Saturday, August 1
We left the Combs' household shortly after 8:00 a.m. after several
Scouts sent their parents home to retrieve forgotten lunches. We were finally
on our way to the Keys! After getting on the highway, we put our theme
song "On the Keys" into the cassette player and sang along. We continued
to listen to cassettes until the cassette player shot a tape back out at
us. We arrived at the Kentucky/Tennessee border at 12:34 p.m. and enjoyed
a Kodak moment at the state border sign. We ate lunch at the Tennessee
Welcome Center in an area we later realized was the pet walking area. Mike
called Robins Air Force Base and made arrangements for our Sunday box lunches.
We resumed our travels, stopping once for gas and free popcorn. The long
day's driving forced the Scout's into a creative frenzy. They made a "Hey
babe(s) you look awesome!" sign and displayed it for every passing car
to view. Many different and interesting reactions were received including
one van that wrote back. Finally, after nearly twelve hours of travel,
we arrived at Robins Air Force Base. We obtained our visitor's pass and
Scout hut keys and headed for our place of lodging, the Radisson Roach
Plaza. Since several other troops were staying in the Boy Scout hut, we
stayed in the Girl Scout hut, complete with refrigerator, stove, air conditioning,
and roaches. A dinner of spaghetti, garlic bread, homemade cookies, and
Kool-Aid was quickly prepared and gobbled down. We went to the gym for
showers, returned to the hut for a short game of tennis ball keep away,
and then turned in for the night.
Sunday, August 2 - Day Two
Our skulls were split open at 6:50 a.m. by the sound of our Scoutmaster's
alarm clock. We gathered up our belongings, packed the van, and headed
for the dining hall. We ate a hearty breakfast with the bill totaling $9.40.
After picking up our box lunches and some free ice for our cooler, we resumed
our travels. We drove nonstop to the Florida Welcome Center, stopping for
a picture and some free orange juice. Back on the road again our Scouts
began playing Star Wars, a role playing game. As we entered downtown Jacksonville,
we encountered a heavy rain. As soon as we left the downtown area, the
rain stopped. Why? Why ask why? We stopped at a roadside park and devoured
the two sandwiches, apple, crackers, cookies, and pop that Robins had provided
for us. Refueled and refreshed we resumed our ride. We drove through St.
Augustine, the oldest city in the United States, and saw many historic
buildings. We made a quick stop at a lighthouse and then took a group picture
by the city's sign. We drove Route A1A, which snakes along the Florida
coastline, and took in some very beautiful scenery. We stopped at Daytona
Beach and took in some even more incredible sights. The Scouts went swimming,
but had to leave after 20 minutes due to an approaching lightning storm.
From here we headed to Camp Hedrick, our night's lodging. A passing motorist
yelled at us that we had left the back door to the van open. Oooopppsss!
We stopped the van and Dave closed the door stating that everything seemed
to be in place. We spent the next three hours driving through pouring rain
and some very wicked lightning. We were not looking forward to setting
up tents in this kind of weather. Upon arriving at Camp Hedrick, John conned
the Camp master into letting us sleep in the lodge for one night. We drove
back to the lodge, but wound up taking an unplanned wild country safari.
After 20 minutes of
vehicular bushwhacking, we finally met the Camp master who took us
to the lodge. She unlocked the door for us and we unloaded the entire contents
of the van. Mike, Dave, and Rob prepared a delicious dinner of hamburgers,
cheese curls, cookies, and Kool-Aid in the air-conditioned comforts of
the bug free lodge. The meal consumed, the dishes done, and the bodies
washed, we played some indoor tennis using our hands as tennis rackets.
Keith led a Star Wars adventure that never quite got off the ground due
to some heckling. We finally crawled into bed at 11:00 p.m.
Monday, August 3 - Day Three
We awoke at 7:30 a.m. after a wonderful night's sleep in our cool,
insectless quarters. Oh, if we could only spend the next two nights in
this wonderful lodge! Matt and Chris whipped up a breakfast of sausage
and eggs while everyone else took showers. The water in the building had
a high content of iron which turned the toilet, sink, and shower stall
a murky orange color and left you feeling a little less than clean. However,
it was better than not taking a shower. During breakfast, John took an
orange juice bath courtesy of Jeremy. We left at 9:00 a.m. after cleanup
and several tennis games were finished. We traveled to Kennedy Space Center
crossing several scenic bridges on the way. We bought tickets for a bus
tour and then did some sightseeing until boarding time. The bus tour took
us to see the launch pad, vehicle assembly building, training and command
center, and a Saturn V rocket (where we experienced problems with our bus).
