About Sea Scouts
Sea Scouting has the same Purpose and Values as any other Scout Troop, and delivers the same Programme, but with a nautical twist.
All young people in Scouting have the opportunity to enjoy water activities, but in Sea Scouting, considerable emphasis is on these activities, and many aspects of naval and nautical traditions are incorporated.
Sea Scouting is available to young people from the age of 10½ through Sea Scout Troops and Explorer Sea Scout Units. Our Beaver Scouts and Cub Scouts follow the same programme as all other Beavers and Cubs, albeit with the likelihood of some water-based activities being included in the programme.
Activities
Sea Scouts and Explorer Sea Scouts regularly get involved in a wide range of water activities from canoeing, sailing, windsurfing, pulling (rowing) and narrow boating to power boating and offshore sailing. Sea Scouts also find time for many of the traditional scouting activities, such as camping and hiking, and other activities within the Scouting Programme.
Uniform
Sea Scouts may wear a light blue shirt or in our case, a dark blue seamans jumper and a Sea Scout cap with Bosuns Whistle. At 4th Heswall we wear a Tangerine Neckercheif without a woggle.
Leaders of Sea Scout Troops and Explorer Sea Scout Units wear the Sea Scout Leader’s uniform.
Further information about Sea Scout uniform, and the placement of badges, can be found in Chapter 10 of the Scout POR.
Uniform and other items can be purchased from Heswall Army and Navy or the Scout Store on Balls Road Birkenhead.
We have occasional badges to mark anniversaries or events, 2019 is RN100, marking 100 years of our partnership with the Royal Navy in 2019. This can be worn on uniform throughout the year, by anyone wishing to celebrate the occasion, our Scouts received theirs at the Scout Forum held on the first meeting back of 2019.
Flag
The Sea Scout flag is dark blue, bearing the Scout symbol and motto. Groups or Units that are recognised by the
Royal Navy such as 4th Heswall may also fly the Defaced Red Ensign. Our original flags and standards were kindly donated to the group using money raised by St. Peter’s Church Council in June 1972.
Ceremonial information
The colours ceremony at the start of meetings and events, and the sunset ceremony at the end, are conducted using a defaced red ensign rather than a Union Flag. You never break an ensign, you simply hoist it with dignity, and not normally to the masthead, but to a gaff (which may not always be practicable in the small Scout headquarters building).
There are slight variations in the details of proceedings, but this is typical and good practice.
When the Duty Patrol Leader is ready the hoist the ensign, the still is sounded on a bosun’s call, and the Troop salutes. When the ensign is secured, the PL salutes, the carry on is piped, and the salute is ended.
Sea Scout Salute
By convention, most Sea Scout groups adjust the Scout salute just a little, to make it more consistent with naval tradition. The hand is kept horizontal, shortest way up, shortest way down.
Wellbeing and Resilience at 4th Heswall
