On Thursday, Charles Towne Landing staff, along with state park workers and workers from Davidson Diving Inc. and Halsey Cannon Boat Yard, raised the reproduction 17th century trading vessel that sank Monday at its mooring location on Old Towne Creek.

"There's a bunch of relieved people down here," said Larry Duncan, district manager for state parks on the coast of South Carolina.

After a failed attempt to raise the vessel Wednesday because of high tide, workers began laboring at 10 a.m. to bring the ship back up from the shallow depths of the creek. The crew of about 12 used gas powered pumps to siphon water out of the vessel, Duncan said. About 1:30 p.m., the efforts were successful.

It's not the first time the Adventure has had trouble. It sank in 1999 after planks were damaged by worms and was repaired.

After Adventure was pulled up Thursday afternoon, work continued on the ship until about 5 p.m., as water was drained from it and silt was cleaned from inside. The smaller leaks were also patched. Workers will continue tending to the Adventure today, Duncan said.

"It looks a whole lot better above the water than below the water," he said.

The 53-foot wooden Adventure was built in 1970 in Cambridge, Md., and was part of the state's Tri-centennial celebration at Charles Towne Landing.

The park had planned a two-year complete restoration that could cost about $300,000. The park will wait a few weeks before lifting the ship out of the water with a crane and setting it on a cradle for the restoration process to begin, Duncan said. Visitors will be able to watch the restoration process, in which traditional materials and methods used in the 17th century will be employed.

"It's almost as impressive out of the water as it is in it," Duncan said.

Phillip Caston can be reached at 937-5550 or pcaston@postandcourier.com.

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