We visited the gift shop and returned to the van. After five minutes of
traveling, Mike realized he had left his camera and postcards on the top
of the van. We retraced our steps, but the items were never found. We stopped
in Cocoa Beach and ate lunch in a public beach parking lot. After finishing
lunch the Scouts changed into their swimsuits and headed for the beach.
Scouts divided their time between playing in the ocean waves and checking
out the latest in female swim wear. After an hour the beach was closed
due to lightning (again). We took advantage of the moment and went to Ron
Jon's Surf Shop to check out this unique store. As we left Ron Jon's, we
noticed the storm had changed directions. We returned to the beach and
spent another hour soaking up those rays and playing in the ocean's breakers.
We headed back to camp and ate a late dinner of BBQ sandwiches, potato
chips, and cookies. John handed out $10.00 for tomorrow's lunch and dinner
at DisneyWorld. Scouts played tennis and Star Wars until lights out at
10:30 p.m. Yes, another night in the lodge!
Tuesday, August 4 - Day Four
We awoke at 6:30 a.m. so we could get an early start at DisneyWorld.
We showered and ate a quick breakfast of sweet rolls, cereal, and apples.
Dressed in our civies, we drove to DisneyWorld for a day of pure fun and
excitement. Matt, Chris, and Rob chose to spend the day at the Magic Kingdom
while everyone else went to MGM. The attractions at MGM were truly spectacular!
The Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular provided awesome action, spectacular
stunts, and earsplitting explosions. Jim Henson's Muppets in 3D was an
incredible 3D movie complete with real water from above. The Little Mermaid
Show provided live action and a laser light show. The Backstage Tour provided
a behind the scenes look at what scenery and props are used to make a movie.
During the tour, we entered Catastrophe Canyon, where the audience viewed
fire, flood, and earthquake disasters up close. The Great Movie ride provided
a tour through some of the greatest moments in film making history. At
3:30 p.m., a one hour downpour sent the crowds scurrying for cover. Dave
and John enjoyed the rain from the air-conditioned comfort of the Artist's
Animation Tour. The day ended with Mike, Jeremy, Keith, Dave, and John
getting together to see the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular in the dark
and catch the eight minutes of spectacular fireworks. We then fought the
crowds for a few last minute purchases and then returned to the van. Matt,
Chris, and Rob returned just before 11:00 p.m. and we headed back to camp.
On the way back, the guys traded stories with each other about their day
at DisneyWorld. We crawled into camp at 12:20 a.m. and returned to the
lodge. Since we left early in the morning and returned late at night, the
Camp master was unable to discuss our leaving the lodge. All three nights
in cool, bug free comfort!
Wednesday, August 5 - Day Five
Our dependable Scoutmaster forgot to wind his alarm clock so we got
to sleep until 7:30 a.m. Some of the Scouts took showers while Dave, Matt,
and Chris whipped up a magnificent breakfast of pancakes and bacon. We
hurriedly packed our gear and loaded it into the van. We left Camp Hedrick
at 9:15 a.m. and began to feed our lonely cassette player a variety of
classical, rock, and new age tapes. We drove straight to Miami, only stopping
once to refuel. Matt, who was anxious to see Miami, wound up sleeping the
whole way through it. At 3:30 p.m., we arrived at the town of Homestead
and quickly found a laundry mat. Mike prepared a lunch of hot dogs and
cheese curls in the parking lot while Dave and John fed quarters into the
washing machines. Next, we headed to Homestead Air Force Base, checked
in at the visitor's center, and proceeded to the Scout hut. As we entered
the Scout hut we were hit by an overwhelming wave of hot, stale air. The
two window air conditioners were immediately put into action and we unloaded
our belongings for the night. At 5:20 p.m. we headed for the Bolivar dinning
hall for dinner. The main entrees were fish and veal, but our Scoutmaster,
who was first in line, took the last portion of veal. Our total bill came
to $10.85, thus meeting our Scoutmaster's challenge to break $10.00. We
returned to our now cool Scout hut, put on our swimsuits, and headed to
Homestead Bay Front Resort for a quick dip. Some of the guys went swimming
while others tried to get coconuts out of the surrounding palm trees. Rob
was the only Scout to successfully climb the tree and retrieve a coconut.
