From Tall Ships to Sea Scouts: My Adventure Aboard Ship 336

Many of you may have seen the tall ship festivals celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. Tall ships and Sea Scouting are great ways to connect with other Scouts while learning leadership, teamwork, and maritime skills.

In the summer of 2025, I was invited to sail with Ship 336 Luna when they attended the Festival of Sail in Duluth, Minnesota. We started our journey in Bayfield, Wisconsin, where the ship meets. I even got to spend the night aboard the boat, Abbey Road, before we departed, which was an exciting experience.

After preparing the ship, we traveled from Bayfield to Duluth. Along the way, we followed a regular watch schedule, giving everyone time to work and time to rest. I enjoyed learning how the watch system worked and seeing how every crew member contributed to the voyage. Although we motored to Duluth instead of sailing with the wind, there was still plenty to learn about operating a tall ship.

When we reached Duluth, we passed the lighthouse and traveled beneath the famous canal bridge into the harbor. One of my favorite parts of the trip was the docking procedure. We had to jump from the ship onto the dock to secure the lines. Later, we moved to another berth, giving us another opportunity to cast off and dock the ship again.

The next day, we helped set the sails during the Parade of Sail at the Festival of Sail. While we mainly served as helpers, it was incredible to be part of the event. There were at least eight other tall ships participating, and the one that impressed me the most was the Pride of Baltimore II.

I had a great time and learned many new sailing skills. I am grateful to Ship 336 for welcoming me aboard while we were visiting the United States. It was an unforgettable opportunity to learn, serve, and make new Scouting friends.

Interested in Sea Scouting?

If you’d like to learn more about Sea Scouting, there are several ways to get involved:

• Visit the Transatlantic Council Sea Scout webpage.
• Connect with a stateside Sea Scout ship and join one of their activities.
• Experience Sea Scouting at Camp Kenya 2026! Participants will enjoy maritime skills, an overnight rafting trip, fly fishing, a wildlife safari, a visit to the Baden-Powell Memorial, and the opportunity to earn the Sea Scout Apprentice rank.

I hope to see you there!

Thad
Yeoman, Kenya Crew
Ship 802, Transatlantic Council

View of bow of Abbey Road

Abbey Road in Duluth Harbor