Sea Scouting had its beginning at a camp fire in England when Lord Baden-Powell voiced the hope that older Scouts would be interested in learning about boat management and seamanship. He stressed the need for young men to prepare themselves for service on their country's ships.
Sea Scouting in America was founded in 1912. That year, Arthur A. Carey of Waltham, Massachusetts, had Sea Scouts using the schooner Pioneer and was appointed Chairman of the National Council Committee on Sea Scouting. That summer, Charles T. Longstreth organized a Sea Scout patrol on his yacht in Philadelphia. Both of these men prepared pamphlets on Sea Scouting and Carey's Cruising for Sea Scouts was the first literature related to Sea Scouting.
Now a branch of the Boy Scouts of America, the Sea Scouts allow girls to sail though some organizations are not co-ed. This is a wonderful way for a young person to work toward making a nautical dream come true, but there is something in it for the adults, too. There are opportunities to volunteer with the kids while they learn all the ins and outs of what it takes to man a sail boat. As part of the program, the kids have to plan a weekend outing determining what they will need for rations, safety gear, etc. They learn about working together and handing situations as they arise without the option of simply quitting and going home.
There are Sea bases in California, Florida, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Virgina, and Wisconsin. To learn more, visit the Sea Scouts web site.
*Photo from the Sea Scouts home page.