He broke it open on the ground and several brave soles ventured a taste.
Several young kids appeared and Rob and Chris entertained them until we
left. We returned to Homestead and went straight to the showers at the
gym. The adults used the officer's showers while the Scouts used the enlisted
men's showers, complete with sauna. After showering, we stopped and watched
a volleyball game. Returning to the Scout hut, we found the building was
very cool and comfortable. However, the room temperature did not
reflect the Scouts attitudes. The guys were beginning to get a little tense
with each other. Some Scouts played tennis while others read books or listened
to music. Lights out came none to soon at 10:30 p.m.
Thursday, August 6 - Day Six
Eating breakfast at an air force base has one big disadvantage: serving
times are always early in the morning. Homestead serves from 5:00-7:00
a.m. so we had to get up at 6:00 a.m., hurriedly get dressed and dash to
the dinning hall The breakfast menu included omelets, French toast, sausage,
bacon, grits, fried potatoes, toast, cereal, and fresh fruit. We finally
broke the $10.00 mark for breakfast with our total squeaking past at $10.30.
With our eyes bulging, we returned to our Scout hut and put away our belongings
(in case someone used the building during the day). We then traveled the
short distance to Everglades National Park. Arriving at the park entrance
sign, we got out of the van for a picture and were immediately consumed
by mosquitoes. As soon as the last shutter clicked, we stampeded to the
van as if our lives depended upon it (and they very well might have!).
Upon arriving at the visitor's center, John heard air leaking from our
left front tire. John changed the flat while the others checked out the
visitor's center and covered themselves with bug repellent. We then drove
through the park, stopping to take a trail or two. The first trail was
relatively bug free and provided views of fish, turtles, and birds. The
second trail was a suicide march into mosquito territory with blood sucking
insects that eagerly devoured our bug repellent. The next trail was again
relatively bug free and provided us with an excellent view of a baby alligator.
We then drove to the campground (who would ever camp in a place like this?)
and the Scouts retrieved themselves a coconut. As we left the campground
it began to rain thus making it the fifth day in a row that it had rained.
We made a lakeside stop and saw two alligator heads sticking out of the
water. Although it was lunch time, better judgment got the best of us and
we decided not to dine in the park. We happily exited the park and stopped
at a BP gas station to get our tire repaired. We fixed lunch in the parking
lot while the mechanic removed a horseshoe nail from our tire. We finished
lunch just as our tire was finished. Our "brush with death" in mosquito
valley taught us nothing as we drove to Chekika Park for some fresh water
swimming in alligator infested waters. Scouts swam, threw Frisbee, and
played in a water fountain. Darkening skies and lightning forced us to
leave the park and return to Homestead. After a quick stop at the Scout
hut, we went to the Bolivar Center and enjoyed a pleasant dinner of turkey,
green beans, mashed potatoes, Jell-O, and ice cream. Our bill was a respectable
$12.85! Returning to the Scout hut, the guys did various things to entertain
themselves until our 10:30 p.m. curfew.
Friday, August 7 - Day Seven
Again our alarm woke us up at 6:00 a.m. We went to breakfast, but were
unable to break the $10.00 mark! In defeat, we returned to the hut, packed
up our gear and loaded the van. We made a quick stop at the gym for showers
and then headed for the Florida Sea Base. The drive was a quick one hour
trip which put us at the base four hours early. After a group picture at
the sign, we decided to drive further down into the keys. We drove through
many of the keys, taking in the beauty of the blue waters and the uniqueness
of the small towns. After crossing Seven Mile Bridge, we turned around
and headed back towards the sea base. We made a stop at a small beach to
eat lunch and take a quick swim. After drying off and dressing into our
Scout uniforms, we drove to the sea base, arriving there at 1:45 p.m. Steve,
our sea base mate, greeted us and took us to the administration building
to check in. Dave and John checked in with Eric Schmidt, the business manager,
while Steve kept the Scouts occupied. Then Steve took us on a tour of the
sea base including a walk past our yacht, the Madame Backade. We checked
into our air conditioned quarters and changed into our swimsuits, Next,
we went down to the beach to take our swimmers test. This was a very important
moment for those who flunk the swim test must wear a life jacket aboard
the boat at all times. We all passed the 100 yard swim despite the disgusting
taste of the super salty water! We then proceeded to the equipment room
where we were issued our snorkeling equipment. Steve took us to the boat
docks where we were given brief instruction in the art of snorkeling. After
picking snorkeling buddies, we jumped into the water and began to explore
as well as check out our equipment. The water was pretty murky, but we
still saw some fish and several Christmas trees. At the end of the 30 minute
session, we returned to our cool quarters to change clothes and kill some
time. At 6:30 p.m. we left in full uniform to get our group picture taken
aboard our ship. We met our captain, Don Dillard, who gave us a quick tour
of the boat. This magnificent craft is 41 feet long and had a full galley,
several bedrooms, head, and separate quarters for the captain. The clanging
of the dinner bell ended our tour and sent us scurrying toward the chow
line. We enjoyed a dinner of spaghetti, garlic bread, and salad under the
shade of the quarter deck. Following dinner, Dave and John went to a leader's
meeting with the assistant camp director. He took all the adult leaders
out on his boat and had a very informal meeting at sea with a magnificent
sunset taking place in the background. At the same time, Mike Hennie, our
crew chief, was at a meeting where he learned his responsibilities and
got trip information. As the adults returned from their meeting, the yacht
captains were discussing the options of going to Key West or Key Largo.
