2024
HIGH ADVENTURE PLAN
http://tinyurl.com/T-131-2025-SeaBase
First, let me thank Mr. Devlin and Mr. Farmer for researching and starting the initial planning for Troop-131 high adventure activities. While we sent a crew to Philmont just two summers ago, we are certainly still feeling the Covid Effect. However, I am happy to report that we are getting the ball rolling once again on high adventure and our intent is to have one high adventure outing every year moving forward.
For those of you that haven’t heard of this before, the Scouts BSA has a collection of four National High Adventure Scout Camps (Sea Base, Philmont, Northern Tier, and Summit/Bechtel) with programs that are a bit more challenging, and rewarding, than the usual summer camp experience. Each offers a different experience; examples include multi-day offshore sailing, learning to SCUBA, week-long canoe trips involving portage and primitive camping, and Philmont, which is the gold standard of scouting experiences (7/9/12 day backpacking adventures).
These programs are for older scouts, require a higher level of capability than the usual summer camp and come with additional (in some cases significant) financial requirements. To prepare the troop to participate in these events we need to plan well ahead. These camps are very popular, so planning one or two years beforehand is required for preparation, for fund raising and to reserve slots.
Sometimes there are crews that have a few extra slots available in shorter time frames, and we can look to this for any of our current scouts who are closer to aging out.
We identified the first week of August as our timeframe for high adventure activities over the next few years and our intent is to integrate some of the preparation for these activities into our yearly troop program.
As a result, and for the Summer of 2025, Mr. Devlin has reserved space to send 6-8 scouts to the Sea Base – sailing program (which could actually be in St Thomas depending on which boat we get assigned to).
We have also allocated Summer of 2026 (in the same early August slot) for a 7-day trek at Philmont Scout Ranch. Registration for this is not open yet.
Age minimums vary a bit and depending on the program, as a Troop our general policy is 13 for Sea Base and 14 for the others. With that said and for Philmont which is strenuous, the ideal range is for 15 and up in age.
We would like to hear from both the scouts and parents that you are interested in the activity. Given the Covid effect, we will need to prioritize based on the age of the scout (older scouts first, as the younger scouts will have more time to participate before aging out). There will be requirements for activities and before heading out. For example, preparation for Philmont will include a number of overnight backpacking trips to build up the skills (and muscles) needed. THIS INCLUDES ADULT LEADERS. 😊
In the coming weeks, look for a signup sheet for Sea Base so that we can start to put together a list of interested scouts and adult leaders and begin the process of building out the crew and setting the prerequisite events.
More information will follow, however, here is the basic information concerning this trip.
· Location: Florida Sea Base – 73800 Overseas Highway, Islamorada, FL 33036
· Program: Coral Reef Sailing
· Dates: 8/6/2025-8/11/2025
· Total Cost for a crew of 6-8: $10,200 (note that the total cost is the same for 6 or 8)
· Minimum Cost per Scout: $1,275 (assumes 8 scouts- note the cost will be higher if the crew is smaller)
· Additional Costs: $800 estimated- Airfare, Travel Money, T-shirts etc.
· The payment schedule is as follows:
o 10% of Balance Due by June 1st 2024
o 50% of Balance Due by October 1st 2024
o Final Payment = April 1st 2025
http://tinyurl.com/T-131-2025-SeaBase
We will also investigate and plan specific fundraising options for the crew going so they will have the opportunity to earn additional money and defer a portion of the costs. Scouts may also use any money they have in their Scout Accounts and from previous fundraising to help offset these costs.
See link below for more information and I hope you all will consider this.
https://www.bsaseabase.org/scouts/resources/participant-guides/
