| | | | | | Dear Shipmates,
We have positive Sea Scout growth nationally and in the Western Region. The October KPI report shows there are 3,244 Sea Scouts in the country, which is a 3.2% increase in primarily registered youth from last year. The Western Region has 1,062 primarily registered Sea Scouts, which is a 4.6% increase over October 2016. This is the first positive increase in national Sea Scout growth in a decade.
This is exceptional news. I am thankful for all of you, our Skippers and Mates, for dedicating your time in service to youth. Thank you all for volunteering in Sea Scouts, BSA.
Swift sailing,
Joshua Gilliland
Western Region Commodore
National Sea Scout Support Committee
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| Message from the Chief Scout Executive | |
| | Chief Scout Executive Mike Surbaugh recorded a video message for the recent Seabadge course in Galveston, Texas. Our Chief Scout Executive is the son of a Sea Scout and shared how his father being a Sea Scout led to him joining Cub Scouts.
Video Link: https://youtu.be/m7wrJ-Cuw-U |
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| | Welcome aboard to one of the newest Sea Scout Ships in the country, from El Paso, Texas. The Skipper and Mates of Ship 7 attended the November Seabadge course in Galveston. Check out their Sea Scout Council Shoulder Patches.
The Western Region is having a strong year in recruiting new members and starting new Sea Scout Ships. Below is where Sea Scouts, BSA stand across the country.
Primary Sea Scout Membership Nationally
Northeast Region: 543
Southern Region: 1,018
Central Region: 621
Western Region: 1,062
WR Area Sea Scout Primary Registration:
WR Area 1: 303 (2% Growth)
WR Area 2: 55 (5.8% Growth)
WR Area 3: 230 (-8.7% Decline)
WR Area 4: 399 (20.9% Growth)
WR Area 6: 75 (-10.7% Decline) We need to continue positive growth, especially in WR Areas 3 and 6. Below are ideas on recruiting activities for the end of 2017 and planning for 2018.
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| | Many Sea Scout Ships participate in local “Lighted Boat Parades” to celebrate the holidays. These parades are great opportunities to invite potential new members. If you are cruising in December, be sure to post an invitation for Sea Scout age youth and parents on Nextdoor; share the information with Council and District Roundtables; post to your Council Facebook Fan Page; or have a boosted Facebook campaign on your Ship’s Facebook Fan Page.
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| Plotting A Course for Membership Growth in 2018 | |
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All Sea Scout Ships are encouraged to plan one recruiting event a quarter in 2018. This can be a pre-existing activity. This membership drive should include communicating these dates to your District Roundtable and Council for inclusion the Activities Guide and Council Calendar at the beginning of 2018.
Ideas for this member initiative can include anything from Nautical Merit Badge Midways for Merit Badges such as Kayaking, Canoeing, or Rowing; to Boy Scout Cruises where Troops are invited for a day of boating; to just a day of sailing. For example, if your Ship participates in “Opening Day” of boating season in your community, that can be one of your recruiting events.
I had the fortune to attend the Skipper and Mates Roundtable meeting for the Chief Seattle Council earlier this month. New Council Commodore John Dellinger reviewed with volunteers that there are 60 Sea Scouts in the Council between the seven Sea Scout Ships. A Google search of the Seattle School District revealed there are 15 public high schools and nearly 12,000 potential Sea Scouts just in that school district. The Skippers and Mates set a goal of recruiting 25 new Sea Scouts in 2018 between the seven Ships, which could include starting new Sea Scout Ships.
All Council Commodores should work with their Ships in a similar manner. Identify the high schools in the geographic areas of your Ships and determine ways to promote Sea Scouts in those communities. This could include having parents announce opportunities on Nextdoor, flyers in public library teen centers, or places where students hang out, such as fast food restaurants or coffee shops near their high schools. Many of these places have community boards for flyers.
We have an extremely large number of potential Sea Scouts in our communities. Let’s make 2018 our year of community engagement for recruiting. |
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| WR Area 3 Change of Watch | |
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Bob French served as the WR Area 3 Commodore for over two decades. Commodore French has a long list of accomplishments in Sea Scouts. Bob has been a believer in the “Big Boat” program, wanting to see boats used as a gateway to adventure off the coast of California. Thanks to Bob’s support, Sea Scouts for over 20 years have been able to set sail for new opportunities, from their Scouting experiences, to their careers. At the “WR Area 3 Change of Watch,” Commodore French was honored with the Sea Scout Leadership Award for WR Area 3 for his dedicated service.
Please join me in welcoming aboard the new WR Area 3 Commodore, Kris Leverich, a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Coast Guard. A Bay Area native, Kris came up through Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts before enjoying 6 years as a Sea Scout in the Gryphon, Ship 33 in the Pacific Skyline Council, completing his Quartermaster in 1994. LCDR Leverich has been instrumental in supporting the Old Salt’s Regatta, hosted at Coast Guard Island in Alameda, and Safety at Sea, hosted at Sector and Station San Francisco. He has also served as the Alameda Council Commodore since 2013, and recognizes the challenges of Ships running different program formats.