At 9:00 p.m. we watched a slide show on the various creatures we would
meet in the ocean. Then we went to a nondenominational church service with
our troop being the only one in attendance. After services were over, we
got our gear ready for the boat, anticipating an early departure in the
morning. Lights out, normally at 11:00 p.m., was delayed due to one of
the troops returning late from having to return a rental car. After much
grumbling, complaining, and yelling from the other troops, the lights were
turned off at 11:20 p.m.
Saturday, August 8 - Day Eight
Our silly Scoutmaster woke us up at 6:30 a.m. in hopes of having our
boat be the first to set sail. At the speed of a photon, we gathered up
our equipment and headed for the boat. We loaded our gear on board plus
four blocks and ten bags of ice. We then puttered around the boat until
the flag raising ceremony at 7:50 a.m. Next, we ate a hot breakfast of
pancakes, sausage, and fresh fruit. It was following breakfast that we
discovered our boat drew the last slot to be provisioned! All our hurrying
around for nothing! At 9:00 a.m. we were finally issued our provisions.
Matt, head of provisions, loaded our food down below, trying very hard
to remember where he put everything. We finally cast off our ropes at 10:00
a.m. Steve, our mate, was on the dock to bid us farewell. We motored out
of the bay, under the large metal bridge, and into the ocean. Rob took
the helm while Mike tried his hand at salt water fishing. A slight breeze
was present so Captain Don had the Scouts hoist the sails. At 11:07 a.m.
the yacht was under sail power for the first time. We celebrated with a
lunch of PB&J sandwiches and granola bars. Rob, still at the helm,
had his work cut out for him. This was the seventh day of lobster season
and buoys from lobster traps were everywhere. We had to ensure the yacht
stayed at least ten feet away from the buoys so the ropes attached to the
buoys would not get caught in the ship's propeller. As the wind caused
the yacht to rock and roll, several in the group began to get queasy stomachs.
At 1:30 p.m. we made our first dive at Sombrero. The sights here were incredible.
The water was an average of sixteen feet deep and crystal clear all the
way to the white sandy bottom. We saw thousands of brightly colored fish
which swam almost within reach. The coral was a multicolor landscape of
hills, valleys, and caverns. Some of us saw barracuda floating by in the
currents, evil smiles pasted on long thin bodies. We also saw brain coral,
fan coral, and an abandoned lobster trap. Motion sickness and the taste
of salt water set in and Jeremy, John, and Chris became charter members
in the puke club. Several others in the group were looking pretty pale
also. The listless crew retrieved the anchor and continued the voyage.
The fatigue from snorkeling and the queasiness from sailing persuaded everyone
to take naps. At 5:45 p.m. our captain pulled into the bay of Bahia Honda
State Park to anchor for the night. Matt and Captain Don fixed a dinner
of stew, bread, and applesauce. After the dishes were washed, most of the
Scouts swam to the beach at the park. When the Scouts returned, Don moved
the boat to a better anchoring spot. Later in the evening, the Scouts did
some night snorkeling around our yacht with flashlights. Mike became our
first casualty of the trip with a case of stinging lice. Several of the
Scouts dove on a lobster trap and found several future dinner entrees inside.
