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.

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

All Malahide Wednesday night scouts and crews on board the maindeck

Through out the Scouting world the beginning of the Scout year is the month of September. This came about with usually scouts finishing their year in August with  the highlight of the year, Annual Expedition.

Skipper Clancy and Coxswan Finin O Bruachail with winning crews of Long Distance Skiff race U13,U15,&U17 rowing crews

This September the scouts of the Wednesday night took time out to celebrate their early achievements with a photo-shoot of all the scouts,and crews.

Coxswain Finin O Bruachail with 1st Place U 17 Woodlatimer crew

66 scouts and 6 leaders were present and split up into their crews . All trophies were  put on display. Congratulations to all scouts and teams.

3 crew members form 1st place U15 long distance skiff race

Coxswain Finin O Bruachail 1st place U 13 crew .Long Distance Skiff race

Start of Race Dunlaoghaire Harbour

In Sea Scout terms when they say long distance it is very long distance . In matter of fact the Dublin Bay Sea Scout long distance race  is over 14 kms of very hard rowing in choppy waters and against a River Liffey current as they round the light house on the Great South Wall of Dublin Port.

Choppy Waters crossing Dublin Bay

The race takes place not long after the Sea Scout Regatta at the end of last month. Crews  of  u 17 , u 15 and u 13 make the long relay race. So after only 2 weeks rest between races crews must be at the ready to go again

The start is inside Dunlaoghaire Harbour and the race passes out through the harbour mouth 6 kilometer to the entrance at Dublin port. Change crew at the half moon and sprint further up the river towards Dodder. A final crew change and dash to the finish line at Dodder Sea Scout Den.

Approaching Great South Wall,Dublin Port

The winning crews from Malahide Wednesday performed to the highest standard and won the race right out. From the start the u 17 crew kept pace with their competitors till the first change over at the half moon. The u 15 crew took over and stretched the lead until finally the u 13 crew one well at the finish. Congratulations to all crews who took part on the day.

Malahide crews.

Well done Malahide 1st

Striding to the finish line

Under 17 Wood Latimer team 1st Place - Wednesday night troop

Congratulations must go to all Malahide Sea Scout group on both  their participation and very successful wins at 96th Anniversary of the Sea Scout Regatta held in Dunlaoghaire Harbour on Saturday 28th August 2010.

Stretching the lead

The venue at Dunlaoghaire lends itself to be just ideal especially from a spectators point of view. Normally the  event is held on the outside of the west pier. However on this occasion the weather forecast was to be a force 7 so the event was pulled inside the harbour wall. The day went off well for all Malahide sections represented.

Pair oars cox u 16 - Friday night

The prestigious event the Wood Latimer Trophy for under 17′s crews was won by Malahide Wednesday night. Also congratulations to Skipper Clancy his coxswain’s and crew’s who finished first in the  U 13 , U 15 and U 16 pair oar cox East Coast Skiff .

Other sections had wins in both the canoeing and East Coast Skiff  events. Congratulations goes to the Friday Night and Neala troops.

Neala Troop take home medals

Scouts load up East Coast Skiff prior to departure to Portlick Bay

Over the years Scout Leaders find it harder to get new campsites for their annual expeditions. Portlick on the shore of Lough Ree in County Westmeath is a establish scout camping site for some years now and is very popular .This time round the Wednesday Night Scout section will start their annual expo! on Friday 30th July for a week.

Rescue craft tied down and ready to go!

The location lends itself to having good lake-shore position for all  boating activities. In addition hiking , cycling ,bivouacking ,backwoods and a visit to historical Athlone makes the foundation for a cracking programme.

Final preparation leading up to departure made the scouts very busy loading boat trailers, checking and re-checking kit lists. When taken a large amount of scouts away for a period of time everything needs to be prepared and layed out.

Tents,poles pegs,mallets,guy ropes,dolly’s,dinning shelters,bench’s ,tables,pioneering poles,marquee,watch boxes, contents of watch boxes , personal kit,log books,oars , PFD’s, paddles,helmets,spray decks,kayaks,skiff’s,bottom boards ,rudder,oars , oarlocks ,BP 18 ,sails,mast,rigging,stays,tiller,rescue craft,rope, spares,gas bottles, gas rings , trailer locks,the list is endless. All in all over 52 members will take part in the week long Expedition .

Skipper Sean Clancy with his leadership crew

Wednesday troop a section member  of the 9th Port of Dublin Sea Scouts had spent their evening meeting night on “The Island” Malahide .

Resting ! On the Beach

The flotilla of kayaks , pico’s  , BP18 ,East Coast Skiff  and shadowed by two rescue powercraft left the Sea Wall at Malahide and proceeded down the estuary towards open sea .The scouts spent the evening on the beach at the Island  .

returning by kayak

A wide variety of games took place .

Returning to the Slipway

By late evening the flotilla returned to the Sea Wall at Malahide just in time to have last parade in the den

Under 15's Crew ready for the off!

The crew had an early start with a rising 3.9 meter tide. The first practice can often be the hardest.Each crew member must get use to their team members. Stroke to be determined and perfected. Orders given by the coxswain, give way together, stroke… stroke… stroke… and the team is away.

Over the June bank holiday weekend nine scouts and two leaders from the Wednesday night section participated in a summer hiking expedition. Without tents the scouts built there own shelters and cooked on the open camp fire. In all the scouts cover just under 50km over the 2 days. With whether ranging from 20 degrees on Saturday to miserable rain on the Sunday it was a varied weekend but fantastic craic for all who went!

Coming alongside after 48 Hours

Congratulations must go to W.L. Colum Mc Caffrey and both his water and land support crews who assisted him over the weekend  Friday to Sunday 7th to 9th May 2010 in Broadmeadows.

Colum a W.L. in the 9th Port Malahide Sea Scouts(Wednesday Troop) some months ago  had taken on a sponsored sail challenge  to go head to head with Robert Dowling who had broken the non stop sail challenge last year. Colum had announced  that it was Young Against Old.

It was all done in good spirit as monies raised where going towards Amazon Children a charity that looks after people of the Amazon

The challenge began a little late on Friday evening at 6.30pm outside the Fingal Sailing School , Malahide .Both Colum and Robert had some minor repairs and they eventually set off in their own GP 14′s into a strong cold North Easterly wind that increased on Saturday to a steady force 6.

In addition to preparing both physically and mentally Colum had to partially rebuild a GP 14 over the winter months which he achieved in time.

Both men stayed afloat without stopping ,coming alongside for just over 48 hours and broke a world record. They were greeted by well wishers when they both docked on Sunday Evening. Congratulations.

Welcomed ashore by his Folks

Congratulations from land crews

GP 14