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Boatswain
Connor Rieve

Connor Rieve
National_Boatswain@yahoo.com

Boatswain's Blog

I'm going to be sharing with you the fun I have at various events I attend.  The latest entries will be at the top and the earliest at the bottom; reverse order so it make it easy for you to see my latest entries.

    Your National Boatswain,
    Monica Traylor

Entry 13:

Hurricane Ike Repair, January 11th

A group of Sea Scouts got together and worked on piers for a long day in Kemah, Texas.  We got much of it repaired but there is still a lot to go.  We are doing this as service work to a yacht club that allows us to keep are boats there for a very discounted rate.  Hurricane Ike left a lot of damage in its path but most of Kemah was able to recover fairly quickly.  Many of the business' are back up and running and it is nice to see how much everyone was wiling to help out.  Thank you to those other scout out there who also did there part and thanks to those who kept us in their prayers.  There is a lot we can do when we get together and it is always nice spending a day working with, on or around boats.  This is a link to some of the damage done by hurricane Ike.  Many of the boats you will see here are already repaired and back in their slips and everything is doing much better than when these pictures were taken.  Some of these are my home ships boats and some are one other ship's boats in the area.  We were really blessed that there wasn't more damage.

Entry 12:

Annual Giving Campaign Speech, November 4th

On voting day, I gave a speech to the employees at the national office on what scouting has meant to my life.  The speech included how it has changed me throughout the years, what I have learned, and mostly how I have grown.  I highlighted key moments like:  SEAL, EAGLE, and Report to the Nation.  It really made me think back on how my life would have been different without scouts and especially all the opportunities I would have missed out on.  I would defiantly not have been the person I am today and I was very happy to share that with the employees who do not get to work with youth directly very often.  It was also a great opportunity to be able to express my gratitude for all the adults do to make these programs what they are.  Without them again I would not be where I am today.

Entry 11:

Sea Scout Committee Meeting/SEAL Meeting, October 18th - 19th

I very much enjoyed sitting in on these two meetings.  It gave me the opportunity to really hear what was going on around the nation with Sea Scouts and to see where we were headed.  There is some great service and leadership opportunities coming up for youth and adults.  Every year this group of adults gets together and reports on what is happening in the different regions, what went well about the programs, how they can improve for next year, and what new things are coming about.  It was a great opportunity to give suggestions on what I believe would benefit the youth in these programs.  I was very thankful to be apart of it and to see many of the adult members that I've only seen a couple of times over the years and who have helped me get to where I am today.

Entry 10:

Philmont Venturing Training Week, August 2nd - 9th

Philmont
Katelyn, Matthew, Monica
and Amanda at Philmont

The youth cabinet attended Venturing Training week to talk to the participants about their role in venturing and to give a youths perspective.  We went around to many of the different classes and answered their questions about Sea Scouts and Venturing.  The questions ranged from starting VOAs to Facebook safety and many others.  One of the classes' invited us to go with them to try out COPE.  The adult leaders there were taught many games and challenges that teach youth leadership and by challenging them and forcing them to work as a team.  We also went out to NAYLE which is a boy scout leadership training and talked to them about the leadership training opportunities in venturing such as Kodiak, Kodiak X, Powder Horn, and of course SEAL.  We also got to interact with the staff and enjoy the great place that is Philmont.  We even did a little hiking when we went out for a sunrise hike to lovers leap.  Unfortunately it was a little cloudy but the hike was still gorgeous.  Also, we enjoyed listening to the Tabasco Donkeys and the Wanna Be Band, watching opening campfire, and taking a tour of the villa.  We even got a more personal touch since Matt, the WRP and former ranger, knew pretty much everything there was about to know about Philmont.  Many of the participants brought their families and enjoyed the experience together.  Overall I think every participant learned a lot and their programs will be better for it.