As the day drew to a close, we got our beds ready below deck. Due to the
possibility of sudden storms, the Scouts would maintain an all night anchor
watch. Rob and Mike would take the 10:00-12:00 midnight shift, Matt and
Chris the 12:00-2:00 a.m. slot, Keith and Jeremy the 2:00-4:00 a.m. slot,
and Rob and Mike returning for the 4:00-6:00 a.m. shift. John got up during
each shift to ensure the watch team kept their eyes open. However, despite
all our efforts, we could not keep Rob awake during his appointed times.
A final entry in the log for today: we completed our first day without
rain since the beginning of our trip.
Sunday, August 9 - Day Nine
Most of the Scouts were still asleep as we retrieved our anchor and
headed for Looe Key, the finest snorkeling waters in the United States.
We left the harbor at 8:10 a.m. amid some light showers thus ending our
one day drought. We ate a cold breakfast of Poptarts and cereal. A large
waterspout appeared on the other side of the keys and we watched until
it returned to the clouds. A large sea turtle appeared, but dove underwater
before anyone could get a picture of him. We arrived at Looe Key and excitedly
put on our snorkeling gear. The crystal clear water varied in depth from
2 to 20 feet and provided ideal picture taking conditions for our underwater
cameras. Four eyed butterfly fish, sergeant majors, French angelfish, queen
angelfish, tiger grouper, midnight parrot fish, yellowtail snapper, and
barracuda were everywhere. The hills and valleys of coral were dressed
in reds, yellows, and tans and were dotted with brain coral and coral sea
fans. After an hour of outstanding snorkeling, we reluctantly returned
to the ship. Don talked with the guys about what they felt the itinerary
should be for the next day or two. The Scouts decided to head for Wisteria
Island off of Key West and fix lunch as we go. Bologna sandwiches, pears,
and corn chips were served up in short order. After cleaning up lunch,
the Scouts went down below and took long naps. Dave took the helm for the
first time and continued on our course to Key West. We saw another waterspout
and watched until it too disappeared into the clouds. As we approached
Key West, the boat traffic began to pick up. We saw shrimp boats, cargo
ships, sailboats, and parasailing. Our Captain suggested we put the covers
on our sails and store all our belongings down below so as to not appear
like a Haitian refugee boat. We took a quick tour of Key West's ocean side
which was full of hotels, boat docks, and naval bases. We saw the drug
traffic surveillance balloons and the Navy's hydroplane boats used to catch
drug runners. We stopped at the fuel dock and filled our tanks. Next, we
motored to Wisteria Island to anchor for the night. It wasn't easy finding
a good anchorage since there were over 70 boats on the calm waters side
of the island. Our first anchorage spot was good, but a man on a green
boat said we were too close to him. Don heeded the man's advice, informing
us that this man and his wife lived year round on that boat. We moved another
200 feet away which was still close enough to a wreck of a shrimp boat
that we wanted to snorkel. Several of the Scouts snorkeled the shrimp boat
wreck and got a close up view of both the man and the woman on the green
boat changing out of their swimsuits. Rob did a little fishing and was
able to catch several small fish using bologna as bait. Several of the
guys took baths, washing with liquid soap and rinsing with fresh water
from the boat. Keith and Mike cooked an incredible dinner of hamburgers,
peaches, and corn which we devoured with lightning speed. After dinner,
Rob resumed his fishing and almost caught a shark using a live fish as
bait. The other four sea base boats anchored around us with the Jennie
Rose anchoring a bit too close for Captain Don's comfort. As evening set
in, the sky began to darken. Large dark clouds moved in and rain began
to fall in torrents. As the intensity of the rain increased, lightning
began to strike all around us. The deafening roar of the nearly continuous
lightning sent a chill of fear through all aboard. Our Captain advised
us to not touch anything metal since indeed our two steel masts would make
perfect lightning rods. An old white boat several hundred yards away from
us was struck by lightning and caught fire. Fortunately, the heavy rains
soon extinguished the flames. Unfortunately, our radio was not working
so we had no way to check to see if anyone was aboard the white boat. The
lightning and rain continued on for almost half an hour and then faded
off into the distance. Soon everything calmed down and the water became
incredibly still. As the wind changed directions, our boat swung around,
heading straight for the Jennie Rose. Don and Dave were able to push it
away before the two collided. Don later said he regretted not putting our
garbage bags on board the Jennie Rose. At 10:00 p.m. the Scouts began their
anchor watch, this time keeping a close eye out for storms or boat collisions.
