5th Wicklow (Bray) Sea Scout Group
Welcome to 5th Wicklow, the last remaining Scout Group in Bray
Location
Located in Bray Harbour, the Den is the meeting place for all sections of the group. It was extended in 1991, to include a Galley, Wardroom and a Storeroom as well as a new roof. The Scout Den is also used by a local Girl Guide section.
History
When this site is completed, we will have a history of the group. We apologise for the delay.
The Group
5th Wicklow is a mixed Group, taking male and female members into each section. Members of all religions are accepted. 5th Wicklow is a member of Scouting Ireland SAI. Any queries about putting a child on our waiting lists should be sent to us at seascout@ireland.com .
Beavers
There are two Beaver Colonies, meeting on Monday and Thursday evenings, between 1900 and 2015 in the Den. The Section is open to those between the ages of 6-8 years old. They play games and go on activities. Recent outings have included trips to Baldonnel aerodrome and the Fire Brigade.
Sea Cubs
We have two Sea Cub Packs. These meet on Tuesday and Wednesday night, between 1900 and 2015. Sea Cubs go camping, boating and take part in many other activities. Members are between 8 and 12 years old.
Sea Scouts
The Sea Scout section is open to young people between 12 and 17 years old. Cubs progressing upwards join in groups twice a year, and recruits may join at any time. This section meets on Friday nights, between 2000 and 2130hrs. Sea Scouts go boating, camping, hiking and have gone abroad several times on summer camp.
Ventures
The Sea Venture section is open to those over the age of 18. Ventures go camping, boating and hiking, but also take part in more adventurous activities, even parachuting!.
Last year our Ventures won the Fiontar Trophey (The Levey Trophey) which is the National Venture Competition.
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Uniform
As Sea Scouts, we are proud to wear our traditional uniform. 5th Wicklow is one of the only groups to wear our neckerchief (red and blue stripes) with the ends turned up. This is done as a sign of mourning for Baden-Powell, Founder of Scouting. We also wear the "Co. Wicklow Scout Association" badge, which dates back to 1908, at the back of the neckerchief.
Leaders and members may wear a Bosun's Call instead of a whistle, once they demonstrate their ability to pipe a variety of calls properly and efficiently.
Boating Activities
Canoeing
At present, the unit has 2 leaders qualified as Restricted Canoe Leaders (RCLs). We are in the process of upgrading these qualifications. We also receive assistance from other Sea Scout units in the region and members of Bray Canoeing Club. The Group has several fibre glass kayaks and has access to privately owned plastic kayaks, mostly Dancers. We are regular entrants in the Scout and Sea Scout Liffey Descent competitions.
Sailing
We have a BP-18 "Manatee", which was fully rigged out for sailing last year. The Group also has a Flying-15, which the Venture section is currently working on with the aim of having her on the water this season. In addition to our own sailing, we will be sailing in association with Bray Sailing Club, who have benefited from the loan of our BP-18 when it is not in use by the Troop.
Rowing
In 1997 our East Coast Skiff, "Dolphin", was destroyed in a storm. Several generations of Scouts had crewed her over the years and her loss was a blow to the unit. The year the Dolphin was destroyed, we were given the use of another skiff for the East-Coast Regatta, where we took several honours, notably in the U-20s Section.
Our BP-18 Manatee, while primarily a sailing vessel, is also equipped for rowing, though not as efficiently as a skiff. We are currently engaged in fundraising for a new East-Coast Racing Skiff. In the meantime we have arranged with a local club have given us one of their boats on loan. This year we came 2nd in the Lord Mayor's Cup, and also did very well in the Sea Scout Regatta.
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Land Based Activities
We are a Sea Scout unit, but this does not mean we are limited to water-based activities. The Sea Scout section regularly goes camping, Bivvying, hiking and much, much more. Every year we send teams of Scouts on Sionnachs and MPCs, which are non-competitive events based on hillwalking and camping. We frequently have teams at the finals of the Smythe Cup, the national camping competition.
We always have teams taking part in the Explorer Belt expedition. In 1998 this was in northern Spain, while in 2000 it was held in the Alps in France and Italy. The Belt involves a 200km trek on a budget of three Pounds a day. 5th Wicklow also has members on these events as Staff and Leaders. Next Year's Belt will be in Spain and Bray will be there.
Last year, one of our Young Leaders took part in the Raleigh Expedition to Mongolia. This involved the building of a Medical Centre and a Trek through the Gobi Desert lasting 10 weeks.
Training
5th Wicklow actively encourages its members to attend relevant training courses run at local, regional and national level. This would include Watch Leader training, PEAK (a mountain skills course), First Aid Courses with the Order of Malta and individual Skills Courses.
Our leaders all attend approved leader training courses, as well as relevant skills training and instructing courses.
Investiture
There is no set time period before a recruit is invested as a Sea Scout. The recruit must have attended several camps, hikes, hostels and boating sessions. They must display an enthusiasm for Scouting and show a knowledge and understanding of the Scout Law & Promise. Being invested is one of the most important days of a person's time in Scouting. The Investiture is usually (though not always) a formal ceremony, in full uniform, during an activity or camp.
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Recent Summer Camps
Every year, the Sea Scout section goes on a Summer Camp. These are usually in Ireland, but every couple of years we go abroad. This year we went to Lough Erne, where we brought up the Skiff and a load of canoes.
1992 - Grenzenlos,Ferschweiler Plateau, Germany.
1993 - Ballyfin '93
1994 - Fanid Head, Donegal.
1995 - Achill Island,
1995 - 18th World Jamboree, Dronten, Flevoland, Holland
1996 - Lough Erne '96 (Sea Scout Jamboree)
1997 - Germany
1998 - Lough Dan, Co. Wicklow
1999 - Birr, Co.Offaly
2000 - Dronten, Flevoland,Holland (1st Dutch National Jamboree)
2001 - Lisnaskea, Lough Erne, Co. Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
Leaders
Each section is run by the Section Leader with the help of several Assistant Leaders. In the Sea Scout section, the Leader is "The Skipper", and the Assistant Sea Scout Leaders are "Boatswains (Bosuns)". The unit is run with input from the Watch Leaders (Land Scouts call them Patrol Leaders). They are the senior Sea Scouts and represent the views and wishes of the Sea Scouts and Recruits.
Awards
Several members of 5th Wicklow have received Awards over the years.
In March of this year we lost our Group Leader of many years, Ned Keogh. He will be sorely missed and his death was a loss to us all. He has been presented with a Posthumous Silver Elk, the highest award the Association can give.
In 1996, ASSL Sean O'Moore Carried out a rescue in Bray Harbour, bringing a man out of the water, during a storm. For this, he was awarded the Bronze Cross (For Gallantry), an Endeavour Award, and was the first person in Ireland to be presented a Commendation from the Royal Life Saving Society.
In 1999, ASSL Cian Timmons received the Gaisce (Gold) Presidents Award from President McAleese. He is also the recipient of a Bronze Medal of Merit from Scouting Ireland CSI as a member of the Irish Youth Expedition to Kenya in 1997.
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If you have any comments, suggestions or queries, please give us a shout or even better, sign our guestbook
