First Annual SOCAL Sea Scout Academy a Success
The San Diego – Imperial Council Sea Scout Committee held the first ever Southern California Sea Scout Academy (SSA) on February 18 and 19, 2005 at the San Diego Youth Aquatics Center on Fiesta Island in Mission Bay Park. The attendance near capacity in spite of the rainy weekend, with forty Sea Scouts from ten ships through out Southern California and Nevada in attendance.
The purpose of the SSA was to provide a training opportunity for Sea Scouts to aid in gaining knowledge required in achieving advancement while having a good time. It was not the intent to sign off advancement requirements but to provide the opportunity to learn the skills needed to return and have their local ships sign off the advancement.
The SSA kicked off on Friday evening with marlinspike workshops. They were a hands-on experience teaching knots, splices, seams and ornamental rope work. Saturday was filled with a total of eighteen different classes ranging from sailing basics to communications to engines to rules of the road and more. Each participant was able to attend six different classes through out the day. Due to the rain the on the water sessions had to be cancelled.
"I enjoyed the training and gained a lot of good information from the classes. It was great to meet the other Sea Scouts from the Southwest Region. I look forward to attending next years Academy." Kathryn Neill, SSS Scandia II (5064), Newport Beach, CA.
While the youth were attending classes eighteen adults completed the Sea Scout Officers Specialized Training. Paula Boothe, Committee Chair of SSS 81 stated, "Thanks for doing this. We have been searching and you saved us!"
Due to the success of this SSA plans are already underway to hold another bigger and better SSA next year. Hopefully the weather will cooperate so that on the water activities can be held.
Ships in attendance included:
San Diego – Imperial Council
- SSS Fiesta Island (1001), San Diego, CA
Ship 363, El Cajon, CA Ship 4024, Brawly, CA SSS Tiger Shark (727), Oceanside, CA SSS 8642, Chula Vista, CA SSS Enduring Freedom (488), San Diego, CA Western Los Angeles County Council
- SSS Spartans (11), Lancaster, CA
California Inland Empire Council
- Ship 81, Barstow, CA
Long Beach Area Council
- SSS White Shark (1371), Lakewood, CA
Orange County Council
- SSS Scandia II (5064), Newport Beach, CA
Nevada Area Council
- SSS Mako (1612), Reno, NV
Last Modified: Frebuary 25, 2005
Efforts are made to keep this material updated however with changing requirements, some material may be outdated. If you see something that needs to be updated, please send the information to the Venturing Webmaster and the information will be updated at the soonest possible date. Please provide where the new information can be found. Copy-Paste URL locations if possible.