Monday, August 10 - Day Ten
At 7:00 a.m. our crew started crawling out of bed. Rob and Matt cooked
a nice breakfast of sausage, scrambled eggs, and muffins. Jeremy and Rob
fished a little, trying to recreate yesterday's "shark attacking the live
fish" scene. After the dishes were washed, we pulled up anchor and traveled
past the white boat which was struck by lightning. Its radio antenna was
frayed and its plastic windshield was melted and burnt. Fortunately, it
looked like no one was aboard. We then motored to the Galleon Marina, arriving
there shortly after 9:00 a.m. Finding our radio now working, we called
the marina, and were assigned a dock slip of D-31. Our captain skillfully
pulled the boat into the slip and the guys put out the fenders and tied
the boat up. The Scouts began cleaning the boat inside and out while the
adults checked in at the marina. After the boat was thoroughly cleaned,
we went to the Galleon Hotel and made good use of their shower facilities.
Next, we headed into Key West for a much needed diversion. Our first stop
was the Mel Fisher Treasure Museum. We viewed a 20 minute film on Mel Fisher's
discovery of the Atosha, the richest sunken treasure ship ever discovered.
The museum was full of various items recovered from sunken ships such as
swords, cannons, pottery, $9,000.00 silver bars, jewelry, and coins. Our
next stop was the Key West Aquarium where we got close up views of sharks,
sting rays, saw fish, moray eels, and other assorted saltwater fish. The
Scoutmaster then turned the Scouts loose on Key West to do a little site
seeing. Later in the afternoon, the guys returned to the boat, donned swimsuits
and headed for the hotel's swimming pool. While we were taking it easy,
our dedicated, hard working captain worked on various repair jobs including
fixing our ship's radio. At dinner time, Dave, Mike, and Chris prepared
a nice meal of BBQ chicken (cooked over charcoal), green beans, macaroni
and cheese, and fruit cocktail. As we ate dinner on our yacht, we watched
boat and bikini traffic around the marina. One boat in particular caught
our eye. It was a multimillion dollar boat complete with a full time captain
and mate. After the dishes were washed, the Scouts took off for Key West
to enjoy an evening of freshwater swimming, site seeing, and a "celebrate
the setting of the sun" festival. All Scouts returned by the 10:00 p.m.
curfew. Tonight's sleep would be in an air conditioned cabin and no anchor
watch was required. Saint Dave went to the laundry to wash all of our salt
infested clothes and towels while we drifted off to sleep.
Tuesday, August 11 - Day Eleven
We awoke at 7:00 a.m., cooked French toast, and began preparing our
ship for departure. John filled the boat's fresh water tanks while the
guys stowed their gear. At 9:00 a.m. we cast off the dock and returned
to the service station dock to pick up 150 pounds of ice. Leaving the marina,
we headed out to sea, passing a large cruise ship anchored off Key West.
Our Scoutmaster discovered that standing up behind the cockpit eased his
motion sickness. He would remain there for over five hours. After traveling
over an hour, we arrived at our next diving spot, West Sambo. The snorkeling
here was pretty good, and John saw a four foot shark. Rob insisted on staying
close to the boat after that. Leaving West Sambo, we put up our sails for
the best sailing of the trip. The Scouts cheered as the boat pitched almost
continually which sent sea water breaking over our bow. The good sailing
winds brought an incredible storm with it. Heavy winds pelted us with warm
stinging rain. Fortunately, no lightning accompanied this storm. John continued
to stand up on the boat and braved the weather. As the storm subsided,
we ate ham sandwiches, pretzels, and granola bars, all sprayed with sea
water mist. As the rains dwindled away, we were engulfed in a second storm
which lasted for over 30 minutes. As luck would have it, the rains ceased
just before we arrived at Looe Key. We took down our sails and tied up
at the first available mooring buoy. Everyone went sea exploring except
Rob and John who were too busy exploring the insides of their eyelids.
This dive treated the guys to some new sights such as sting ray, jellyfish,
and shark. After 40 minutes of saltwater fun, we pulled up anchor and headed
to Newfound Harbor, our night's anchorage. As we entered the harbor, our
captain pointed out Little Palm Island, the site where the movie PT109
was filmed. Soon we were anchored in the bay and preparations were made
for dinner. Don cooked steaks over charcoal for us while the guys cooked
peas, potatoes, and pudding. The meal was great except for the fact Mike
had fixed far too many potatoes. The Scouts entertained themselves by feeding
an airborne seagull who refused to eat anything except steak scraps. With
the dishes washed, the Scouts gathered below deck to talk. Were they planning
a mutiny? Jeremy and Rob again tried their luck at fishing. Rob got spooked
when a big fish came out of the water and refused to fish further. Everyone
(except the first anchor watch crew) was asleep by 10:00 p.m.
