Team 448, A Day at the Beach

Thanks Mr. Guzman for this note about the camping trip:

Happy to report the Team 448 "A Day at the Beach" was a much needed break from the daily grind for the scouts as well as the adults.

Thanks to Mr. Jim Gamblin for organizing this event.

And for those who don't already know, Mr. Gamblin has the ultimate chuckbox on wheels attached to his vehicle. Its like chuckbox on steroids.

Just a few highlights:

1) Thanks to Clay Gamblin for his mouth watering homemade pork sausage (Saturday breakfast) - dutch oven style

2) Thanks to Clay Gamblin for his Cajun (super spicy - make your toe nails curl) boiled shrimp dish.

3) Thanks to Clay Gamblin for his tender pork roast - dutch oven style

4) Fishing, fishing, fishing - just about everyone caught a fish. Andrew Willi caught at least 15 on Saturday.

5) Smashball, tossed the football around, skim board on the water, catching up on some much needed rest (Conner), couple of scouts enjoyed reading a good book (Forrest - history buff), swimming in the sea (I could not get enough of it).

6) We all slept under a canopy on the beach - at one point Andrew Willi's cot was half way into the water and he had no problem sleeping right through it. Sleeping on the beach was a new experience for all of us. Enjoyed it and would not hesitate to do it again.

7) The Gamblin's made several attempts to trap crabs, but some sea varmint kept stealing our bait.

8) Mr. Gamblin guided the scouts with fishing tips, which paid off. Which is a good thing, because the scouts initially were literally giving the lures away to the fish (Josh and Andrew lost their share, but are more skilled fisherman now).

9) Scouts investigated mammal sea life in and around the beach (hermit crabs, baby swordfish, clams, shrimp, snails, more birds than you could shoot, variety of fish fun to catch but too small to eat)

9) Lite traffic there and back - Yeah

10) Beach side bonfire - which is legal on Mustang Island. The scouts took advantage of the opportunity and roasted marshmallows, smores, and anything else they could get their hands on.

10) Mustang Island had bath like temp water

11) Beaches were not crowded, which made for quiet nights.

12) Thorns and Roses around the bonfire followed by some team building and good camaraderie.

 

Thanks for a great Labor Day Weekend Team 448!

 

17 June Final Dive Day and Luau

The Team boarded the BSA Adventurer with Captain Steve and Boat mate Kyle along with the three dive masters and two other crews, to ride out to our final dive reef.  We anchored at the Pillars of Atlantis where our team met all together at the bottom with Emily Jones, our divemaster.  She passed out our patches down at the bottom and after that Grayson led us in a silent prayer for his devotional.  Then it was buddying up and exploring the two patch reefs close to the boat.  40 minutes later we were all on board the Adventurer for trip back, but before departure our team presented Captain Steve with a Pirate Flag for the boat and we presented Kyle with one of our Team Trek shirts.  Upon arrival at the base we cleaned equipment and hung to dry, then off to lunch.  We wii turn in all our equipment this afternoon and get ready for Luau tonight.  Off to Key West tomorrow to met up with our families.  A GREAT week - 12 dives in the awesomely clear Atlantic Ocean and everyone improved their capabilities and confidence tremendously.  Well done trek and thank all for following along.

17 June Two Dive Day Final

This was the Team' s final day to have multiple dives.  We had two day dives today off the BSA Adventurer.  Our first dive today was at Crescent Reef.  It was shaped like a crescent and was very large.  It took awhile to just get half way down.  We saw Trumpetfish, Puffers, Four Eye Butterfly, and Nurse Shark.  The second reef was called Davis Reef home of the Buddha and Sparky.  While diving Davis both Grayson and Curtis were nipped by Sparky when they approached the Buddha.  Sparky is an Angel Fish protecting Buddha. Matt, Mr. Moe, and Grayson posed by the Buddha with some confrontation by Sparky, but were successful.   It was an awesome dive and awesome day.  Tonight we actually have time off.

16 June -Father's Day Sea Base

Sunday, Wow Father's Day and this will be a very long day.  Today two day dives followed after dinner by a night dive.  We just returned from our day dive and all are a bit tired.  Last night the team finished a PADI specialty course, Coral Reef Conservation.  Three have put in for the card already.  Turn in last night was early in anticipation of today, all were asleep by 9 pm.  Dives started this morning around 1050, with the first a ledge reef dive at Captain Grumpy, nice with lower visibility (20 feet).  At Captain Grumpy EMJ took an underwater team photo.  Moved BSA Adventurer to another reef call Aquarium.  Just by the sound of that we were told to expect lots of various coral reef fish.  We buddies up and off to the sea, they were correct, but the first thing found was a green turtle.  Came upon numerous damsels, porcupine, and angels, but we also were able to see a large puffer eating coral, a speckled moray eel and a very large scorpion fish.  It was a great dive, one of the best.  Adventurer headed to Coco Cay where we anchored for lunch and to give anyone that wished the opportunity to snorkel qualify, Grayson and Lucas did.  Others either got it last year or wished not to qual.  Eventually we headed into base to await the night dive.  While off loading the boat a manatee swam into the dock area, very cool.  But of course no cameras because the were put away.  I will download some photos tonight or tomorrow morning depending on the exhaustion state.  Happy Father's Day to all reading this blog.

15 June Sea Base Saturday Two Dive

Started early this morning with our turn as barracks cleanup - all completed before breakfast.  At 9 am assembled lunch and proceeded to the scuba area to get all gear and put tanks on BCD.  Once built proceeded to BSA Adventurer to store the gear and get ready for the to Saturday dive.  First dive of the day is 27 miles out from Sea Base in the Atlantic, Coffin Patches.  Air temp 87' surface temp 84 and bottom temp 80.  We were down on avg 35 minutes and saw tons of marine life.  Second dive was back at Low Key.  Not as much marine life but great dive just the same.  Mr. Moe tried out the new camera but could not compete with Matt.  After diving we just played in the area and relaxed.  Now back at base awaiting dinner and tonight's evening class.  Here are a sample of some marine life:

Two day dive and a night dive - 14 June

Started day by making sandwiches right after breakfast because we are doing two day dive this day.  One will be at the Pillars of Atlantis and Long Reef.  Both dives depth about 30 feet water temps at 81.  We moved to Tennessee Lighthouse for lunch and water games including some snorkeling.

Due to a weight belt issue Mr Moe not able to dive either place with team, but Kyle the boat mate came up with a solution which worked for a time, so Emily and Mr Moe dived Tennessee Lighthouse.  Following pictures were taken by Matt Moe and first photo in below series was trip back in: 

First full day Sea Base 13 June

Reveille 6:30 am, getting ready to attend Scouts Own Service.  Entire team attended with a real Chaplin in attendance. We met at the scuba area for scuba checks in shallow pool then on to the deep pool.  All checks completed by all, the one disappointing thing was that Matt M and Moe's regulator would not work with this BCD.  We all conducted a seawater buoyancy check to ensure all have proper weight.  Assembled all scuba gear and placed it on our dive boat, Sea Base Adventurer.  Time for lunch and to be back to the boat at 1 pm for boat checkout and intros.  Three dive crews will be on third dive boat, one is Troop 61 from Austin.  The dive site we are going to will be a  dive master led dive and it will be at Alligator Lighthouse.  This was first snorkel spot in Atlantic when we attended Eco Adventure.  It was about an hour boat ride.  First dive had some issues with weights, hopefully this will be resolved tomorrow.  Upon return to base we wash all equipment and broke for the day.  This evening there will be an evening dive class just not sure what yet.  Here are photos from today.