For Sparky and myself, curiosity drives passion which in turn fuels our life's engine. Our passion was capturing the story of both unbuilding the Grace (1929 - 2007) and Pearman (1966 - 2007) Bridges and discovering the unbuilders. It takes a lot of passion to track a project from July 2005 until April 2007 - rain, shine, hurricanes or moving to Singapore. We discovered the joy of discovery learning. Ken Canty opened the front door for us - then Steve Testa, Ponch Billingsley and Mickey Rogers opened many side doors. Below are the highlights of what we discovered, who we met and what we learned.
And a reminder from T.S. Eliot (East Coker from the Four Quartets)
Home is where one starts from. As we grow older The world becomes stranger, the pattern more complicated Of dead and living. Not the intense moment Isolated, with no before and after, But a lifetime burning in every moment And not the lifetime of one man only But of old stones that cannot be deciphered.
August 01, 2005 0:00
From SCDOT: A view from above
August 18, 2005 18:15
Grace off ramp
August 19, 2005 17:03
Grace Main Span Pins
October 01, 2005 0:00
From SCDOT: A view from above
October 01, 2005 9:32
Removing the Grace roadway and final preparations for droppping the Pearman-Town Creek segment
October 01, 2005 14:05
Removing the Grace Roadway
October 03, 2005 19:27
Neil Myers night crew at work
October 06, 2005 0:00
Finishing roadway removal of the Town Creek section of the Grace Bridge
October 14, 2005 0:00
Removing roadway from the Grace Approach
October 22, 2005 8:21
An early morning look at progress over Drum Island
October 25, 2005 7:56
Clearing Grace and Pearman structures from Drum Island
October 29, 2005 11:46
Dropping the cables on the Grace superstructure
November 14, 2005 21:05
Picking a Grace segment of the East Bay overpasses
November 16, 2005 7:50
Unbuilding the Grace while marching across Drum Island
November 18, 2005 11:20
Removing the Grace skeleton inside the Port
November 19, 2005 11:08
The disappearing Pearman Stonehenge and going is the Grace ramp
November 25, 2005 12:11
A Thanksgiving Holiday
November 30, 2005 9:50
Pio, Brad, Ted and Richie playing the Grace
December 01, 2005 14:00
A gift from SCDOT - a view from above
December 04, 2005 15:27
Grace departs from Drum Island
December 06, 2005 10:01
Dropping the Town Creek Section of the Grace Bridge
December 06, 2005 18:12
Raising Grace from Town Creek
December 11, 2005 0:00
Roadway and girder removal - Grace is fast disappearing
December 12, 2005 7:32
Pio and his Grace jazz ensemble
December 13, 2005 8:27
Early morning girder harvesting
December 14, 2005 7:12
How much sidewalk can Pio make from the Grace roadbed?
January 01, 2006 12:45
A snapshot of the Gace and Pearman skeletons
January 05, 2006 16:45
Unbuilding Grace: a family affair
January 07, 2006 9:00
More unbuilding of the Grace roadway
January 11, 2006 7:41
Early morning at the Pearman and Grace ramps
January 12, 2006 17:29
Sparky catching sunset at its best
January 15, 2006 14:00
The Grace sand pile
January 17, 2006 13:00
Unbuilding the Grace trusses
January 17, 2006 14:43
Unbuilding the Grace cantilever trusses
January 19, 2006 17:38
Sparky catches sunset over Town Creek
January 21, 2006 8:50
Unbuilding the Drum Island and Port segments of the Grace trusses
January 21, 2006 10:05
Downhill unbuilding of the Grace ramp
January 24, 2006 15:40
Preparing the Grace cantilever segment for a blast
January 25, 2006 13:50
Gone is the Grace off ramp at America St.