Wednesday, August 12 - Day Twelve
John rose early at 6:45 a.m. and relieved the anchor watch team. This
would be our sleep late morning. Mike and Don were the first ones up at
8:10 a.m., and everyone else was up by 8:30 a.m. We ate a cold breakfast
and watched a drug enforcement balloon as we headed out of Newfound Harbor.
We returned to Looe Key to dive on it one more time. The snorkeling was
pretty good and we noticed there was a high concentration of smiling barracuda.
As we left Looe Key, Matt Barnes took the wheel and guided our boat to
Sombrero. The other Scouts slept most of the two hour trip pausing only
once to eat lunch. As we approached Sombrero, the Palaemon advised us that
this was the best diving waters he had seen all summer long with visibility
up to 50 feet. It took us several minutes to find an available mooring
buoy. Everyone went snorkeling except Rob and Chris. The snorkeling was
indeed unsurpassed! The water was crystal clear and extremely calm. Multicolored
fish were everywhere as were barracuda and jellyfish. The coral shone in
the sun and some of us even discovered a beautiful coral archway. Without
a doubt, this was our best dive yet! All good things must come to an end
and now it was time to begin the four hour sail to Long Key Bight, our
night's anchorage. Yes, the Scouts slept the entire way. Mike fell asleep
on the deck and received an outstanding sunburn, thus earning him the title
of Lobster Man. John took the wheel for the final two hours of the trip,
but let Don motor the boat to the final anchorage location. We anchored
at 7:23 p.m. with the Quest (another sea base boat) by our side. Mike and
Rob fixed dinner while Jeremy and Matt did some fishing. After dinner,
Don held a solemn ceremony and presented us with our sea base patch and
snorkeling BSA card. He also informed us that we were the best crew he
had had all summer. We thanked him for being such an outstanding captain
as well as being a lot of fun. Everyone decided to sleep on deck for our
last night on the boat. However, everyone (except John) eventually returned
below deck.
Thursday, August 13 - Day Thirteen
John woke at 6:00 a.m. to a very beautiful sunrise. Mike got up and
dutifully made coffee for the captain. We ate a cold breakfast and prepared
to get underway. However, the Quest, who wished to travel with us, was
not ready. Finally, at 7:53 a.m. they were ready and we headed for Indian
Key. Again the Scouts slept as we traveled. We arrived at Indian Key and
the Scouts swam ashore while the wimps of the Quest rode in on their dingy.
Touring the island, they learned that it was the first capital of Dade
County and was later overrun by Indians. Returning to the boat, we motored
to the wreck of the San Pedro, one of the Spanish fleet sailing from Havana
in 1733 accompanying the Atosha. While snorkeling the San Pedro, the Scouts
saw cannons, ballast stones, and a plate telling about the wreck. Don showed
us some information he had on the Atosha and the other ships in the Spanish
fleet. It said that on July 13, 1733 three armed galleons and 18 merchant
ships laden with tanned hides, rare spices, jewels, silver and gold set
sail from Havana for Spain. A fierce storm wrecked the ships along an 80
mile stretch of the keys. Only one ship was able to return to Havana to
report the disaster. Some of the ships were found and salvaged while others
would remain undiscovered for over 200 years. At 11:11 a.m., we set sail
for the sea base. The Quest also raised her sails and the race was on.
The Quest continually positioned herself between us and the wind thus reducing
our sailing power. In an effort to win the race, Don took a shortcut through
shallow waters at the sea base's entrance channel. Just before reaching
the channel we heard a thud as our ship ran aground. A humbling moment
indeed! Dave swam out from the ship to check the depth of the water ahead
while the Quest stood by to offer help if needed. Using the wind-filled
sails and having everyone lean on the starboard side of the ship, we were
able to get off the sand bar. Dave got back aboard and we motored into
the channel. The engine now was running hot and Don discovered that sea
grass had clogged his engine strainer, a result from running aground. When
we got to the middle of the channel we dropped anchor and Don cleaned out
the sea grass. We continued on our way, but at a slow speed since our engine
continued to run hot. We finally pulled into the sea base dock. Don's family
was waiting for him on the dock, ready to take a four day cruise with him.
