We have had a very busy spring and early summer, we just finished our 6th Eco Adventure trip with the Scouts. Captain Margie is running Island Dreamer and I am at the helm of Morning Dance, our 2 Morgan Out Island 41′ sailboats. We take 6 Scouts per boat along with 2 3-person Kayaks. Our wonderful Eco mate Lindsey helps us teach the scouts about the environment of the Keys. The Scouts learn a little about sailing,  reefs and fish, plant life and some of the history of the Keys. They  do lots of snorkeling and kayaking, in addition to cooking their meals and even cleaning the boats at the end of the trip.

Last week the scouts saw 2 bottlenose dolphin while they were in the water snorkeling.  Even though we see them regularly from the boats when we are sailing I had to tell them how unusual it is to be in the water with them. In my 30 years of snorkeling here it’s only happened to me 3 times. They  also saw a 7′ bull shark in the clear waters of the Gulf Stream. One of the Scouts was surprised at how calmly I suggested that it was time to get back on the boat. The shark was keeping his distance, the smell of sweaty sun-screened Scouts was probably not very appetizing. Of course they saw lots of the” regular stuff” from the reef with its coral and fish to the mangroves and hardpan areas in Everglades National Park, a 1500 year old tree, the ruins of a mid 1800′s town, and as added bonus a little wreckage from a ship that went down in 1733.  They also enjoyed a nightime kayak and a night snorkel.

Morning Dance on an Eco Adventure trip

What did they miss this week? No manatees, no saltwater crocodiles, there was not enough wind to sail faster than 2 knots, no drift snorkel floating with the tide, and they didn’t catch dinner. We vary our trip based on the weather and our groups abilities, each trip is different, so our new friends from Austin will have to come back again to have a different experience.

Our new group should be arriving any time, it’s back to work for me!