Top of The Edge - Charleston Coast Guard Station 2

"You can call me Mark, ma'am."

"Well Mark, you can call me Robyn, but whatever you call me, please do not call me ma'am again."

"Yes ma'am... I mean uh yes... okay."

Both ladies laughed and Cherry introduced herself, "Hi Mark, I'm Cherry and thank you for that kind offer. If you get the approval, we will certainly take you up on it. Oh, and please do not call me ma'am either."

Things were quiet for a while and both ladies were trying not to think about the queasiness they were starting to experience.

Smith was at the starboard side of the boat and motioned for Cherry and Robyn to join him. When they both made their way over to him, he pointed toward the shore, "If I'm not mistaken, I believe we're passing Kiawah Island now." Robyn shrugged as she responded, "I don't know how you can tell. From this distance, everything looks the same to me — very small." Smith smiled and nodded, "I suppose it does at that. Get your binoculars and take a look."

"I'll get both pair." Cherry said. She returned seconds later with both sets of binoculars in their cases and handed one of them to Robyn. Looking through the binoculars now, Cherry commented, "Wow, I don't know how you can tell one part of the shore from any other - sand dunes and the beach is all I see." Robyn agreed, "That's all I'm seeing too... wait a minute, I think I'm seeing some buildings up this way", looking to the south.

"That would be Edisto Beach State Park, which means we're about halfway to Hilton Head Island", Smith replied.

"I was hoping we were a little further than halfway. I think my stomach is about to toss its contents." Robyn had her hand on her stomach as she leaned against the side of the boat. Cherry nodded in agreement, "Yeah I'm not feeling so hot either."

"The two of you are just experiencing a little motion sickness. It should pass momentarily, but if it doesn't, try to fix your eyes on the horizon or in front of the bow and try to keep your movements to a bare minimum."

Both girls were noticeably not feeling well as they made their way back over behind LT Commander Scott and took a seat. LT Wycliffe pointed toward the bow of the boat, "Focusing on where the boat is headed should help settle your stomachs." They did as he instructed and it did help... some.

Mounted Coastguard Training Station

When they finally reached Hilton Head Island, Lieutenant Commander Scott piloted the boat to its south side before heading westward into an inlet that brought them around to the back side of the island. The boardwalk and dock looked like a giant "T" that extended out into the water about 40 meters. They were greeted by two Coast Guard Sailors waiting on the dock to help secure the boat and extend the gangplank. The two ladies were helping each other don they're backpacks, when LTJG Wycliff approached, "Miss Cherry, Miss Robyn, I'll be staying aboard for the duration of your visit. If you want to avoid carrying those packs around on your backs all day, you can leave them here with me. I'll keep an eye on them."

"Thank you! Mister Wycliffe." Cherry responded emphatically, and they both immediately grounded their packs at the lieutenant's feet.

Once they were ashore, Cherry and Robyn, who were still feeling a little queasy from all the swaying and bobbing, exclaimed their appreciation for once again having their feet on solid ground. The higher ranking of the two sailors escorted Smith and the ladies to the stables. Captain Preston, the base commander was there currently toweling down one of the horses. When he turned and saw Smith and the two ladies, he stopped what he was doing and smiled as he observed Smith and the ladies approaching.

"Bart, how are you? It's been a while."

"It has been a while, Andy. You're looking well."

Captain Preston was wearing a khaki Uniform, sunglasses, a khaki officer's visor cap, and high-top riding boots. Not quite as tall as Smith, Preston's presence seemed to emanate a charismatic air that conveyed both command and approachability.

"Well... I must admit, Life here on Hilton Head Island does agree with me. I've had a lifelong love and respect for these magnificent animals." Captain Preston said as he patted the horse's neck that he had just been toweling. "This is Sparky. He’s mine, issued to me by the US Coast Guard. In many ways, one could argue that I am currently living out one of my greatest lifelong dreams." Captain Preston threw the wet towel he had been using into a bucket and replaced it with a fresh dry one and resumed toweling down Sparky.

"I'm sure neither of you ladies remember me, but we've met before." Cherry and Robyn exchanged quizzical expressions as Captain Preston continued, "A little over a year ago at the Hitchcock Horse Riding Competition in Aiken, SC, I watched the two of you compete against some of the best riders in the country. I was... impressed, to say the least."

Cherry responded, "Well neither of us took 1st place. The best we could do was 2nd and 3rd." Preston paused his toweling momentarily as he stood erect and with a great deal of incredulity emphatically stated, "You placed 2nd and 3rd riding against some of the best riders I know of. And the person that took 1st place in that competition is without a doubt one of the most renowned riders in the world!"

"...and who might that be?" Smith asked.

Robyn answered, "That's where and when we met Belle Baruch."

