July 2024
A group of youths and adults from the Five Rivers Council realized a dream come true this summer at Sea Base, one of Scouting America’s High Adventure Bases, located in the Florida Keys. The participants were members of Venturing Crew 4020 as well as Scout Troop 4049 (Troy, PA) and Troop 4018 (Sayre, PA). The youth attendees had all received their Eagle Scout honors as part of their Troops.
After months of preparation, fundraising, and anticipation, the Crew made the trek to Florida during the first week of June. While at Sea Base, they went snorkeling, learned to dive, deepened their friendships, and got to know Scouts from all over the USA. They saw incredible wildlife underwater and had experiences they will never forget.
Eel Hiding in the Rocks
The Crew at Sea Base
SCUBA diving at Sea Base
High Adventure in their own words
When asked about their trip, the Scouts had a lot to say! Here are some of their thoughts:
Anderson M. “Sea Base was an adventure unlike any other, my favorite part was the feeling of freedom you achieve when on base. Getting away from your phone and just focusing on having a good time made the trip awesome!”
Zachary B. “I enjoyed swimming with the fish and nurse shark and the instructors were awesome. I have thought about [learning] underwater welding and this was a chance to see what it may be like.”
Alex B. “The instructors were amazing. I would do it again. I am considering applying to work there.”
Daniel B. “I enjoyed swimming in the ocean!”
Terri W. “Visiting there was like coming home. It was the best experience!”
Bonding Opportunity
One of the adult leaders, Barbara Brown, said, “This was a great experience having all Eagle Scouts on this trip. This was the last Scouting experience for my boys to be together for one last hoo-rah. I thought it was great to receive our patch underwater when we completed the certification.”
Venturing is Scouting America’s program for boys and girls aged 14-20 that focuses on adventures such as camping, diving, climbing, and paddling, as well as STEM and volunteer projects. No previous Scouting experience is necessary, and you can be in both a Crew and a Troop at the same time! To find a Crew in your area, visit https://www.scouting.org/programs/venturing/
First SCUBA day – in the pool
View from the Sea Base dock
Ready to fly!