SEA SCOUTS

About twenty six years ago somebody asked if we could have a Sea Scout Patrol in what was then a perfectly normal Scout Troop.

The idea caught on and now 75% of the Group are Sea Scouts.

Sea Scouts are simply Scouts who do some of their Scouting on water - which does not mean that our 'ordinary' Scouts don't do exactly the same! In fact the choice of uniform colour seems to have little to do with reason or logic. When the first Sea Scouts were a small minority they tended to regard themselves as superior beings. This attitude seems to persist although 'green'  Scouts say that the reason the 'blues' wear jerseys is because they're too thick to be able to do up shirt buttons! Instant unity is usually achieved if an Air Scout comes in sight. 'Greens' turn into 'Blues' fairly frequently and only once has it happened the other way round.

The Sea Scout part of the Group is now one of the 'top 100' Troops in the U.K. who are Royal Navy Recognition Units. This involves a biennial inspection by the Staff Officer Sea Scouts. In return the Group gets most of the privileges of a CCF unit - but without the financial backing. This includes ship visits and activities organised by the RN. We regularly take part in a week's activity camp on HMS BRISTOL for only £8 per head and during school time. This 'Camp' has now become both an annual event and a little more expensive. We have also spent a day 'playing' with Army tanks on the Lulworth Ranges. Our next Inspection will take place in June.

The Troop has the use of an ever-growing fleet of boats and canoes. The canoes and smaller boats are based at Perch Pool which is the Bournemouth Scouts' Training Centre on the banks of the River Stour at Tuckton. A small motor cruiser and a motorised dorey operate throughout Christchurch Harbour and on the Rivers Stour and Avon.  An 18ft Hardy fast motor cruiser is moored in Poole Harbour, thanks to Lilliput Sea Scouts, and is used for all our sea-going expeditions and navigation training.