Archive for the ‘Wednesday Scouts’ Category

Advance&Intermediate Oars Charge Cert. – 2012

Sunday, January 22nd, 2012

Int.+Adv. Oars Charge Cert Course,The Ward room. Malahide Sea Scout Den

In the twenty years of the Oars Charge Cert Course been run in Malahide  29 scouts and leaders  enrolled to this years course.Twenty three have taken up the Intermediate Course while the remaining six will do the Advance Course.The evening course will run till end of February 2012.During this period the modules  scouts will cover,Boating rules,Water Safety and equipment,boat maintenance,rules of the road at sea,correct use of safety&emergency equipment,meteorology,knots,splicing,whipping,pilotage&navigation,

Boat maintenance on East Coast Skiff

anchoring&mooring,parts of a boat,boat drill and heaving a line.Early in March scouts will be assessed before continuing onto do the practical end of the course during the month of April pending on two skiffs launched and ready for boatwork.

Instructor Andy O'Connell , on boat maintenance

A New Programme in One Day – The ONE PROGRAMME

Monday, January 16th, 2012

Fun at the One Programme Training Day

The Scout One Programme came to Malahide on Sunday 15th January 2012. One Hundred and Twenty Eight Beavers , Cubs , Scouts ,Rovers and their leaders attended the training day held in our parish hall . St.Andrews on Church Road , Malahide.

The training team drawing from Scouting Ireland’s North East Province presented a much thought out programme to cope with today’s young persons demands for a more challenging , developing and fun pack theme.

Malahide Sea Cubs at 1 Programme training day

During the day participants took part in a hands on experience of what to expect in the future in Scouting. A small planning team from Malahide lead by Margaret O’Riordan put together the agenda for the day . Many thanks to Margaret and her team for a great day.

 

1st Place in the 100th Anniversary of Sea Scouting

Sunday, January 1st, 2012

9th Port of Dublin (Malahide) 1st Place-Woodlatimer Team 2012

Congratulations to the Malahide crew who are the holders of the Woodlatimer trophy in the 100th Anniversary of Sea Scouting in Ireland 2012. The under 17 crew won the prestigious  East Coast Skiff rowing race on Broadmeadow  Malahide. The race has been run since 1914 uninterrupted except for periods during the First and Second World Wars were many a Sea Scout joined up as volunteers and went to sea.

The first crew to win the cup in 1914 was 2nd Port Dublin (Clontarf) lead by Skipper Perrin. The  Malahide crew are Skipper Sean Clancy ,Coxswain Ger Duffy , crew Andrew Malone, Simon Pryor,Cameron Newman,Eoghan O’Connor and Piers Ryan.

2nd Port of Dublin (Clontarf ) WoodLatimer Team 1914

The History behind the cup started back when the chairman of the Sea Scout Sub-committee was Mr. T. J. Wood-Latimer. He presented a large silver rose-bowl for annual competition for an inter-troop rowing race. This was first competed for in 1914 and was won by a crew from 2nd Dublin Sea Scouts, Clontarf. In retrospect, this was a major milestone in the history of Dublin Sea Scouting, because this annual event grew into the annual Sea Scout Regatta, although that title was not used until 1917. The Regatta has continued through good times and bad, sometimes only two troops competing, sometimes up to 10 troops, but without interruption, until the present day. The number of events in the Regatta and the number of trophies has changed over the years but Wood-Latimer remained the premier trophy. But age has taken its toll – after 98 years of being polished, displayed at regattas, carried around to different houses, and probably dropped on occasions, its condition had become very delicate. It was therefore given honourable retirement to “museum mode” in 2000 and replaced by a new trophy known as the Dick Vekins Memorial Trophy.

Rowing Regatta at Broadmeadow – A Great success!

Sunday, October 23rd, 2011

Neala troop of Malahide placed 2nd at Sea Scout rowing regatta,Broadmeadow

116 Sea Scouts from across the County of Dublin  and North Wicklow took part in this years annual Sea Scout Rowing regatta held on Broadmeadow, Malahide on Sunday 23rd October. The regatta would normally take place in Dunlaoghaire in the month of September but had to be canceled three times due to high winds across the bay.

Broadmeadow is more use to having sail on the water for  regattas , but seven slick  east coast skiffs launched to begin the races. Crews prepared ,the course was set and the races began on time. Seven races took place over the one kilometer course. Crews of five including the coxswain instructions leaned hard and pulled strongly to the finishing line. Parents and friends lined to course and shouted their encouragement to row harder and faster.

Malahide 1st place u 17 crew

Several Malahide crews were placed along with three first places in the under 14years  , under 17 and under 20 pair oar cox. For a third year in a row the Malahide under 17 crew won the Woodlatimer ( Dick Vekins memorial trophy) race. This race has been competed for since 1914 uninterrupted except for the years of the 1st and 2nd World Wars.Congratulations to all Malahide and guest crews who made the day a Great Sucess!

Malahide 1st place u14 skiff crew

Unexpected cancellation!

Thursday, September 15th, 2011

Making way in Dublin Bay

Unexpected cancellation of this years rowing regatta was not just once but three times. Whatever happened to when the students  go back to school in September the weather gets better? Our near centennial regatta has had its interruptions over the years since its beginnings in 1914.The years during both the First and Second World Wars , Sea Scouts went abroad as volunteers as able sea men ,  signalers and commissioned officers  in the Merchant and Royal Navy .

The high winds of recent days would make it impossible to get crews out on the water. All sections had been training and looking forward to the regatta.However the up and coming Long Distance Skiff Race  on Saturday 17th September is expected to get a start. Best of luck to the Malahide crews. Congratulations to the girls in the Neala troop who came third in the junior seamanship competition the Hamill Cup held recently in Howth.

