Looking for Minsi Trails Sea Scout Ship 940?  Click here.                                                                                                                                 Page last updated: September 23, 2021

Returning for 2022:  Sea Scout Academy at Camp Minsi

Early August  /  2022 details coming soon.

CHECK OUT OUR 2021 PROGRAM DETAILS:

Sea Scout Academy is a regional BSA summer camp experience focusing on youth leadership skills and advancement through the Sea Scout ranks. This Sunday through Wednesday event will feature both shore-based and water-based sessions at Camp Minsi’s Aquatics Center on Stillwater Lake, located in the heart of the Pocono Mountains in east-central Pennsylvania. There will also be several fun activities designed to build camaraderie between Ships, including Tuesday’s “The Big Day Out” event, featuring biking, hiking, and rafting in the Lehigh River Gorge State Park. Venture Crews interested in water-based adventures are also welcome to participate.  The Sea Scout Academy is sponsored by BSA Northeast Region – Area 5 Sea Scouts and hosted by Minsi Trails Council at Camp Minsi, Pocono Summit, Pennsylvania.

Participation:

• YOUTH (14-20): Sea Scout Ships, as well as any Venturing Crews interested in a week of water-based adventure!  Provisional camper registrations are not yet active.
• ADULT (over 21):  Adults are welcome to participate in all open programs and sessions, with preference to youth participants (such as marksmanship programs).  Additionally, adults are welcome to attend the Tuesday "Big Day Out".

Cost:

• YOUTH (14-20):   $300 all inclusive fee
• ADULT (over 21): $100 base fee, plus optional ...
  • Additional fee for Tuesday's "Big Day Out": $60

Registration:  

• Open for Ships and Crews.  REGISTER HERE.
• Open Individual / provisional youth and adult participants registration, CLICK HERE.

Course Selections:   

• Now Open. Sign-in to DoubleKnot and select your courses.  This will help us determine each session participation counts and plan accordingly.

Additional Resources:

• Participant Schedule:  CLICK HERE for the daily session and event schedule.
• Boarding Manual:  CLICK HERE for the Skipper's and Leader's guide.
• Camp Minsi Maps:  CLICK HERE for maps of Camp maps and campsite layout maps.
• Email:  Contact WWITUCKI@GMAIL.COM , Walt Witucki, Sea Scout Academy Coordinator, with additional questions

Academy Location:

The Academy will be conducted at  Camp Minsi, which is located in Pocono Summit, PA, approximately 90 miles west of New York City and 90 miles north of Philadelphia.  It is near the intersection of I-80 and I-380 on PA 940 west, across form the Pocono Mountain Regional Police station.  The camp address is: 106 Camp Minsi Rd., Pocono Summit, PA 18346.  CLICK HERE for Google Maps.

About Camp Minsi:

Camp Minsi is located on the shores of Stillwater Lake in the heart of the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. Donated to the scouts in 1949, Camp Minsi encompasses more than 1,200 acres of relatively flat Pennsylvania woodlands. The camp's 314-acre lake provides sailing, swimming, fishing and other aquatic activities to the thousands of Scouts and Scouters who visit throughout the year.

Camp Minsi Aquatics includes a "flotilla" of sunfish sailboats, kayaks, paddle boards, a 15-person Voyageur Canoe, a Hobie Cat as well as the traditional canoes and rowboats.

Camp Minsi features a centrally-located and spacious dining hall that serves three delicious meals a day. Within a short walk from the dining hall are 11 troop campsites with capacities that range from 20 to 90 campers. Further away are a number of backwoods outpost sites for a more rustic camping experience. There are over 20 miles of hiking trails throughout the camp that give Scouts an opportunity to experience a variety of flora, fauna and the intriguing geology of a glacial moraine. The varied wildlife that makes the camp their home grants both youth and adults the opportunity of experiencing and interacting with nature first-hand.

Schedule Summary:  (See Participant Schedule download above for specific session and activity times)

Sunday, August 1

2 pm                Check-in, health screen and move in

3 - 5 pm           BSA Swim test (All "water" participants are expected to pass.)

5:45 - 7 pm     Colors, Dinner

7 - 8 pm           Aquatics and Sunfish Sailboat orientation

7 - 9 pm           First aid / safety discussions for swimming and lifesaving merit badges

8 - 10 pm         Meet and greet beach party hosted by Minsi Trails Council Ship 940

10 pm              Taps

Monday, August 2

7:45 am           Colors, reflection, breakfast

9 - 12 am         BSA Kayaking Award

9 am - Noon    Rank Advancement Sessions

Noon – 1 pm    Lunch

1 - 5 pm           Sea Scout Marksmanship Award

1 - 5 pm           Rank Advancement Sessions

1 - 5 pm           Able: Lifesaving Merit Badge

4 - 5:30 pm     Open swim, boat, fishing on Stillwater Lake or Tunkhannock Creek

5:45 - 7 pm      Colors, Dinner

7 - 9 pm           Aquatics, Marksmanship, Fishing activities

7 - 9 pm           STEM NOVA Awards

10 pm              Taps

Tuesday, August 3

7:45 am           Colors, reflection, breakfast

9 am                “Tuesday Big Day Out !“

• Experience the Pocono Mountain’s Lehigh River Gorge on whitewater raft and mountain bike and trail climb
• BSA Whitewater Rafting Award?

~6:30 / 7 pm    Late Dinner (upon return)

8 - 10 pm         STEM NOVA Movie night

10 pm              Taps

Wednesday, August 4

7:45 am           Colors, reflection, breakfast

9 - 12 Noon     Voyageur Outpost Adventure

9 - Noon          Rank Advancement Sessions

9 - 10:30 am   Youth Introduction to Leadership Skills for Ships (ILLS) training - Module 1 of 3

9 - 10:30 am   Fishing on Stillwater Lake or Tunkhannock Creek

9 - 10:30 am   Swimming / Lifesaving MB catchup

9 - 12 noon     Paddlecraft-based Long Cruise Planning Tips (Youth and Adults)

10:30 - Noon   Weather requirements (ORD #13) for Ordinary

Noon - 1 pm    Lunch

1 - 2:30 pm     Rank Advancement Sessions

1 - 2 :30 pm    Introduction to Sea Scouts and Sea Scout Advancement

5 - 545 pm      Pack and clean up campsite

5:45 - 7 pm     Closing colors, awards, and parent pickup picnic

7 pm                Depart for your home port