We quickly began to clean the boat from top to bottom. Jeremy and Matt
got in the water and washed the hull of the boat, Rob cleaned the head,
Chris cleaned up below deck and Mike and Keith scrubbed the deck of the
boat. We returned our snorkeling equipment and then headed to our sleeping
quarters. We took a much needed shower. Boy did that ever feel good! At
5:30 p.m. we met under the quarter deck and filled out an evaluation sheet
on our coral reef sailing program. John met with Eric and got our $100.00
damage deposit back. After filling out the evaluation forms, the guys had
some free time to play volleyball or visit the gift shop. At 6:30 p.m.
we met under the quarter deck for our Hawaiian Luau. The first activity
was to play Izzy Dizzy. Scouts ran across a field, put one end of a baseball
bat on the ground and then put their forehead on the other end and ran
around the bat three times. They then staggered, swayed, and fell down
as they tried to race across the field to tag a team mate. Next, the Scouts
were given the opportunity to try the Limbo bar. Matt did the best from
our troop and was one of the last in the competition. We feasted on an
incredible dinner of dolphin, crab cakes, rice with shrimp sauce, corn,
pudding, watermelon, and grapes. We then had free time until the evening
program. The 8:30 p.m. evening program was hosted by the sea base chaplain,
a caustic jokester with a fiendish smile. He gave out awards for the best
limbo dancer, biggest edible fish and biggest non edible fish caught by
coral reef sailors. He then had each troop perform a skit and threatened
to hose down anybody who did a poor job. "Cool and Creamy" was without
a doubt the best skit of the evening. Our troop did a "slide show" of magic
moments on our coral reef sailing trip, complete with real waves dousing
the audience. We had lots of free time until lights out at 11:00 p.m. The
most significant event of the evening is that Rick is accepting a job transfer
to Atlanta.
Friday, August 14 - Day Fourteen
John woke everyone at 6:10 a.m. so we could get an early start on the
long day of traveling. We gathered up our belongings trying not to wake
the other troops around us. While the Scouts loaded their gear John discovered
the van's battery was totally dead. Dave recruited an adult from another
troop (which was also leaving early) to give us a jump start. The fellow
was very reluctant of using his small Toyota to jump our old van, but Dave
kept him talking long enough for us to get a good charge. We left the van
running while we ate a cold breakfast. We finally left the sea base at
7:10 a.m. Our cassette tape player died after playing several minutes of
a Led Zeppelin tape. Did the tape player die from sitting in the heat or
playing Led Zeppelin? We will never know. We drove for four hours before
stopping in Fort Pierce to refuel the van and our bodies. By 12:00 noon
we were on the road again. The drive amused us with traffic jams, rain,
and getting lost. The Scouts spent time sleeping, reading a newspaper,
playing games, listening to their tape players or just plain relaxing.
We arrived with empty stomachs at Robins Air Force Base at 8:05 p.m. Dave
saved us from cooking dinner by treating us to the buffet at Ryan's. Thanks
Dave! We returned to the Robins roach motel at 9:30 p.m. and unloaded our
gear. Our Scoutmaster talked with us about the sea base trip and let us
know that we were one of the best crews he has ever had. We became good
friends with our sleeping bags by 10:45 p.m.
Saturday, August 15 - Day Fifteen
The alarm accidentally went off at 6:00 a.m. Our Scoutmaster let us
sleep another 30 minutes before getting us up to load the van one last
time. We ate breakfast in the cafeteria, our last Air Force base meal,
and were just barely able to break the $10.00 mark. We picked up our box
lunches and free ice and began the last leg of our journey. Shortly after
crossing the Georgia/Tennessee line over van began to sputter. We were
running out of gas! Fortunately, we found a gasoline station before finishing
up the last drop of fuel. The problem stems from the gas gauge not registering
properly and also the gas pump clicks off before the tank is completely
full. Onward we traveled, stopping only to eat lunch or take restroom breaks.
We hit the Kentucky-Ohio border at 6:14 p.m. amid a chorus of cheers. Finally,
after fifteen days, 42 meals, 5 states, and 3,063.1 miles of driving, we
arrived in Englewood. We gassed up the van and took it to John's home to
be washed and vacuumed. The Scouts were picked up by parents whose responses
ranged from "We're so glad to see you!" to "So you're back, huh?" However,
our Scoutmaster would like to report that "there's no place like home!"
Return to High Adventure Trips.
Return to Troop 
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