning – Snuggle up in horse-drawn carriage and take a tour of the historic streets of Charleston. Learn about the city’s past from knowledgeable tour guides.
2. Afternoon – Explore Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, a 17th century estate featuring America’s oldest gardens, a Pre-Revolutionary War plantation house, a Biblical garden, a wildlife observation tower and more. Then, embrace your artistic side at the City Gallery at Waterfront Park.
3. Evening – At sunset, get some take-out and have a picnic in Waterfront Park. Spread out the food on one of the park’s family-sized swings and enjoy the romantic atmosphere, complete with water views, fountains and gardens.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Top 10 Romantic Hotspots for Americans to live in

Well, I don’t usually push individual businesses, but this one is getting involved in something that holds some great potential for all of us: stem cell research.

“Within the next 10 years, maybe less, this is going to be thought of as mainstream medicine — preventing disease, slowing the aging process down, preventing people from losing their ability to take care of themselves when they get older and ending up in nursing homes. This is really the cutting edge of medicine.” – Dr. Life

When I first heard of stem cells and the increased research behind it, I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread – apparently, President Obama did too! – from the White House: Advance Stem Cell Research: Support increased stem cell research. Allow greater federal government funding on a wider array of stem cell lines.”

That brings me to the company I was talking about: CenegenicsCarolinas. Business Journal says they are the only facility in the Carolinas offering the newest health service in town (so far): stem cell storage.

“At Cenegenics, we help our patients maximize their health and quality of life, which also helps improve the quality of their stem cells.” – Dr. Mickey Barber, CEO of Cenegenics Carolinas.

With past coverage from 20/20, 60 Minutes, CNBC, GQ Magazine & others, there may be something to this guy – excuse me, I mean Doctor – but I’ll hold off judgment until I hear directly from someone who’s used his age management diagnostics that it’s actually worked for them.

Two months ago, when Cenegenics aligned with AssureImmune, an adult stem cells collection and preservation company, they figured they’d found the ‘fountain of youth’ many strive for – and here’s what you’ve been waiting on – the price is $3,395 per person, which includes 4 years of storage. After 4 years, prices plummet – ranging from $219 to $349 per year – depending on the amount of time paid for.

So, it’s your money, give it a shot if you’re interested – all I know is Jack LaLanne didn’t need any stem cells growth hormones.

I do wish Dr. Life all the best though. I guess he knew from birth his mission in life was to try and prolong it, but heads up: Alan Mintz, a.k.a ‘Dr. T to the Rescue’, who ran the Cenegenics Medical Institute near Las Vegas, died last year at the young age of 64 – so much for prolonged life!

* UPDATE 1/30/9: After watching a Fox News YouTube clip on Cenergenics – which showed the typical ‘sensationalism slant’ Fox News puts on everything – I read up on the anti-aging aspect of human growth hormone – HGH as doping dudes call it – and finally learned what those always-running fibromyalgia commercials are all about. Isn’t Wikipedia awesome?

* UPDATE 2/6/9: Obama to reverse stem cell policy – “I guarantee you that we will sign an executive order for stem cells,” Obama said in response to a question from Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.).

From the Shem Creek blog.

Charleston’s ‘Fountain of Youth’

To make things even more hectic for local longshoremen and truckers, the SPA CEO is leaving now too.

All this happened before President Obama gave his first weekly address Saturday. In that historical speech, he demanded increased security for our ports, so to say it’s the reason SPA management decided to not successfully renegotiate with the union, and that somehow the SPA’s CEO leaving office has anything to do with it, is totally without merit – although President Obama did mention port security in his earlier campaign pledges.

“…we will rebuild and retrofit America to meet the demands of the 21st century. That means repairing and modernizing thousands of miles of America’s roadways and providing new mass transit options for millions of Americans. It means protecting America by securing 90 major ports…” – Pres. Obama

In fact, the local ILA couldn’t come to terms with Maersk management, and in the end, decided to leave Charleston completely by the end of 2010. Dana Magliola, spokesman for Maersk Line, said “The South Carolina State Ports Authority offered us a workable solution that involved a move into the common yard, but we needed the consent of local ILA to accomplish the move. The local ILA refused to consent, and so we are forced to move.”

According to Shipping Digest, “Not one of the East Coast’s major metropolitan areas, Charleston is nevertheless the second busiest container port on the East Coast, trailing only New York / New Jersey in container volumes.”

Current weekly Maersk departures out of Charleston include:

1. Africa,
2. Asia: Russian Far East, Japan, Korea,
3. Asia: Taiwan, China, Hong Kong,
4. Caribbean/Central America,
5. Europe/Mediterranean, and
6. Indian Subcontinent/Mideast/Red Sea

With Maersk leaving Charleston, it will obviously have a huge impact on the local economy, but another carrier will surely fill the gap when the opportunity arises – let’s just hope it happens sooner, rather than later.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Obama increases port security, Maersk leaves Charleston