For a couple of Scouts, it was a sigh of relief when they realized that the boat was still where they left it. View More Images from this story Visit the Photo Place

Troop 26 goes 'high adventure' at sea

Troop 26 visits Sea Base

Date published: 7/31/2007

"THE POOL IS OPEN!" The booming voice of the divemaster set hearts to racing in excitement and anticipation of an open-ocean SCUBA dive off the Florida Keys during Troop 26's recent five-day sailing and diving expedition.

Standing on the edge of the dive boat, each diver would take a giant stride--stepping off the boat and dropping about 5 feet to the crystal-blue water below.

After the rush of dropping into the open ocean and cutting through the water with a mass of bubbles, everyone quickly bobbed up to the surface. A quick hand signal indicated to the boat captain that everything was fine. Once each diver was paired up with his dive buddy, it was time to submerge into the wonderful world of coral reef diving. No telling what was waiting below the surface--sharks, eels, lobster, barracudas and coral fish of every color, size and hue.

Nine Boy Scouts and three adult leaders from Boy Scout Troop 26 in North Stafford traveled to the Boy Scouts of America's Florida National High Adventure Sea Base and spent five days sailing on the Conch Pearl, a 57-foot sailing schooner, along the Florida Keys.

During those five days at sea, the divers managed to get in 11 dives, including a memorable night dive to a sunken barge. The divers also served as members of the boat crew, helping out below decks in the galley (kitchen) and keeping the head (bathroom) clean, as well as helping square away (keep orderly) above decks and hoisting and lowering the sails.

Due to the threat of severe weather on one day, the Conch Pearl's captain suggested staying one night in harbor at Key West, Fla. There the divers got back their land legs and enjoyed the local entertainment, including the world-famous street performers in Mallory Square. But the call of the sea overcame these distractions, once the weather conditions improved, and it was back to the amazing view of life below the ocean's surface that only a SCUBA diver can know.

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Date published: 7/31/2007