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So, who are Sea Scouts?

Sea Scouting had its beginning at a campfire in England when Lord Baden-Powell voiced the hope that older Scouts would be interested in learning about boat management and seamanship. He stressed the need for young men to prepare themselves for service on their country's ships.

Following the campfire, there was activity in England that resulted in Lord Baden-Powell's older brother, Warington, writing a book called Sea Scouting and Seamanship for Boys. It was enthusiastically received by the young men of Britain and soon found its way to the United States.

In 1912, inspired by the newly formed Boy Scout program, a man named Arthur Carey of Waltham, Massachusetts recognized the need for a similar type of organized activity for young adults. Since Mr. Carey was also a dedicated yachtsman, it was natural for him to combine his dedication to young people with his love for the sea, and the Sea Scouts was founded in the United States. From a humble beginning aboard the private vessels of a few dedicated people, the Sea Scouts now boast the foremost boating program for young adults in the world.

A group of Sea Scouts (adults and youth) is referred to as a Ship, and traditionally carries the name of it's primary vessel.

The Sea Scout Ship Conquest was founded in 1963 in the Long Beach Area Council, California, and has served the youth of the Long Beach area for over 45 years. Initially, the ship acquired the vessel of the recently folded S.E.S. Spartan, a 40' converted U.S. Navy motor launch. The Spartan had built a cabin and re-installed a 60 horse Buda DB diesel engine. A few years later, the engine was replaced with a 6-71 Graymarine Diesel. In 1970, the entire cabin was replaced and the boat served the ship until 1981 when the 48' vessel Volunteer IV became available. Re-named Conquest, it was the ship's primary vessel for the next 20 years. Recently, the ship has been building a new vessel that will be the centerpiece of a new program featuring cruising to Catalina, Cannnel Islands, Mexico and the West Coast as far as Alaska!

In recent years, the Conquest has been one of the most active ships in the Long Beach area. Most of the adult leaders are people who came up as members of the ship and include several who earned the rank of Quartermaster. Some of our members have gone on to serve in all branches of the military. Others have entered careers in marine design, drafting, engineering, teaching, management, child care, civil service and law enforcement.

The Conquest prides itself on it's record of community service, providing color guards, traffic control at community events, promoting Sea Scouts with presentations and displays at local boat shows, trade shows, high schools, shopping malls and other community events. In addition, the ship frequently responds to distress calls and has rescued numerous stranded and grounded boaters over the years.

The Conquest is proud of the positive influence we have had on our members and on the community.

Membership in the S.S.S. Conquest is open to young men and women who have completed the 8th grade. You may remain a member until tour 21st birthday.

We require that you attend four meetings/activities with the ship after which the crew will vote on your admission.

The registration fee is $15.00 per year and the dues are $5.00 per month.