Entry 9:

Long Sail 2008, July 20th - 26th

Ship 502 took their long cruise close to home in Galveston this summer.  It was the first time for me to sail in surf this big.  We took six sunfish (three of which sunk by the end of the week), a hobie catamaran 16, a prindle 18, and a laser.  We had three kayaks available.  In the morning we would swim and kayak and in the afternoon we would sail.  It was so much fun riding the waves in on the kayaks and playing pirates on the boats.  The water stung a little but it was a good kind of sting hiking out over the water in the cats.  To me there is nothing better.  Everyone had a great time even with hurricane dolly coming through Brownsville.  One of the days we could not sail because of weather, we had fun at an aquarium and at a rainforest in Moody Gardens.  The next day we went to Sea Wolf Park and looked at a submarine and a submarine shooter.  Then we went to see the dark knight.  At night we watched a couple of sailing movies, played games, and went on the beach to pick up trash and look for crabs, shells, and any other interesting creatures.  Some of the kids did some advancement including triangular courses and boat work.  Overall, it was a fantastic week.  There were some minor injuries but we stayed safe so nothing too dramatic.  Our shirts will have the saying "Cut up and bailing but still sailing."  The most important part we had a lot of fun.  And also, we have started a plan for a service project a month and even have a mascot.  There will be more coming about that soon.  Until then, send me stories about your ships long sail.

Entry 8:

Koch Cup 2008, July 13th - 19th

Koch Cup 2008
Koch Cup 2008

Koch Cup this year was a blast.  There were 8 different countries besides the United States.  Everyone was very friendly and seemed to enjoy bonding with the sailors from different countries.  They tried root beer and we tried vegemite.  No one enjoyed either but we did enjoy some dances songs and games.  The food from King Hall was interesting but there was delicious catered barbeque, hot dogs and hamburgers for dinner on different nights.  The award dinner also included some great crab cakes.  Every morning we had a nice flag ceremony.  There were activities until sailing time in the afternoon.  Each day the wind picked up more and more and there was fantastic wind on Friday for the last races.  For the outing we went to Washington D.C.  and I took a field trip around the natural museum of science, while others toured the Air and Space and many of the other museums there.  The naval academy was a nice place to stay with so many boats available and the barracks in all one spot.  All in all it was a great week.  The staff worked hard and the participants sailed hard.  Check the website for race results, pictures, and cool videos - www.seascoutcup.org.  Also if anyone would like to send me there own experience I would love to hear about them.

Entry 7:

National Cabinet Training, July 10th - 12th

Cabinet Training is held every year in Dallas.  Each cabinet member is asked questions about their goals and is helped to establish them.  Our goals focus on how we can help establish the venturing program and what we can do to help youth find out opportunities available to them.  We also have personal and group goals.  It was a great time to bond with my cabinet and come up with great ideas for the upcoming year.  You can see each President's and my goals on this website.

Entry 6:

Can you find the water?
Can you find the water?

Preserve Americas Waterway Initiative, June 22nd

The preserve Americas Waterway Initiative is Sea Scouts way of celebrating their 100 year anniversary by giving back.  To get things kicked off some of the youth from different crews and ships got together to pose for some pictures of youth doing water projects.  This included planting grass in gross dirty oily water.  It included playing with dead crabs and random pieces of colorful trash while seagulls flew over our heads just scouring for food and threatening our unprotected heads.  It was quite a day.  We found place full of trash that would be great for projects.  We even got to hold freshly caught slimy fish and measure them for the books.  It was a very fun eventful day and it was a great way to brainstorm projects in the area.  I am very excited about the service that Sea Scouts provides for our great country and the amount of service that is about to come.  Here is a picture that I took of a reservoir.  Can you find the water?

Entry 5:

Sea Experience Advanced Leadership (SEAL)

SEAL has already started this summer and I am very excited for two of the girls in my ship that will be attending this year.  This program is one of the best ways to learn leadership skills very quickly.  In one week the candidate is put on a boat with 5 other strangers and expected to spend one day being completely in charge of everything without being allowed to touch anything.  They also spend one day each navigating.  There are nautical, navigation, and knot tests.  There are also team building projects and lessons on every other leadership skill.  It is a very challenging but also very rewarding course.  I would suggest to any Sea Scout who wants to learn leadership to apply for this course.

There are 5 courses, one in:  Galveston, Newport Beach, Chesapeake, Miami and Long Island Sound.  Good luck to all of the candidates who are going.  Work hard and it will pay off.  If anyone has any good SEAL stories they would like to share please email me and I will post them up.

