Twelve Boy Scouts and leaders from Troop 230 in Katy spent spring break on a
high-adventure sailing trip to Marsh Harbour in the Bahamas. Eleven boys and
one girl left Houston to spend a week onboard a sailboat to learn about and
practice sailing, navigation, seamanship and team work.
A very spacious and well restored sailboat from 1974, Observation, had all the facilities one could possibly wish for onboard for navigation,
sailing and comfort. In addition to sailing, navigation and seamanship, the
Scouts also learned about safety onboard and out at sea, weather conditions and
hazards
and ‘’man over board’’ procedures. High winds, strong currents and the Bahamian weather phenomenon
were a few of the elements encountered during this sea adventure.
While at anchor in Fishers Bay, Great Guana Cay, the group rescued two people after a loud “man over board’’ rang out in the dark. The Scouts rushed to the dingy, a small follow-boat with
an outboard engine, to find two people floating in the water. They had no way
to climb back onboard again by themselves, and they were, as so many whom end
up in dangerous situations at sea,
“well affected’’ by alcohol. Both of the individuals were brought safely onboard their own boat
with assistance from the Scouts.
The group continued on its journey and spent the rest of the days sailing,
fishing, cooking Scout gourmet dinners, island jumping and enjoying the great
team work.
Capt. Simon Crowley was a calm and incredibly experienced sailor. He spent most
of his life off-shore sailing, and shared both his knowledge and exciting
stories with the Boy Scouts. He even let everyone take a turn at steering the
boat and navigating. He also enforced that one should not take unnecessary
risks while out on a boat, and when the weather is getting worse, there is no
shame in turning around.
There were daily talks about the weather, with an eye kept on any unexpected
changes. The preparation for medical emergencies onboard was very good, and in
addition to the captain
’s training, there were at least five people certified in first aid/CPR/AED and
one well trained ER/Intensive care nurse.
The last night of the trip was spent at the dock in Marsh Harbour. During the
sailing journey, which totaled 70 nautical miles, the Scouts
worked to successfully fulfill the requirements for The Captain’s Club Recognition and the Snorkeling certificate.
To show their appreciation, the group presented Capt. Simon with a special gift that required using knots and hitching techniques to “dress” a bottle with fender hitching and then it was decorated with the SHAC Council
patch and Troop number, at his request.
Boy Scout Troop 230 is chartered by United Methodist Church in Katy. The Boy
Scouts are: Martin Bergstrand-Reiersgard, Robert Hillyard, William McMordie,
Joseph Nicholson, Max Salinas, Daniel Schwin, Michael Schwin and Steven
Ventura. Troop leaders include: John Schwin, Steven Hillyard, Paul Ventura and
Marianne Bergstrand-Reiersgard.