January 28, 2006 9:18
Almost finished: Jaws and unbuilding Grace's ramp
January 31, 2006 4:10
Backing down the Grace at 4am
February 01, 2006 0:00
SCDOT gives us a view from above
February 04, 2006 16:20
A transition from unbuilding to rebuilding
February 04, 2006 17:30
Pio and a tight squeeze: two excavators passing on the Grace
February 04, 2006 20:10
A surprise from Marvin + Jack, Lewis, Rich and Scott - 600 Grace feet to go
February 08, 2006 16:15
The last gasps of the Grace roadway
February 09, 2006 2:10
The end of Grace: Unpouring the last segment of the Grace ramp
February 12, 2006 11:05
A Sunday survey of the worksites
February 15, 2006 10:00
Explosive fracture of the Grace Cantilever Truss
February 16, 2006 13:06
The Mammoet umbrella and Grace / Pearman preparations
February 17, 2006 10:12
Jim Grier and his A team fells the last Grace segment on Drum Island
February 17, 2006 11:10
Sparky's whirlwind visit: up, down and all around
February 26, 2006 7:45
Preparing Grace for dropping her main span
March 01, 2006 6:45
The Ironworkers proclaim that the Cooper River is Graceless
March 04, 2006 7:30
Manny, Chucky, Nugget, Chris, Speedy Pat, Farmer, Art and Rip: Removing the Mammoet beam
March 08, 2006 16:45
Sparky captures Pio, Richie and the team playing a Farewell to Grace
March 10, 2006 17:30
Bye Bye Grace
March 11, 2006 16:08
Retrieving the cantilever truss
March 13, 2006 16:45
Multiple personalities of Testa operators
March 16, 2006 12:10
Unbuilding the grace support girders and piers
March 18, 2006 7:04
Ironworker acrobats display their Graceful respect of Grace
March 20, 2006 11:03
Grace, Richie and Jackie: A tango at the Navy Yard
March 22, 2006 8:25
Starting to unbuild P-3
March 25, 2006 15:23
Michael's headache and more tenacity of purpose
March 27, 2006 15:03
Rebuilding a jackup barge leg, work on "Stiff Neck" and pre-blast prep on the Pearman
March 28, 2006 17:03
Unbuilding Pio's legacy and repairs
March 31, 2006 11:17
Sparky and Sparky 2 and a trip around the worksites
April 01, 2006 0:00
From SCDOT: A view from above
April 03, 2006 16:10
Pio, Richie, Jackie and Michael - unbuilding Grace
April 06, 2006 18:45
Sunsets over Grace: without words
April 08, 2006 7:09
Michael, P-3 and his 1250
April 08, 2006 13:05
The dynamic duo: Jackie and Richie
April 09, 2006 9:04
A neck procedure for Michael's 1250
April 11, 2006 10:00
Oscar and the DD team
April 11, 2006 14:30
Planting explosives on the truss between P-11 and P-13
April 12, 2006 9:59
Grace trusses between P-11 and P-13 down
April 14, 2006 9:48
Then and Now - Transforming the skylines of Charleston and Mt. Pleasant
April 18, 2006 12:19
Unbuilding the west Grace cantilever
April 24, 2006 16:05
Cleanup around the Cooper River and the Navy Yard
April 26, 2006 13:15
Jackie Foley and Michael Hebb and how to fish for Grace truss sections
April 26, 2006 13:47
Charge placement on the Grace structure
April 28, 2006 10:00
Bye bye Grace (Mt. Pleasant side)
April 29, 2006 12:38
A retrieval composition for Crane, Grapple and Shear
May 03, 2006 10:16
Quartet for Diver, Crane, Grapple and Shear
May 08, 2006 10:38
A surprise in a small package
May 08, 2006 12:41
Unbuilding does not stop for lunch
May 11, 2006 16:10
Sparky makes a tour of the worksites (between the rain episodes)
May 16, 2006 8:57
The Last Grace Blast and a tribute from the C-17s and F-15s
May 16, 2006 11:00
After the dance - cleanup time
May 21, 2006 11:21
Unbuilding P-10 - the strategy
May 27, 2006 4:30
Installing the Grace bearings, May 22, 1929
June 01, 2006 10:00
A view from above by SCDOT
June 03, 2006 17:51
Michael's 1250 at the Navy Yard
June 04, 2006 12:51
What a change in the Cooper River landscape
June 05, 2006 15:00
Blowing P-12
June 05, 2006 16:10
Drilling the footing with a template - prep for P-11 blast
June 07, 2006 12:57
Preparing to unbuild P-11: A template + drilling + skill
June 07, 2006 15:45
Tim and Michael hammering away while Smokey is fishing
June 19, 2006 12:05
Reviewing the past 2 years:
The changing face of the Cooper River
June 20, 2006 19:15
Cleanup at the Navy Yard and a new player
June 24, 2006 11:57
From SCDOT, Julie and Randi - A history of the project from above
June 26, 2006 15:10
Our backup video team and the Navy Yard
June 30, 2006 13:15
See Mickey's new Copco
June 30, 2006 13:35
Marine life in the Cooper River
