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adventure

SEAL Adventure

July 16, 2022 by ROBERT SNIP

S.E.A.L., Sea scout Experience Advanced Leadership training is the Sea Scouts BSA highest leadership training for youth, which is now open for Scouts BSA as well. It is a demanding hands-on leadership experience that takes a lot of preparation. The course is designed to develop leadership skills in young adults in an “at sea” experience, but seamanship and nautical skills are merely the means, not the end. Sea Scouts need to have the rank of Ordinary (the second rank in Sea Scouts BSA, after the rank of Apprentice) or be a Venturing Pathfinder or a Scouts BSA First Class Scout by June 1st of the year of the SEAL training.


Furthermore, both Sea Scout, Venturer, and Scout need to study Chapter 4 of the most current edition of the Sea Scout Manual, have to be able to perform basic coastal navigation, and be able to tie all knots required for Apprentice and Ordinary rank (15 knots) within 3 minutes. They also need to know most basic names of all sailing vessel parts, helm commands and relative bearings, which can be found in the Sea Scout Manual. All participants must also have their State’s Boater License in order to pilot a boat or ship.

Troop 447 Life Scout and SPL Austin was accepted to attend the NY/NJ SEAL training off of Long Island NY on the 65’ motorized vessel Sea Dart II, out of Linden NJ the last week of June. Austin had only 6 weeks after he was accepted to this course to be fully prepared for this adventure. Fortunately was offered help for this by the new National Service Territory Boatswain William Kennedy, who gave Austin a crash course in Coastal Navigation, and in the use of Austin’s newly acquired Boatswain pipe, the high pitched device with which commands are given on a ship.

Austin also studied the required Chapter 4 of the Sea Scout Manual and earned his MD Boater License, all while earning his PADI open water certification (not required, but scheduled 2 weeks before the SEAL course). He also got a full Sea Scout uniform, which was a requirement for this course. Fortunately, the uniform can be found at any local Walmart, the dark navy shirt, and shorts or cargo pants from Dickies (a higher end, but more expensive option can be found at any 5.11 store).

We dropped Austin off on the dock in Linden New Jersey on Saturday, June 25 and received sporadic messages during the week, as cell phone use is restricted on board during most of the day, so the candidates can focus on the rigorous training. Fortunately we were able to follow the vessel in real time through on online maritime locator system. From Linden, they visited Port Jefferson on Long Island NY, through the Long Island Sound to New London CT for the U.S.C.G. Academy, to Bridgeport CT, to Throgs Neck NY for the State University of NY Maritime College and back to home port of Linden NJ. During the trip Austin and his fellow candidates practiced and performed the twelve areas of leadership management of the SEAL course and experienced life on board of a vessel, including cooking, cleaning and preparing for the journey of the next day.

When we picked Austin up a week later, he was exhausted, but he was happy to report that he had successfully completed the SEAL training, and that he was now the proud owner of the coveted SEAL Award pin, the Silver Dolphin pin and SEAL certificate! In the 5 hour journey home it was a non-stop waterfall of stories from his adventure. In the end he shared with us that it was an exhausting trip, but more than worth it.

Filed Under: Adventure Tagged With: adventure, Sea Scouts

Troop 58’s Spring Break St. Thomas Sailing Adventure

June 19, 2022 by Jill McClelland

An adventurous crew of nine scouts and three adults from Troop 58 in Ashburn, VA spent a year eagerly anticipating a spring break Sea Base sailing adventure in the Bahamas. Due to the uncertainties surrounding international travel because of the ongoing pandemic, the crew changed course in January and chose a St. Thomas sailing adventure in the U.S. Virgin Islands. In April, the crew donned their matching Hawaiian shirts, met Captain Matias at Sapphire Beach Marina and boarded the deck of the 50 ft. yacht, Antillean, and set sail.

The first night sleeping on deck was quite an adventure with gusting high winds, torrential downpours, flapping side panels, squealing pulleys, squawking seagulls, and even crowing roosters! The weather improved and the crew enjoyed navigating from the shaded cockpit and at times relaxing in the on-deck hammock. Some of the highlights of the week included snorkeling, night fishing at Honeymoon Beach, hiking to Fort Segarra, and a beach BBQ. Late in the week, the crew swam ashore in their bathing suits to Water Island for a well-deserved hamburger dinner at a local waterfront restaurant.

During the course of the five-day adventure the crew completed the requirements to earn the Snorkeling BSA patch and the Duty to God award. Several scouts also earned their Fishing, Citizenship in Society, and Communications merit badges. Captain Matias kept a close eye on the crew throughout the week to evaluate their success on the water in the areas of snorkeling, sailing & crewing, fishing, cooking, cleaning, personal care, and behavior and awarded them with the Captains Club patch.

Troop 58’s next high adventure will be dog-sledding, snowshoeing, ice-fishing and more at Okpik Cold Weather Camping at Northern Tier in January 2023!

Filed Under: Adventure Tagged With: adventure, USVI

Big and Little Schloss Mountains

November 30, 2020 by Dan Makitka

Troop 58 went “Big” and actually “Little” by taking on a 3 day 2 night 18-mile backpacking trip in the George Washington National Forest and summiting Big and Little Schloss Mountains. The adventure started with a 2-mile night trek by headlight to a beautiful high meadow campsite just short of Little Schloss Mt.

The scouts were up early to watch the amazing fall sunrise over the Shenandoah Valley from the summit. The next day they backpacked to a beautiful campsite along Little Passage Creek with a big campfire, fun and much earned rest.

On the final morning, they summited Big Schloss and enjoyed lunch with 360-degree views on Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland. For most of the scouts, this was their first time backpacking but surely not their last! Additionally, The trip also served as a training opportunity for a crew of scouts preparing for Philmont planned for next summer. The scouts provided a lot of great feedback via roses, buds and thorns and the troop is already thinking about backpacking adventures in 2021!

Filed Under: Adventure Tagged With: adventure

Goshen Family Camp Highlights!

September 10, 2020 by Goshen Scout Reservation

Labor Day Family Camp at Goshen Scout Reservation was a great time! Check out our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/GoshenNCAC, for more highlights from the weekend.

Filed Under: Adventure, At Camp Tagged With: adventure, family camping, Family Scouting, Goshen Scout Reservation

Pack 1151 Bikes the Washington and Old Dominion Trail!

September 8, 2020 by Dena McGuiggan

Pack 1151 of Ashburn Village was able to take advantage of the beautiful weekend weather and take a few of our new Scouts on a bike ride! Six of our wonderful families braved the Washington and Old Dominion Trail for a 2 mile long socially distanced ride!

It was great to see the smiles on these young faces and get them outside and active!

Filed Under: Scouting At Home Tagged With: adventure, Cub Scouts, pack 1151

Basecamp at Goshen Home Camping!

July 10, 2020 by Byron Andrews

I would like to give a huge shout out to the Goshen Home Camping staff and support personnel. I know it was a lot of hard work and challenges to put this all together but your passion and dedication really showed.

While maybe not in the mountains of Goshen Pass, we still was able to transform our dining room into our own basecamp. This far exceeded our expectation and kept my Scout active and engaged.

Avoided a mess on the floor from tie/dye and Adventures in Science!

To learn more about Goshen Home Campng or to sign your Scout up today please visit gotogoshen.org.

Filed Under: At Camp Tagged With: adventure, homecamping, scouting at home

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