Greetings family and friends! Today's chronicle is a brief overview of our families scouting experience and particularly about the early years of Castro Valley Sea Scout Ship 700. The photos show our unit practicing in our whale boat in the Oakland Estuary, and attending a regatta at Coyote Point in San Mateo. The nearly 60 year old faded newspaper photo shows " Officer's and Scouts of Oakland Sea Scout Ship 700 lined up on the deck of SS Washington at Oakland Naval Supply Center before helping to unload 50-foot boat behind them, The Coast Guard donated the former picket boat to the Scouts, and the States Steamship Lines transported it from Long Beach. Capt. F.G. Harmon (Second from left), skipper of the Washington, congratulates scouts on accepting their first boat." Oakland Tribune, Tues. Oct. 23, 1962. That's me at the end of the line at the bottom center of the photo. -Bill
The Ralph’s have been a scouting family beginning with William Henry Ralph, my dad, who was a Boy Scout in the 1920’s. Reaching the age of 8, Jim and I moved through the ranks of Bobcat, Wolf, Bear, Lion and Webelos of Cub Scouting and we both transitioned into Boy Scouts when we turned 11. Mom was a Den Mother and Dad served as Cub Master of Castro Valley Pack 6 for 10 years until 1960, and our sister Debi was a “Blue Bird” but when no one stepped up to establish a Brownie unit, she and dad became active in 4-H. I obtained the ranks of Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star and Life by age 14, but came up just 2 merit badges short of Eagle Scout, and Jim stayed active until reaching Star. My scouting experience extended into my late teens in BSA’s Explorer and in Sea Scout programs.
TOWARD THE SEA
The idea of establishing a Sea Scout “Ship” was first floated around a campfire in Yosemite’s high country during a 50 mile hike from Tuolumne Meadows to Happy Isles in the early 1960’s. After several days of leading about 20 eleven to fourteen year old Boy Scouts on a strenuous week long trek over mountain passes and through rough Sierra terrain, the adult leaders of Castro Valley Boy Scout Troop 700 envisioned a summer cruise experience, not roughing it in the high country. The Sea Scouting movement began in the United States in 1912, just 2 years after the founding of the Boy Scouts of America and generally followed Baden Powell’s 1909 scouting programs for young English boys.boy’s. Upon the return from Yosemite, Walt Spiller, John Glidden and other adult leaders began the process of establishing Sea Scout Ship 700 in San Francisco Bay Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Soon about 15 boys were learning seamanship, sailing, navigation and were spending weekends crewing on a donated old wooden whale boat in the Oakland Estuary. In late 1962 the unit was granted ownership of a 50 foot former Coast Guard Picket boat that once was used for harbor patrol in San Diego. Powered by a Chrysler Royal straight eight engine, the twin screw boat was christened “Makai”, Hawaiian for “Toward the Sea”. Weekends were busy scrapping and painting, replacing wiring and making the World War II vintage boat safe and seaworthy. Meanwhile preparation was also underway for a permanent docking location at the south end of the estuary across from the Oakland Airport. In addition to boat upkeep, nautical studies and cruising, Sea Scouts participate in competitive Regatta’s with other ships. The Makai could be found tied at the docks at Coyote Point in San Mateo, Alameda Naval Air Station and at Mare Island in Vallejo and the teenage members of Sea Scout Ship 700 whale boat racing, knot tying, sailing and participating in other events. But alas, boys grow up, leaders cycle in and out and years pass quickly. Faithfully serving hundreds of young men and women for decades the original Makai was retired In 2005. Castro Valley Sea Scout Ship 700 took possession of a new vessel and currently operate 45 foot sailboat and a 65 foot power boat for day cruises, overnighter’s and...... an annual summer cruise.