Eight members of Boy Scout Troop 557, which is based in Arnold, recently completed the BSA Florida Sea Base program on Lower Matecumbe Key, an island in the upper Florida Keys.
The boys who attended were Jacob Jones, the Scout crew leader; Ethan Hobbs; Jacob Easley; Jacob Sedlacek; Ryan Wilson; Bradley Sherrill; Kameron McClinton and Michael Simpson.
Four adult chaperones also attended, including Scoutmaster J.J. Jones, Diane Wilson, Duane McClinton and Richard Simpson Jr.
The trip was from June 19-27. The Scouts flew from St. Louis to Fort Lauderdale, where they spent one night before driving to the Keys. They stopped along the way at the Florida Everglades, where they rode on an airboat and saw a lot of birds and alligators.
“After checking in (at the Sea Base), going through the usual swim and scuba tests and spending one night, we went to Stock Island, where we boarded the (60-foot) sailing vessel, Conch Pearl,” J.J. Jones said. “We were on board the Conch Pearl for six days and five nights. We dove two to three times a day throughout the lower Florida Keys. Our dives were usually 8-12 miles offshore in about 40 feet of water. We saw lots of beautiful coral, colorful fish, rays, dolphins, barracuda and a couple of sharks.”
The group dove 12 times, from Looe Key to Sand Island Light. Two of the dives were at night, Jones said.
Also during the trip, the group visited Key West, where they saw Ernest Hemingway’s home and the “southernmost point in the continental U.S.,” Jones said.
The group had a luau on their last night of the trip, he added.
“We had great weather throughout the trip and everyone had a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Jones said.
Troop 557 meets at St. Mark United Church of Christ in Arnold and is sponsored by the Arnold VFW.
