Local Boy Scouts in Troop 90 got into deep water over spring break.

Seven Scouts and five parent/chaperones visited the Florida National High Adventure Sea Base on Islamorada, in the Florida Keys, for a weeklong scuba adventure.

The Scouts dove alongside turtles, dolphins, barracudas, giant stingrays, sharks and a myriad coral reef fishes.

The adventure included 11 dives, one of them at night.

While the weather was sometimes a bit rough, the 75-degree water temperature was warm compared to the 54-degree water off Port Townsend where the Scouts got their SCUBA certification last August in preparation for the trip.

 

“I am immensely proud of these guys,” said Karl Wood, Troop 90 Scoutmaster.

 

“They showed maturity in having fun and doing work at appropriate times. They built much stronger relationships with each other and the adults.”

 

The culmination of the trip included a ceremony on the ocean floor, where all the Scouts wrote their names in the sand and then received the SCUBA Activity Patch from their two dive masters.

 

“Sea Base was a great experience in teamwork and learning about stewardship of the ocean’s resources,” said Katherine Vollenweider, one of the chaperones.

 

“Our participation in Scouting has been wonderful but seeing our kids master the skills of SCUBA and turning into conscientious divers was extremely rewarding. Diving with my son is something I will always remember as a premier life experience.”

 

The High Adventure was more than two years in planning, with the Scouts raising money to attend by collecting newspapers from bins for resale. When demand for newsprint declined drastically the Scouts found other ways to raise money for the trip. They hope to resume selling newsprint in the future.

 

Sea Base High Adventure is one of three High Adventure Bases operated by the Boy Scouts. Troop 90 is planning another High Adventure in two years.

 

They meet 7 p.m. Mondays at Trinity United Methodist Church. For more information, call Karl Wood, Scoutmaster, at 460-7021.