Sea Scout Rowing Regatta

Camping in VIRGINIA

Thursday, August 11th, 2011

Visitors Day

We got a good site for our annual  standing camp ,elevated,and over looking Lough Ramor. 55 scouts and 14 leaders of the Wednesday night troop camped  from the Friday 5th August to Sunday 14th of August on the side of Lough Ramor,Virginia , Co.Cavan.. The programme for the week included kayaking , rowing , power boating , campcraft,outdoor cooking ,inter Watch competition,ground training,sleeping under canvas,night hikes ,navigating,wide games ,cycle hikes ,and a day trip to Belfast by coach.

Campcraft

The bigger camp craft projects would need certain skill to construct.Good lashings,  get the balance right, plenty of patience and the pleasure of seen it been finished. Everybody gets involved whether its the slow netting on a sisal gate to achieving the perfect balance weight to see that it works.

Scouting has that difference about it when camping and working in the outdoors. Here young people develop life’s skills ,that they will look back on as a  great  experience and having the best of fun.

Easy does it

 

 

Malahide Sea Scouts attend the 22nd World Scout Jamboree in Rinkby, Sweden

Monday, August 8th, 2011

Malahide contingent , depart St.James Terrace to the 22nd World Scout Jamboree

Twenty two leaders and scouts from Malahide attend the 22nd World Scout Jamboree been held at  Rinkaby (near Ahus) in the South of Sweden. Scouts traveled from Dublin by air on Monday and Tuesday  25th/26th July 2011. The official opening commenced on Wednesday 27th July with 39,000 participants  from 160 different countries. The camp will finish on the 8th August .

The Jamboree promise to be a very memorable event .A full weeks programme of   fun, educational and challenging activities ,which draw on the patrol system. Opportunities on discovering new cultures , global development issues ,respect for oneself and others ,the environment , health,peace and community development.

Malahide leaders who will represent the group at the Jamboree as IST (International Service Team)

Irish Sea Scouts at the 1st World Scout Jamboree 1920

Malahide scouts over the years have been well represented at  World Scout Jamborees which go back  as far 1920 when former Group leader Mr. Jack Webb attended the 1st World Scout Jamboree in Olympia, Kensington, London between 30th July to 8th August 1920. In 1957 the 50th Anniversary of Scouting also known as Jubilee year the 9th World Scout Jamboree was held in Sutton Park, Birmingham, England and 18 scouts and leaders from Malahide attended.

New Coxswain’s

Thursday, April 28th, 2011

Over the days 16th to 19th April 2011 14 scouts and leaders completed their Practical Oars Charge Certificates. Many thanks to examiners Liam Ball of 5th Port Dollymount Sea Scouts and Cian O’Gradaigh of 7th Port Howth Sea Scouts.

New Coxswains for Malahide Sea Scouts presented with both Advance and Intermediate Oars Charge Cert.s

New Coxswains for Malahide Sea Scouts presented with both Advance and Intermediate Oars Charge Certs

The days for the assessment where fine with variable winds up to force 4 coming from an easterly direction . Spring tides were strong and proved a little difficulty when approaching “picking up a mark”  or carrying out “man-overboard drill” . Steering with out a rudder required all the skills of the coxswain’s .However all had trained hard and standard was good.

What did you do this weekend?

Sunday, April 17th, 2011
Attending to aptients on REC 3 course at the Malahide Sea Scout den

Attending to patients on REC 3 course at the Malahide Sea Scout den

What did you do this weekend? Well if it was nothing ? down at the  Scout  Den in Malahide you would have being spoilt for choice. Less than 12 hours after the school doors closing for the Easter break scouts were busy engrossed in their choice of activity over the weekend. Twelve senior scouts and leaders started their weekend on a REC3 lifesaving course. The course commenced Friday evening and continued till Sunday evening. During that time the scouts were taken through mock up  incidents should a multitude of accidents happen at an  activity. Featured broken legs , sprained wrists , fainted subjects , heart failure ,blocked airway etc .

Broken leg!

Broken leg!

While this was going all round the den other scouts very busy completing boat maintenance, sanding, repairing ,patching and cleaning down the boats to get them ready in time for the start of the season.

Leaders from Bray,Howth and Malahide Sea Scouts

Leaders from Bray,Howth and Malahide Sea Scouts

On the water the watch leaders and leaders were completing the practical boating exercise for the Oars Advance Charge Certificate. The exercise included man-overboard drill , steering a course through  a  crowded anchorage , exercise with loss of a rudder , preparing a sea anchor , following a compass course and good boat handling skills.

Coxswain instruction .Hold water starboard give way port!

Coxswain instruction .Hold water starboard give way port!

Getting Down to Brass Tacks!

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011
Former Skipper Andy O'Connell on Boat Maintenance

Former Skipper Andy O'Connell on Boat Maintenance

A full course and attendance to this years Advanced and Intermediate Oars Charge Cert has got off to a good start. The course this time round is attracting back pass leaders who are coming back and taking the training .There are 18 leaders, Watch Leaders,Assistant Watch Leaders and senior scouts coming every week. The course has had already a guest lecturer Paul McEvoy who is our Safety Officer and is a full time with the Fire Service specialising in training firemen on the water.

Boat maintenance instruction on the boat deck to Senior Scouts and Leaders

Boat maintenance instruction on the boat deck to Senior Scouts and Leaders

Further through the course the following modules will be covered Rules of the Road at Sea , Ship recognition , Boat maintenance ,Courtesy and flag etiquette , Knots,whipping,splicing ,Local knowledge etc. The practical end will be covered in April pending on early launching of groups East Coast Skiffs.