Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 9/2/2021
SOUTH HADLEY – Sea Scout Ship 303, South Hadley’s local Sea Scouts chapter, is working to provide outdoor activities, learning, bonding and friendship to youth in the community.
The Sea Scouts is a program within the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) that has been around for over 100 years. South Hadley’s chapter was established almost two years ago and currently has nine members.
According to Brian Regan, adult leader of Sea Scout Ship 303, it is considered a high-adventure program for those ages 14 to 21.
“It typically is related to water activities, but not necessarily all the time. Sometimes they like to go skiing, hiking, biking or something. But definitely a lot of boating, sailing, canoeing and things like that,” said Regan.
According to Regan, the group has participated in several exciting activities over the past year.
“We’ve actually been very busy,” he said.
Half of the current group received their lifeguard certification in July and many also received scuba diving certifications. Regan said that in April they went to live and work on a 75-foot sailboat in the Florida Keys and, just a few weeks ago, they went to live and work on smaller sailboats in Martha’s Vineyard.
Sea Scouts programs run year-round and Regan said they are always able to accept new members. Members must be affiliated with the BSA and pay for registration through the organization.
The group hosts bi-weekly meetings, though Regan said they are not always formal.
“It’s not always an indoor thing,” he said.
One meeting could take place at an indoor climbing gym and another could bring the group together through go-karting.
With the coronavirus pandemic, Regan said that the group had to shift the way they operated for a few months.
“We had to put some things on the back burner and on hold. We were trying to finish our scuba diving lessons and that really delayed us. We did have to change the way we met. We had to move virtual for a little while and when things began to look a little better we were meeting exclusively outdoors, which is what we want to do anyway,” he said. “We had some camping that we were planning on doing which turned into just day trips because we didn’t have the ability to stay overnight, so things like that. But it didn’t stop us, it just kind of reoriented a few things.”
With activities back in full swing, Regan encouraged people to check out the Sea Scouts for new adventures and opportunities.
“I think it really gives people an opportunity to try things that they may have not ever considered or not had an opportunity for,” he said.
Those interested in learning more about Sea Scout Ship 303 can visit their Facebook page at https://m.facebook.com/Ship303Scouts/.