Chris and the Bo'sun get in some work hours for Apprentice rank by sanding
and varnishing the Whitehall's oars in preparation for Regatta.
Looking like a scene from "Grapes of Wrath" as the Oakies pile all
their belongings on a Model T Ford and move off in search of a better life,
so Ship 25 (never known for traveling light) piles all its gear on the
trailer and heads off in search of Regatta.
Our "Home away from home", the Ship 25 HQ tent. Our display
of signal flags and 12" Navy signal searchlight attracted guests
ranging from the National Capital Area Council Venturing Director Daniel
Watkins to Rear
Admiral Charles D. Wurster, Assistant Commandant of the United States Coast
Guard.
The Bo'sun whiles away an idle moment by practicing his fancy ropework
skills. He makes it look easy.
Whaaassssup? Why studying for the relative bearing contest, of course!
Matt, Amanda Marie, and Amanda Rose string a clothes line - or is it really
a snare for low-flying seagulls?
Tim, Isaiah, Matt, Amanda Rose, Amanda Marie, and Leah stand at parade rest
ready for the uniform inspection - well, mostly ready: tuck in that
shirt, Leah! The Bo'sun, Chris, and Drew are off sailing - lucky
guys! Our thanks to Mate Klinedinst, the Ship 25 Sailmaker, for her
long hours of work helping us get our patches sewn on in (mostly) the right
places.
This is what we hope Ship 25 will look like next year when all of us have
our undress whites. A sharp-looking uniform if ever there was
one. Hard to keep clean, but hey, what price would we not pay to look
good!
A summer alternative chosen by another unit: skirts and button shirts.
Each to their own, but we prefer the traditional cracker jacks.
Arrrrggghh! If it was good enough for Admiral Lord Nelson, it's good
enough for us. Not into these new-fangled get-ups.... Hurrumph!
Hurrumph!
And now for something completely different. How we got into big
trouble in 25 words or less. "We weren't supposed to go swimming
at the waterfront. But the Skipper didn't tell us that. He
didn't tell us that because he missed the leader's meeting where they put
out that word. He missed that leader's meeting because he was off at
the Navy Exchange getting our uniforms." (Well, 49 words,
actually). Why is that that we always have the most fun doing things
we aren't supposed to be doing? Oh, well. Sorry,
Commodore. We'll try not to make the same mistake twice.
If this doesn't give you a clear picture of why Sea Scouts have more fun,
you're either visually challenged or totally clueless.
Mate Diamond and Drew man the Mate's Twin-Vee for "crash boat"
duties during the sailing races.
A tough-looking boat crew if ever there was one.
Matt acts as Coxswain while Tim and Amanda Rose man the oars. The
mission: placing the four buoys for the upcoming rowing race.
Keen eyes will discern two Sea Scouts in the background having entirely too
much fun.
The efforts to set the buoys continue. The "too much fun" continues
also.
The Coxswain holds course, the bow stroke holds water, and the stern stroke
prepares to launch buoy #1.
Buoy #1 away, Sir!
Good view of a Whitehall under full power in a tight turn. Probably
easing the rudder just a notch might improve the turning efficiency, but
that's debatable.
The Bo'sun sails regally by at the end of the Laser race, turning a blind
eye to the Sea Scouts who are still having too much fun.
The pulling boat race - a serious event. Proper boat etiquette,
uniformity, correct commands, and speed are all factors. Ship 25 - we
need to get this down pat if we're going to impress anyone over in England
next summer.
Our sister ship 91 from Annapolis, with some additions from another ship to
fill up the spaces, prepares to embark for their pulling boat race.
The young lady seated to port with the ponytail earlier in the day handily
won the rowing race with a time of 52 seconds. Her nearest competitor
was 1:05. Why such a stunning lead? Well, the young lady is from
France, and she and her brother and mom and dad are sailing around the world
on the family sailboat. They've been gone for seven years so far, and
she spends virtually every day on the water. Tres bien!
Ship 91 puts the Skipper Crabtree through a hard turn to port.
Ship 25 getting the Skipper Crabtree up to speed.
"Little Hottie" gets ready to give the life ring a toss, while
Beth from Windfall in Lancaster, PA takes careful notes.
The swimming event at the pool. The fact that the contestants came out
with icicles hanging from their ears does not necessarily mean the water was
cold.
The wide-awake navigation team from Ship 25 solves the mystery of the ship's
position. By their calculation, the vessel is in the vicinity of
Pike's Peak, Colorado. Amanda Marie, worn out by having had entirely
too much fun, hopes the correct answer will come to her in her dreams.
Joe, about to fall face down on the table into a bag of cheerios, wonders
whether it was really worth working at the Roadhouse until midnight Friday,
then driving an hour and a half to get to Regatta at 0130 hours. Of
course it was, Joe! The Bo'sun and the fourth team member are hoping
for divine guidance.
Ship 25 in full force, ready to take on all comers, strides from the Bo'sun
Chair event on towards the Scuttlebutt contest. It may be assumed the
Amanda Marie is exchanging Pub 102 signals with some hot-looking guy from
another ship.
Chris is happy to be in a Sea Scout uniform at last, even if the Mate got
the patch on the wrong side in her haste to get things ready.
Corrections were made!
"Okay, you guys," says the Bo'sun. "When I pull this
lanyard, the cannon goes off. Woe be unto him that stands in the
way."
Tim and Isaiah practice the sheer lashing for the scuttlebutt tripod.
Amanda Marie and Leah put the barrel hitch on the scuttlebutt. Keen
eyes will discern approving on-lookers in the bushes.
Ray Derk of ARCTURUS and Garth Wells of SEA DEVIL show us a safer and faster way to do the sheer lashing.
Proper coordination between the Scouts doing the sheer lashing and the Scout
moving the tripod legs is assured by clear hand signals.
Ship 25 standing tall at the closing awards ceremony. The Commodore
authorized civilian clothes because of the prospect of rain (which didn't,
thank heavens, materialize). Skipper Kain commends each and every
member of Ship 25 for a job well done, even if we did have entirely too much
fun at times.
Our Bo'sun, Adam, receives the plaque for an uncontested first place win in
Canoeing. Bo'sun - you're going out on top. In two years as
Bo'sun, and in three canoeing events, you've never once been defeated in
canoeing. BRAVO ZULU.
What else is there to say? A fine time was had by all.
