Skipper's Log

:: February ::

First I would like to welcome you to the first edition of the Skipper’s Log.  I hope
everybody is enjoying our new Ship 444 website.  It is really a great place to check
out information on our ship or to get started with Sea Scouting. Please take time to
look over the website as there is plenty of good information here on Sea Scouting.  I
am going to be using the Skipper’s Log section of the website to inform ship
members and the public on the happenings of our ship.  I will include information
about recent and future meetings and outings.  I will also use the log to let readers
know where I see our ship heading in the future.  So the log will be a current “State of
the Ship” so to speak.  I hope to keep the log updated about once a month, so be
sure to check back in the future for more information.

Ship 444 has really jumped off to a good start in the past 6 months.  We started last
summer recruiting new members and having a few activities to get our feet wet.   
Then starting last fall we began meeting twice a month for planning and training.  
Since our ship is still fairly new we are spending a lot of time at our meetings
planning future events and laying the ground work for the ship.  Our members have
begun learning the basics needed for boating such as boating safety, swimming,
knots and service hours.  At future events we will continue to learn basic
seamanship as we prepare to hit the water.  

At our next meeting on February 22nd we will be having a to recognize our members
who have attained the rank of Apprentice.  Then at our meeting on March 8th we will
have one of our ship’s consultants coming to speak on the basic parts of a sailboat.  
We also have some exciting events planned for the coming weeks.  On February
12th we will be traveling to the Sanderson Center at Mississippi State (Go Dawgs!)
in Starkville for Discover SCUBA. This course will be a chance for our members to try
on a SCUBA tank, get in the water, and learn some basics.  If they like it we might
continue and go through a SCUBA certification course in the future.  Then our outing
for March will be a canoeing trip with Troop 109.  We will be camping Friday night
March 11th and then canoeing the next morning.  Following the canoeing trip we will
be driving down to Midway Marina in to look over our ship’s 25’ sailboat the
“Halcyon.”  We'll follow it up with some great catfish at the Waterfront!

As you can see our ship has a lot going on in the next few months.  If you like (or
think you might like) SCUBA diving, sailing, or other water activities, this ship is the
place to be. I am looking forward to working with our ship members to create an
exciting program in the future.  In fact we are already planning for summer 2006.  We
have applied for a 7-Day Tall Ship Adventure in the Florida Keys or the Bahamas.  
Aboard the ship we will have the chance to sail a 70’ Tall Ship, learn navigation
techniques, go snorkeling and fishing.  So if you’re up to that challenge there is no
time better to sign on.  

Mitch Johnson
Skipper, Ship 444