SEA SCOUTS WIN TROPHY IN WICKLOW

NEW ROSS Sea Scouts competed in a seamanship competition - Odin’s Challenge - in the Wicklow setting for the Vikings television series.

New Ross joined groups from Arklow and Dalkey in the idyllic Lough Dan lakeside campsite, nestled in the mountains. The group organised the competition, which took the form of a timed relay with a boat crew rowing around a course while completing a series of knots, following a bearing, man overboard, flag transfer to a kayaker who raced back to the shore crew, who had to build a nautical flagpole and raise the flag before the other crews.

Each stage of every race was very tense and there was five seconds between the final two teams in the final race. Other joint activities over the weekend included kayaking, a Viking feast, campfire and a swamp and river run.

New Ross’s participation in the race was only possible after 8th Port Dublin (Dun Laoghaire) Sea Scouts lent the group their sea scout boat – a BP18 - and despite no practice time, one of the New Ross crews brought the Odin’s Challenge trophy home.

The local group also designed the badges presented to all participants.

The next joint sea scout camp will be in Graiguenamanagh and there will be weekly sailing, rowing and kayaking sessions all summer from the end of May.

As the sea scouts start the 2019 boating season, new members aged 12-18 are invited to join – the group meets at the Scout Hall on Marsh Lane, New Ross, from 8 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. on Wednesdays or can contact Alex 086-1070631 or email alex@newrossseascouts.com.