As WR Area 3 Commodore, Kris’s priorities are to install and support functioning Commodore’s for each Council and appoint a robust Area staff. With a cohesive leadership network in place, he will focus on Membership and Program to reinvigorate existing units (the fastest path to improving numbers) and seed new Ships where Sea Scouting has lost an active presence - or where it has never existed. You can follow Commodore Leverich on Instagram at @wrarea3seascouting and “Like” the WR Area 3 Sea Scouts page on Facebook to find upcoming events and program news.
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| Winter Program Activities | |
| | Sea Scouts often are eager for activities for when there is snow and their water is frozen. One activity Sea Scout Ships can plan for winter months is building a wooden boat in a garage or woodshop. There are plans for kayaks and stand-up paddle boards, including books, affordable plans, or more complicated kits.
Winter does not mean Sea Scout adventures need to be put on hold. There are many options for weekly activities that can focus on advancement and preparing for boating season. Research options within your community and find the right winter program for your Ship. |
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| Sea Scout Snow Trip at Pali Camp in Running Springs | |
| | The Sea Scout Ship Mariners from Dana Point are organizing a snow trip to Pali Camp in Running Springs, CA, on the weekend of January 13-15, 2018. The camp is near Snow Valley Ski Area. Activities at the camp include three ropes courses, a 700 ft. long quad zip line, archery, yoga classes, Zumba classes, a campfire complete with s'mores, and more. The camp has cabins that accommodate up to 12 guests.
Cost is $139 per person, which includes five meals, cabins for two nights, and meeting rooms. Bus transportation from Dana Point to the camp is $15. Please email Skipper Jim Wehan at skipwehan@fea.net for more information.
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| | The National Sea Scout Committee wants every Sea Scout to have a Long Cruise. If you can host Sea Scouts this summer, please email National Sea Scout Committee Member Erik Kiesel at erickiesel.md.phd@gmail.com with the following information: Dates of your Long Cruise; Destinations; How many Sea Scouts and adults you can take; and Advancement opportunities while underway. |
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| | The Long Beach Seabadge Course is March 3-5, 2018. Registration is live at http://www.longbeachbsa.org/training/seabadge
The Las Vegas Area Council Seabadge Course will be held at the Kimball Scout Reservation, in Mt. Potosi, Las Vegas, Nevada, on August 24-26, 2018. Registration is open at https://tinyurl.com/SeabadgeLasVegas |
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Sea Scouts are known throughout boating communities for their dedication to good seamanship and safety. Nevertheless, the most vigilant mariner can still make a mistake on the water. A boater from the San Francisco Bay Area called the Boy Scout national office to report that in mid to late October, a Sea Scout sailboat under full power did not follow the Rules of Navigation for right of way, and alleged this resulted in a near miss of a collision.
Without a name, description of the boat or situation, specific location, or the exact date the alleged incident from the other party, our ability to address the complaint is very limited. Moreover, there’s always more than one side to an encounter on the water, and we cannot assume a complaining party is entirely credible or without fault of their own. For this reason, recording the full details above is critical and we are working with BSA to improve handling of on-water complaints. Regardless, this is a reminder for every Sea Scout Ship to follow all Federal and State boating laws, plus the Guide to Safe Scouting, Safety Afloat, and the Sea Promise.
Sea Scout Ships that are involved in an accident or near-miss should consult BSA Incident Reporting procedures on scouting.org. There are specific Incident Report Reviews on Boating that are a good reminder of the possible risks on the water. If in any doubt, advise your Council Commodore and professional staff, and make detailed notes in your log immediately for accurate recollection later.
All Sea Scouts in California, which includes WR Areas 3, 4, and 6, should be aware that on January 1, 2018, California’s new mandatory boating safety education law goes into effect and will be phased in by age. The first age group to go into effect is 20 years old and younger. Effectively all Sea Scouts who operate any type of motorized vessel on California waterways (including powered sailboats/paddlecraft), will be required to pass an approved boating safety examination and carry a lifetime California Boater Card. For more information, please visit http://californiaboatercard.com.
Sea Scout Skippers and Mates have a proud tradition of instilling safety in our Sea Scouts. Please keep the good work. |
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| Ready to Wear New Century Uniform Now Available | |
| | The Official Sea Scout Uniform (formerly known as the New Century Uniform) can now be ordered with patches from SG Trading Post. Sea Scouts can now order uniform shirts, with the US flag on the right shoulder, the World Crest on the left chest, and Sea Scouts B.S.A embroidered over right pocket. Uniform shirts are available in men’s, women’s, and wicking designs. Uniform pants and a cap are also available. Visit SG Trading at seascouts.sgtradingpost.online to order. If your Ship would prefer to wear 5.11 or Los Angeles Police Gear as alternatives to Dickies, please see this fact sheet from SR Commodore TW Cook. SG Trading Post is working on having these uniforms as additional options. |
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| Western Region Sea Scout Grants | |
| | We are accepting applications for grants to help Sea Scouts go on cruises, assist Ships with vessel maintenance, help an existing event, or to start a new Sea Scout activity. Grants will be reviewed quarterly (Oct-Dec). Ships or Sea Scout events interested in applying can download the application on SeaScout.org. |
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