Sea Scouter's

[Eamonn]

I really like to think of myself as being a friendly fellow.
OK -Some days are better than others and maybe over the years I have become less able to suffer in silence.
But I'm really blown away by how kind and friendly the Sea Scouter's I have met or had dealings with are.
There seems to be something, I'm not sure what you might call it, but they all want to see Sea Scouting and new Ships do well and succeed.
Everyone I have contacted has bent over back-wards to do everything that they can to help.
When I started asking for information the NE-Region put me in contact with a mentor, kind of like a Unit Commissioner. We started to exchange e-mails. He started sending me training material, I was impressed but with him being in Maryland and me being in PA, I thought that would be as close as we would get. But the day of our Organizational Meeting, he drove to PA and took OJ and myself out for lunch and stayed for the meeting.
I called another Sea Scout Skipper in WV last night and he wants to come down and do the Safe Boating course for our Ship. Another Skipper is driving about 50 miles so we can meet and go over the program.
None of these guys know me, they just seem to have a great love of the Sea Scouting program.
I can't help thinking that the example they are setting is Scouting at its very best.
We all could learn a lot from them and how they represent the BSA, they love the program, they want to do everything that they can to "Sell" the program.
I really think that I have found a good new home.

[riverwalk]

I can agree with that in my own experience. I've had less exposure (so far) with any of these Venturing programs, but these men and women have always been helpful and friendly.

[Eamonn]

I can't pretend to know what is happening in other parts, but here in the District I serve, Venturing units don't seem to have a very long life span.
I know that just like all the other program areas, everything comes down to program, program, program!
But, even still I'm painfully aware that we as a District and a Council are doing very little to support Venturing. Maybe it's because so few understand the program?
I really think Venturing could learn a lot about supporting new units from Sea Scouts -At least here in the NE-Region.
Our good pal Wagionvigil serves on the Area 4 Committee, with a focus on Venturing. Maybe in the light of the massive (10%) drop in Venturing membership in our region, the time has come to admit that most Councils just don't do enough to support the program and we need take a long hard look at how Sea Scouts are going about it?

[wagionvigil]

I will respond to that. The trouble is with councils that see Venturing Crews as just Numbers Both Bodies and Units. ALso with councils that will never support Venturing because )Are you ready for this?) tah Tah it is co-ed. We don't want thos ebad girts in Boy Scouting do we.

WE have a very good crew in YOUR DISTRICT that is struggling a bit as the New Principal eliminated Club Periods for a while but now they are back and the crew is growing leaps and bounds. Laurel Highlands trail this weekend Caving next month.

We also have " Venturing Leaders that really do not understand the Program. I compare Venturing organization more to OA than to Boy Scouts. The Crew makes the plans and carries them out with adult supervision. Since you can be a member until 21st Bithday all the Adult leadership is over 21 like the OA.

Troops are afraid to form Venturing Crews because they are afraid they will not have older Youth leadership in the troop. If Venturing will keep the youth active then do it.

It is Not Boy SCouting it is Not Learning For Life it is Not Exploring IT IS VENTURING.

[Eamonn]

Wagionvigil,
We could and I hope at sometime discuss all the points that you have covered.
My point is that when I started this new Sea Scout Ship, the Region was there for me with a mentor.
I of course was free to contact or not contact him. I was free to decide if I was going to take any notice of the advise that he gave. But he was there, the Region knew that he had an understanding of the program and is a willing and helpful partner.
We both know that the Crew that is the best in the Council hails from good old BT, but we also know that the Leader is a good one and he is not in any way trying to take kids from a Boy Scout Troop, so they don't have to choose where their loyalty really lies.
Sad to say the Crew a mile or so down the road is a unit where the leader has no idea what he is doing and it seems they only come out of the wood work to "Help" at Camporees. I thought this was really strange until I spoke with a super nice Lad from the District next door, he said that the same thing is happening with the "Crew" that he is in.
I really think that this sort of thing is short changing the Lads and does nothing to help us meet the mission of the BSA.
The Ship is at the Caves on November 6 - I'm not going to he Area Conference!! (I'm to cheap!!)

[wagionvigil]

I agree that there needs a"Mentor" system. Possibly we need a Venturing Exec.?

[Eamonn]

HECK NO!!
Don't let people who may have a different mission in to mess things up.

[SeaScoutSkipper814]

Eamonn,

I am glad to hear that you have had a great experience! The Sea Scout community is rather small, but the adults that I have met have been extremely welcoming!

Saw your initial posting was back in October so I hope that you are still enjoying yourself. If your ship ever entertains coming to Florida, please email me, as our ship loves visitors. Hopefully, you guys are considering participating in the Koch Cup in June, 2006 here in Miami!

YISS
Rich Guertin

[Eamonn]

Ahoy Skipper Guertin,
Many thanks for the kind offer.
We are thinking about Sea Base for 2007.
At this time I don't think we are going to be ready for the Koch Cup in 2006. This will be our first summer on the water and our skill level isn't that high -Yet!!

[wagionvigil]

So what do you sail in the Yough or Mon???

[Eamonn]

Check out the name -Ea-monn