LIHUE — When the Sea Scouts reach the 63rd Ancient Mariners Regatta in California, it will be the fourth time the Hawaiian flag will fly over the national competition that features hundreds of scouts from across the nation. “I’m proud
LIHUE — When the Sea Scouts reach the 63rd Ancient Mariners Regatta in California, it will be the fourth time the Hawaiian flag will fly over the national competition that features hundreds of scouts from across the nation.
“I’m proud to be able to take these scouts to this competition,” said Larry Richardson, Sea Scout Commodore, who also volunteers with the Kauai Humane Society as a foster guardian. “I used to compete in this competition when I was a kid.”
Richardson put on his humane society hat as the seven Sea Scouts and five adult chaperones departed to California on Thursday. The group was accompanied by two KHS transfer program dogs starting new lives in the Golden State.
“This was an 11th hour thing,” Richardson said. “We don’t even know what kind of dogs we’re traveling with. But the humane society does a good job of making it really easy… When we land in Oakland, California, someone will be there to meet the dogs — even if it’s 11 at night.”
As the two dogs, Tommy and Missy, arrived, attention was diverted from the upcoming competition to the animals. Sea Scouts eagerly helped the Alaska Airlines agents with the ticketing and check-in procedures and offered to keep the dogs calm during the security check of the travel kennels.
But the scouts were excited about the competition, too.
Chandler Martiney is no stranger to the competition, having accompanied his older brothers and parents in prior competitions.
“I’m extremely excited,” Martiney said. “This is the first time I get to compete.”
Events include the Bosun’s Chair, where one person raises another in a seat fashioned using rope, the Britch’s Buoy, a ship-to-shore maneuver, knots, swimming, compass, and more.
Barbara Wiedner said KHS is still looking for someone traveling to Seattle aboard Alaska Airlines next week.
“Transfer program animals have a really good chance of being adopted,” she said. “The Mainland doesn’t have enough of the specialty breeds people are looking for, and on Kauai, we just don’t have the number of households to accommodate all the dogs.”
Info: 632-0610.