"Oh... I see"

"To have placed 2nd and 3rd under a rider like Miss Baruch is no small feat, and many, if not all, of the spectators at the event thought the same. After fighting through the throng of congratulators and well-wishers that surrounded the two of you, I finally got the opportunity to express just how much I enjoyed your showings." Cherry and Robyn both only smiled before responding. "Thank you for those kind words, Captain Preston. Cherry replied" Then Robyn responded, "Kind words indeed. Thinking back on that show, I can't speak for Cherry, but as for my riding that day, I was certainly not on top of my game." Cherry chuckled as she responded to Robyn's statement, "Captain Preston she is only saying that because she didn't beat me." Robyn's lips tightened as she glared sidelong with contempt at her friend and retorted, "Well statistically speaking..." Preston suddenly interrupted as he placed the towel on a nearby bench, "The point ladies, is that I'm sure the two of you are more qualified to teach me about riding than the other way around."

Preston led Sparky over to a stall and gave him some fresh hay.

"How did you come by the name ‘Sparky’?" Cherry asked.

"Well, ole Sparky here was issued out to two other individuals before being issued to me. He’s pretty high-spirited and his two previous riders were both young and inexperienced. He threw them both several times, and somehow, he always managed to throw them where they would end up getting shocked by the electric fence. That’s when they started calling him Sparky, and the name stuck."

As he fastened the stall door, Preston looked over at Smith and said, "What do you say we get down to the purpose of your visit?"

"Sounds good to me." Smith answered.

Captain Preston pointed toward a small building about 50 to 60 meters away, "Let's head over to my office where we can get comfortable and delve into the nitty-gritty of this operation." As they trekked toward his office Preston, asked, "Have you spoken to them about the 'Loose Lips Sink Ships' campaign?"

"No, I haven't" Smith responded.

"How about the actual number of Ships sunken and lives lost?"

"Andy, I have received so many contradictory reports about those actual numbers... that I currently lack the confidence in my Intel sources to repeat anything they've conveyed to me about the matter."

"I know what you mean."

Captain Preston’s office could easily have been mistaken for a very large tack room with the exception of the large oak roll-up desk near the back wall with a simple but elegant leather rolling swivel chair behind it. There were bridals, halters, and other tack-items along with beautiful pictures of horses hanging on all four walls. A couple of exquisite high-end saddles adorned wooden saw-horses in the middle of the room. The smell of leather was strong and inviting. There wasn't a speck of dust anywhere, and everything appeared to have just been wiped down or polished. There were five wooden swivel office chairs against the back right wall. Preston arranged four of them into a circle, then walked over to a table on which sat a hot-plate heating a coffee pot, a cream pitcher, sugar dish, and 4 white ceramic coffee cups. "The coffee’s fresh. I had one of my guys put it on as soon as you arrived. You’re welcome to it."

"You can call me Mark, ma'am."

"Well Mark, you can call me Robyn, but whatever you call me, please do not call me ma'am again."

"Yes ma'am... I mean uh yes... okay."

Both ladies laughed and Cherry introduced herself, "Hi Mark, I'm Cherry and thank you for that kind offer. If you get the approval, we will certainly take you up on it. Oh, and please do not call me ma'am either."

Things were quiet for a while and both ladies were trying not to think about the queasiness they were starting to experience.

Smith was at the starboard side of the boat and motioned for Cherry and Robyn to join him. When they both made their way over to him, he pointed toward the shore, "If I'm not mistaken, I believe we're passing Kiawah Island now." Robyn shrugged as she responded, "I don't know how you can tell. From this distance, everything looks the same to me — very small." Smith smiled and nodded, "I suppose it does at that. Get your binoculars and take a look."

"I'll get both pair." Cherry said. She returned seconds later with both sets of binoculars in their cases and handed one of them to Robyn. Looking through the binoculars now, Cherry commented, "Wow, I don't know how you can tell one part of the shore from any other - sand dunes and the beach is all I see." Robyn agreed, "That's all I'm seeing too... wait a minute, I think I'm seeing some buildings up this way", looking to the south.

"That would be Edisto Beach State Park, which means we're about halfway to Hilton Head Island", Smith replied.

"I was hoping we were a little further than halfway. I think my stomach is about to toss its contents." Robyn had her hand on her stomach as she leaned against the side of the boat. Cherry nodded in agreement, "Yeah I'm not feeling so hot either."

"The two of you are just experiencing a little motion sickness. It should pass momentarily, but if it doesn't, try to fix your eyes on the horizon or in front of the bow and try to keep your movements to a bare minimum."

Both girls were noticeably not feeling well as they made their way back over behind LT Commander Scott and took a seat. LT Wycliffe pointed toward the bow of the boat, "Focusing on where the boat is headed should help settle your stomachs." They did as he instructed and it did help... some.

Mounted Coastguard Training Station

When they finally reached Hilton Head Island, Lieutenant Commander Scott piloted the boat to its south side before heading westward into an inlet that brought them around to the back side of the island. The boardwalk and dock looked like a giant "T" that extended out into the water about 40 meters. They were greeted by two Coast Guard Sailors waiting on the dock to help secure the boat and extend the gangplank. The two ladies were helping each other don they're backpacks, when LTJG Wycliff approached, "Miss Cherry, Miss Robyn, I'll be staying aboard for the duration of your visit. If you want to avoid carrying those packs around on your backs all day, you can leave them here with me. I'll keep an eye on them."