Entry 4:

National Meeting May 20th - 23rd

The Cabinet standing in front of the Venturing booth
The Cabinet standing in front of the Venturing booth

Every year the outgoing and incoming National Youth Cabinet is sent to the National Meeting.  This is where the outgoing cabinet pass on their gold shoulder loops or boatswain pipe to the incoming cabinet.  In the same ceremony the new National Venturing Youth President is named.  We also got to see the National Flagship get awarded to Ship 41 from Bay Village, Ohio.  I would like to congratulate them for all of their service and hours spent on the water.

I am very excited about this year's cabinet.  I know we will make a great team and set good goals to help better the Venturing and Sea Scouting program.  The old cabinet gave us good advice to get started with.  We are all very excited to get started this year.  The rest of the time at the meeting we answered questions about Sea Scouting and Venturing.  It was a great way to start out the year.  If anyone has any questions about what we do or anything for their area please contact your Regional Venturing President or me.

Entry 3:

Quartermaster Sail

Hey all,

The weather coming into the first channel around Kemah Bridge
The weather coming into the first
channel around Kemah Bridge

In early May I completed my Quartermaster Sail.  I took charge of Cork for 48 hours.  The first night was a night sail which was very cloudy but nice weather.  The second day my crew and I started out from Kemah and headed straight into a cold front which luckily did not last long and brought fantastic winds heading in the perfect direction.  We headed to Galveston with just the jib up going 6 to 7 knots.  Those clouds were a little scary at first though.  We had a lovely meal of fajitas and watched the dolphins in the sunset at Galveston Yacht Club.

The next day we got up a little early and headed home.  We were blessed 

We made it!
We made it!

with good winds again and made great timing.  It was wonderful sail the whole weekend.  We ran several man overboard drills and many of the others.  We also anchored several times and managed to teach two of our shipmates how to take a three point fix.  When we got back there was even enough time to give the boats a good scrub down.

I encourage everyone to continue advancing as it is a great way to build self confidence and it is a very gratifying experience.  Good luck to everyone working hard out there and if anyone has good advancement stories send them to me and I will post them up.

Entry 2:

Sam Houston Area Council Scout Fair

Playing with underwater creatures
Playing with
underwater creatures

Hey Scouts,

On Saturday, April 19th, I attended the Sam Houston Area Council Race To Scouting Scout Fair.  I was introduced to many people there.  I traveled to the different booths including the OA booth and enjoyed watching the ceremonial dancing very much.  It was great to see so much excitement concentrated on scouting in one place.

There was a booth for scouting in every kind.  Sea Scout Ships, Venturing Crews, OA booths, Cub Scouts, and many others.  I enjoyed walking around and meeting all of the people who invest so much of their time in young people's lives.  Thanks to all of you.

P.S.  Sam Houston had Sam Houston Area had 996 Eagle Scouts in 2007.  Congratulations to all of you.

P.S.S.  Scout Fairs are great recruiting tools.  If you have other great recruiting ideas send me an email and I will post them up.

Entry 1:

WM. Minto Regional Rendezvous April 11-13

Awards and Group Photo

Hey Sailors,

Ship 502 Boatswains Chair
Ship 502 Boatswains Chair

My first event as the National Boatswain was the 2008 W.M. Minto Rendezvous for the Sam Houston area.  It was held at Lake Livingston this year and there were 14 fun events.  These included: Sail repair, Knot tying, VHF radio, Block Reaving, Marlinspike, Heaving line, Ring Buoy, Boatswains chair, Rules of the Road, Mariners quiz, First Aid quiz, GPS treasure hunt, Navigation, Whale boating, Canoeing, and Signal Flags.  My personal favorite was Marlinspike but each event was fun and successful.

I look forward to participating in Rendezvous' each year because it allows the ships to get to know each other through healthy competition, and keeps all the nautical skills we learn fresh in our heads.  Each ship that participated did well in at least one event.  Ship 502 received 1st place and Ship 8 received 2nd Place.  Congrats to everyone on their hard work.

If you wish to send in something about a rendezvous in your area contact me at national_boatswain@yahoo.com

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