Education - Learning by doing!
Sea Explorers Troops are similar to other Explorers Troops: we have the same aim but use a special emphasis on water activities and maritime training within our programme to achieve that aim. Water activities can provide the adventure and adrenaline rush that young people are looking for. Sailing boats virtually force the crew to work as a team, with the penalty of getting wet if they don't. Water activities are an area where skills and age do not necessarily correlate and provide an ideal opportunity for Sea Explorers to teach and learn from each other.
Education - Learning by doing!
The Sea Explorers program includes all of the activities which Explorers are involved in: hiking, camping, orienteering and other activities and then adds water based and maritime activities such as sailing, canoeing, rowing, rafting, power boating and marine navigation. Such a wide variety of adventure sports provides an enjoyable means for self development and the acquisition of leadership skills. In Sea Explorers, the emphasis is on the Explorers going out and organising activities.
Sea Explorers Troops
Sea Explorers Troops are made up of a number of watches. These groups of five to eight Sea Explorers are the building blocks of the troop. Each of them is lead by a Bosun, with a Bosun's Mate to provide assistance. A watch is the ideal size to crew a boat, go hiking together or go on a weekend camping expedition. Within the watch, younger Sea Explorers learn from the more experienced ones and gain skills to take on leadership roles at a later stage.
Training and Development.
Training is an essential part of being a Sea Explorers. All of the activities we take part in, while easy to take up, require experienced people to ensure their safe running. Therefore a detailed training scheme allows youth to acquire the skills needed to helm a boat, lead a hike, drive a power boat or lead a canoeing river trip.
Sea Explorers Adventures Afloat.
Most Troops have a regular weekly meeting to plan activities, organise training, and play games. During the summer, activities take place most weekends and often on evenings during the week while during the winter, the shorter hours of daylight tend to constrain activities to the weekends. The highlight of the Sea Explorers year is summer camp. This trip away lasts between one and two weeks and can take Sea Explorers anywhere from Vancouver Island to Florida or even to Sailing Regattas futher afield. Many Sea Explorers Troops have moving camps, often along rivers where every day or couple of days they pack all their gear into the boats and sail on to their next campsite. In the past Canadian Sea Explorers have spent their entire summer camp afloat on large sailing vessels. Wherever it is, summer camp allows Sea Rangers to make use of the skills they have acquired over the past year and put them to practical use.
There are Sea Explorers Troops all around the continent. While many are concentrated around the coast, there are several based on other large inland expanses of water. To find out about joining, or forming, a Sea Explorers Troop in your area, please e-mail our HQ Commissioner for Sea Explorers, using the link below.