"Thank you! Mister Wycliffe." Cherry responded emphatically, and they both immediately grounded their packs at the lieutenant's feet.

Once they were ashore, Cherry and Robyn, who were still feeling a little queasy from all the swaying and bobbing, exclaimed their appreciation for once again having their feet on solid ground. The higher ranking of the two sailors escorted Smith and the ladies to the stables. Captain Preston, the base commander was there currently toweling down one of the horses. When he turned and saw Smith and the two ladies, he stopped what he was doing and smiled as he observed Smith and the ladies approaching. "Bart, how are you? It's been a while."

"It has been a while, Andy. You're looking well."

Captain Preston was wearing a khaki Uniform, sunglasses, a khaki officer's visor cap, and high-top riding boots. Not quite as tall as Smith, Preston's presence seemed to emanate a charismatic air that conveyed both command and approachability.

"Well... I must admit, Life here on Hilton Head Island does agree with me. I've had a lifelong love and respect for these magnificent animals." Captain Preston said as he patted the horse's neck that he had just been toweling. "This is Sparky. He’s mine, issued to me by the US Coast Guard. In many ways, one could argue that I am currently living out one of my greatest lifelong dreams." Captain Preston threw the wet towel he had been using into a bucket and replaced it with a fresh dry one and resumed toweling down Sparky.

"I'm sure neither of you ladies remember me, but we've met before." Cherry and Robyn exchanged quizzical expressions as Captain Preston continued, "A little over a year ago at the Hitchcock Horse Riding Competition in Aiken, SC, I watched the two of you compete against some of the best riders in the country. I was... impressed, to say the least."

Cherry responded, "Well neither of us took 1st place. The best we could do was 2nd and 3rd." Preston paused his toweling momentarily as he stood erect and with a great deal of incredulity emphatically stated, "You placed 2nd and 3rd riding against some of the best riders I know of. And the person that took 1st place in that competition is without a doubt one of the most renowned riders in the world!"

"...and who might that be?" Smith asked.

Robyn answered, "That's where and when we met Belle Baruch."

"Oh... I see"

"To have placed 2nd and 3rd under a rider like Miss Baruch is no small feat, and many, if not all, of the spectators at the event thought the same. After fighting through the throng of congratulators and well-wishers that surrounded the two of you, I finally got the opportunity to express just how much I enjoyed your showings." Cherry and Robyn both only smiled before responding. "Thank you for those kind words, Captain Preston. Cherry replied" Then Robyn responded, "Kind words indeed. Thinking back on that show, I can't speak for Cherry, but as for my riding that day, I was certainly not on top of my game." Cherry chuckled as she responded to Robyn's statement, "Captain Preston she is only saying that because she didn't beat me." Robyn's lips tightened as she glared sidelong with contempt at her friend and retorted, "Well statistically speaking..." Preston suddenly interrupted as he placed the towel on a nearby bench, "The point ladies, is that I'm sure the two of you are more qualified to teach me about riding than the other way around."

Preston led Sparky over to a stall and gave him some fresh hay.

"How did you come by the name ‘Sparky’?" Cherry asked.

"Well, ole Sparky here was issued out to two other individuals before being issued to me. He’s pretty high-spirited and his two previous riders were both young and inexperienced. He threw them both several times, and somehow, he always managed to throw them where they would end up getting shocked by the electric fence. That’s when they started calling him Sparky, and the name stuck."

As he fastened the stall door, Preston looked over at Smith and said, "What do you say we get down to the purpose of your visit?"

"Sounds good to me." Smith answered.

Captain Preston pointed toward a small building about 50 to 60 meters away, "Let's head over to my office where we can get comfortable and delve into the nitty-gritty of this operation." As they trekked toward his office Preston, asked, "Have you spoken to them about the 'Loose Lips Sink Ships' campaign?"

"No, I haven't" Smith responded.

"How about the actual number of Ships sunken and lives lost?"

"Andy, I have received so many contradictory reports about those actual numbers... that I currently lack the confidence in my Intel sources to repeat anything they've conveyed to me about the matter."

"I know what you mean."

Captain Preston’s office could easily have been mistaken for a very large tack room with the exception of the large oak roll-up desk near the back wall with a simple but elegant leather rolling swivel chair behind it. There were bridals, halters, and other tack-items along with beautiful pictures of horses hanging on all four walls. A couple of exquisite high-end saddles adorned wooden saw-horses in the middle of the room. The smell of leather was strong and inviting. There wasn't a speck of dust anywhere, and everything appeared to have just been wiped down or polished. There were five wooden swivel office chairs against the back right wall. Preston arranged four of them into a circle, then walked over to a table on which sat a hot-plate heating a coffee pot, a cream pitcher, sugar dish, and 4 white ceramic coffee cups. "The coffee’s fresh. I had one of my guys put it on as soon as you arrived. You’re welcome to it."

"Thank you, a cup of coffee sounds wonderful" Robyn stated as she, along with Smith and Cherry, made their way over to the coffee pot.