July 03, 2006 20:23
Sunset over the Graceless Cooper River
July 12, 2006 14:55
P-10 says goodbye to Charleston
July 17, 2006 11:54
Meet the Jay Cashman (aka 995)
July 22, 2006 10:30
Meet Billy Ward and the 995 in action
July 24, 2006 16:08
Building the Observation Pier and unbuilding P-8 and P-9
August 16, 2006 19:06
New boy on the block at the Navy Yard
August 30, 2006 14:36
Final cleanup at the Navy Yard
September 14, 2006 17:54
Unbuilding the last of the Grace structure
September 16, 2006 9:42
Part 1: Chris, Robbie, Lewis and Carlos - Graceful acrobats @ work
September 16, 2006 10:49
Part 2: Raising the Grace pier truss
September 16, 2006 16:45
Part 3: Unbuilding Grace from her feet
September 20, 2006 16:23
A new Grace foundation and Mt Pleasant work
September 23, 2006 12:14
A little bit of building - the midsection Grace support
October 10, 2006 9:00
Brian Dadin joins our team and Grace has a mid-span support
October 13, 2006 17:13
From Mt. Pleasant to Charleston. Sparky provides an all around update
October 17, 2006 15:48
The J. Cashman scooping and dumping + a bit of Chris Vocci
October 26, 2006 11:00
An aerial survey from SCDOT
October 30, 2006 15:56
Blasting Grace's foot prints
November 09, 2006 17:23
Manny and Chris get well deserved extensions
November 15, 2006 15:03
Gloom and rain can not stop unbuilding
November 20, 2006 17:19
More Pearman truss unbuilding
December 02, 2006 16:17
Sparky is back from Katrina-land to give us a bridge fix
December 13, 2006 16:02
A foggy Grace worksite
December 13, 2006 18:03
The Navy yard - cleanup and the 995
December 15, 2006 11:41
Watch Manny and the Ironworkers unbuild a Grace section
December 15, 2006 12:34
More unbuilidng of Grace
December 15, 2006 13:14
Unbuilding the next section
December 15, 2006 14:24
Carlos, Manny, Nugget and Stan - do it again Sam!
December 15, 2006 16:39
Another face lift by Manny, Carlos and the team
December 15, 2006 18:03
Removing the next section over the temp supports
December 16, 2006 9:55
Nearing the end of unbuilding Grace
December 16, 2006 12:08
A view of the Grace Skateboard ramp from above
December 19, 2006 9:34
Unbuilding half the last superstructure
December 19, 2006 10:18
Carlos, Lewis, Nugget, Stan, Robbie, Randi, Rick, Manny, Chris and a segment of Project Runway
December 19, 2006 12:09
The last of Grace to come down
December 20, 2006 14:20
Unbuilding half the Grace roadway skeleton
December 21, 2006 10:47
Near completion of the Grace steel structures
December 22, 2006 16:28
SCDOT's aerial survey
January 02, 2007 14:15
Cleanup at the Port site
January 05, 2007 16:14
Neither rain, snow, or ice can keep Jimmy Grier from an oyster roast
January 30, 2007 16:41
Michael unbuilding the last Grace pier
February 01, 2007 16:00
Fog wraps cousin Arthur
February 10, 2007 12:08
Sparky takes a walk down memory lane, with Liza and Lauren
February 13, 2007 14:12
Preparing the last Grace pier for implosion
February 24, 2007 13:05
A quintet for 4 guys and the moon
February 27, 2007 13:48
Cleanup and final prep for the T-2 foundation implosion
March 02, 2007 13:37
Driling the last Grace pier
March 09, 2007 13:55
Manny and team: fetching and toting
March 10, 2007 9:47
Manny: lifting, positioining, lifting again, positioining again and then hammering
March 11, 2007 10:53
More prep for the last Grace pier
March 12, 2007 10:35
Mickey, Ken and team loading up for tomorrow's last big event
March 13, 2007 10:15
Bringing down the last Grace pier
March 13, 2007 14:25
Manny demonstrates the Manny push strategy.
March 14, 2007 16:36
Fishing for debris from yesterday's implosion
March 17, 2007 8:43
Finishing the Mt Pleasant Pier, Cleanup at the port and Mickey drilling the last Grace base
March 20, 2007 18:42
Cleanup on the Charleston side and another Charleston Sunset
March 21, 2007 15:25
Cleanup, Randy and Driving with Sparky
March 26, 2007 11:06
Manny and Mickey - what a pair. Watch the last of the Copco drilling exercise
March 27, 2007 16:00
The last Graceful Blast from Mickey, Michael, Ken and the entire unbuilding team
March 29, 2007 16:46
The clean up after ...
April 03, 2007 12:35
The last of Manny. What a man and what a smile - sigh
April 10, 2007 7:42
Morning sun kisses the Graceless and Pearmanless Ravenel Bridge
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
C. Frank Starmer