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I've mentioned before that I'm reading Rocks in my Backpack.....

If you've never read it, the author was a long time SM in MN then CO.  In CO his troop was a backpacking and mountain hiking troop.  Seems like they did a lot of it through the years.  It strikes me as somehow easier to do ad-hoc make your own adventure trips when you got almost infinite number of hiking trails, lakeside dispersed camping, etc...within a few hours drive.

 

We have some public land here, but not nearly as much as folks out west have....and most of it isn't nearly as redeeming.

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We have some public land here, but not nearly as much as folks out west have....and most of it isn't nearly as redeeming.

 

http://www.travelchannel.com/interests/outdoors-and-adventure/articles/florida-outdoors-adventures

 

https://www.nps.gov/...it/backcamp.htm

 

https://rootsrated.com/northwest-florida-fl

 

http://kayakcentralflorida.com/

 

It just depends on the fence.  Us folks up in Yakeeland only dream about what's in your backyard.  We might have BWCA a day's drive away and Isle Royale nearby and the Ice Age Hiking Trail, Canoe/Kayak opportunities right outside the front door.  But Colorado is a long ways away for hiking the mountains.  Every place has it's own adventures, one can start the learning process by getting to those nearby and work your way up to the Yukon River in Alaska for your older boys.   :)  I for one would love to do the kayak back country camping in the Everglades!  The Mrs. and I just might do it on our own anyway.  I'm saving up the Misty Fjords of Alaska for a future date.

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Though we have missed the Sea Base lottery for nine years, we have always had an alternative High Adventure trip every year.  Boundary Waters numerous times, Whitewater Rafting in WV, Laguna Station on South Padre Island, The  Chisholm Trail Adventure, Canoeing the Manistee in Michigan, Apostle Islands Kayaking, Great Lakes Sailing, etc.  BTW, we do NOT use the  BSA bases in the Boundary Waters or West Virginia.  The private outfitters do a great job catering the scout groups and tend to have better equipment and facilities. 

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Though we have missed the Sea Base lottery for nine years, we have always had an alternative High Adventure trip every year.  Boundary Waters numerous times, Whitewater Rafting in WV, Laguna Station on South Padre Island, The  Chisholm Trail Adventure, Canoeing the Manistee in Michigan, Apostle Islands Kayaking, Great Lakes Sailing, etc.  BTW, we do NOT use the  BSA bases in the Boundary Waters or West Virginia.  The private outfitters do a great job catering the scout groups and tend to have better equipment and facilities. 

 

If you want, next fall when you put in for Seabase again feel free to PM me. Happy to walk you through the selection process if my post was not clear.

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yeah, for sure Stosh...grass is always greener....

 

We are in reach for some decent SCUBA, although tucked up in my part of Florida we still have a bit of a drive to get to the nicer stuff.  I did a lot of SCUBA over the years when I lived down Tampa way.... mostly over to the West Palm and Ft Lauderdale area, and the Keys....  closer to cave diving here, but that never was my thing.  Did it once with my Trimix instructor, he was a big caver.  Interesting for sure.... but that's another story.

 

Also did a fair bit of paddling over there too.  Several good places to go around tampa and clearwater

 

Always wanted to go to that everglades backcountry platform camping you linked to.... and the 10,000 islands, but never made it.  Maybe I'll get interested in paddling again some day...only a 6-7 hour drive from where I am now.  For scouts though, the thing I'm interested in encouraging them to do is a long paddle down the Apalachicola or Suwanee.  I picture doing a 50 miler or longer as a make-your-own summer camp some day.  I keep suggesting it to my son.  Maybe he'll like the sound of it some day, enough to get his friends interested and they can make a go of it.

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We were shut out two years in a row in the lottery, but picked up our Sea Base week this last year after it was turned back in. Start looking each day after the initial deposit is due and be flexible about when you can go. 

 

Sea Base has the lowest number of slots of any of the HA sites, and the case of the diving adventures there are only a couple dozen total.

 

From what I hear Philmont is now pretty easy and NT is almost sign up and go.

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We are totally bummed out here.  For the 9th straight year, we have NOT received a spot at Sea Base.  Thank God we are not betting the farm on this lottery.  We would all be homeless! I am beginning to wonder if the lottery is the best way to go.  I wonder if it could be adjusted so that troops who do not get a spot one year had an advantage in the lottery the following year.   I know units that have gotten a spot 4 years in a row.  Any ideas?  Just doesn't seem fair.  Now to disappoint my scouts again, but start planning a different adventure for 2018.

 

Dale

I am sorry, that sucks.  I am sure you filled out it out correctly.  Did you apply for multiple adventures with the options of 10 different dates for each?  

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See my post. It should work.

I did Col. Flagg and it worked, thank you.  Eagle, I am sorry you didn't get a slot.   Maybe one of the open dates will work for your crew or a crew won't pay.  Fingers crossed for you.

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