Over the Summer Troop 128 participated in a journey to the Florida Keys and U.S. Virgin Islands
Florida Keys Sea Base Adventure:
The Sea Base Coral Reef adventure involves a week of living aboard a sailboat with time spent sailing, snorkeling, and fishing the beautiful waters of the
middle Florida Keys. After breakfast each morning we pulled anchor and sailed for the first snorkeling site of the day always dragging a line in anticipation of pulling in a big fish. After a snorkel, we would enjoy lunch and plot the course to the overnight anchorage. Upon arrival, there would be another opportunity to snorkel, followed by dinner and after cleaning up we would enjoy a swim. After the swimmers were out of the water, there would be time to fish, play games, read, or enjoy free time as the Scouts preferred. Most slept on the deck, under the stars and one night had a sighting of the Star Link satellite.
middle Florida Keys. After breakfast each morning we pulled anchor and sailed for the first snorkeling site of the day always dragging a line in anticipation of pulling in a big fish. After a snorkel, we would enjoy lunch and plot the course to the overnight anchorage. Upon arrival, there would be another opportunity to snorkel, followed by dinner and after cleaning up we would enjoy a swim. After the swimmers were out of the water, there would be time to fish, play games, read, or enjoy free time as the Scouts preferred. Most slept on the deck, under the stars and one night had a sighting of the Star Link satellite.
Midweek we were fortunate to dock for the night at a local resort. This provided an opportunity to swim in a pool, play beach games, have power for AC on the boat, and most importantly a shower. That night we had steaks to grill on the barbecue as well. We can attest to the fact that the meals were a step up from the usual Scout fare and there was a lot of food for meals and snacks.
The Sea Base adventure was a great way for the Scouts to try activities with which they were unfamiliar. There were plenty of opportunities for leadership as there were many duties to complete. Our least favorite duty was the 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. night watch taken in 2-hour shifts with Scouts and leaders all taking turns each night.
We were fortunate to have a great captain who shared his knowledge of sailing, navigation, fishing, and more. He took us to great spots that enabled us to snorkel with a nurse shark and many amazing fish, spot turtles, dolphins, and even a ray. We will never forget the sunsets and the incredible star gazing far from the city lights.
U.S. Virgin Islands Adventure
The Scouts snorkeled and saw turtles, rays, squid, and a barracuda. Captain Wes guided the Scouts and taught the crew about the use of a sextant for celestial navigation. They enjoyed amazing views, and time catching waves on the beach and hiked around the Island. Scouts even explored the history of the island, visiting an old sugar mill in St. John.
Here are some of the thoughts, reflections, and highlights shared by the Scouts:
“We were able to get the Captain’s Award, Snorkeling BSA, and the sailing req for the 50 Miler without much difficulty.”
“The biggest thing we learned was being able to navigate from point A to point B without any obvious solutions (ie. just motor straight upwind to the destination)”
“We got to polish a lot of skills we already had, like tying off and coiling rope, cooking, and swimming.”
“Our captain was very willing to improvise and have fun (like when we saw a regatta and joined in).”
Thank you to Troop 128 for sharing!
