Southwestern Rendezvous 2012

December 20, 2012 at 9:21 pm | Posted in Sea Scouts | 3 Comments
Tags: Scuttlebutt, Sea Scout Centennial, Sea Scouts, Southwestern Rendezvous, Western Region

A little over 3 weeks ago, Sea Scouts across Southern California (and some from Northern California as well, can’t forget y’all up there can I!!!) gathered for a regional competition most commonly known as the Southwestern Rendezvous.  For some who may not know, the Southwestern Rendezvous is a regional event that has been held since 1935 and happens the weekend of Thanksgiving.  The Rendezvous is set up to not only test your nautical skills, but to test your leadership abilities as well, both mentally and physically!  All in all, there are over 25 events to complete within a span of two days.  The events range from events like Drill, Sailing, Scuttlebutt, and Knot Tying to events like Uniform Inspection, Mariner’s Quiz, Marlinespike, and Rules of the Road.  After the events close Saturday, there is a dance to celebrate the weekend that night, and then an awards ceremony Sunday morning.  For pictures from the past years, check out the event website (http://www.rendezvous.org/)!!!

With this being the Centennial year of Sea Scouts, I knew that this Southwestern Rendezvous would be one I would never forget, and it turned out to be exactly that!  Bright and early Friday morning was when all the fun began.  After the Mariner’s Quiz that morning, every ship was on their own to complete as many events as they could that first day.  That night was Uniform Inspection and Hell Drill, which required a lot of standing around (and for some of the girls, standing in heels!!!).  After that, it looked as though most of the Sea Scouts were tired out to no end.  But that didn’t stop any of us from waking up that next morning to have breakfast at 0630!!!

My crew (SSS Conquest/SSS White Shark) doing the Build A Boat event!!!

Saturday seemed like a hectic, but fun day.  With only hours to spare, it was crucial that no time be wasted so that ships could try and complete all of their events in time to earn the Endurance Award.  When events secured at 1530, it was time for…Scuttle Off!!!!!  It is funny how every year I have attend the Southwestern Rendezvous, with this being my fifth year, something totally hilarious, yet kind of dangerous, but so cool and funny to watch, happens during Scuttle Off.  Scuttle Off is when the three crews with the lowest time compete against each other to see who will win.  This year, during Dreadnought Silver’s run, something I have never seen before happened.  I have seen things from one of Del Mar’s crew member flying to the grommet breaking as the barrel was being lifted, but this year topped every single incident I have seen happen.  Dreadnought Silver flipped the barrel!!!! And I am not just talking a little water coming out and them getting a DQ.  The whole barrel flipped over, and all the water went everywhere!!!  The Youtube video of this crazy event will be up soon!!!

SSS Conquest and SSS White Shark (that’s me with my twin sister!!!)

Later that night was Drill Off and the Centennial Dance.  Drill Off was intense, and Morning Star took the win!!!! The Dance was a lot of fun, and everyone came dressed in formal attire or their uniform.  It was truly a great ending to a very fun weekend!!!  Sunday morning was the awards ceremony, in which the ships were given their award for the weekend.

Me and Ken Shupe, Quartermaster from SSS Albatross

I am so proud of everyone who attended the weekend and hope that they all walked away with new friends and great memories, because there will never be another Centennial Rendezvous like this again (well at least not in my life time that is)!!!  I would like to thank all of the adults that judged and all of the area judges for helping throughout the whole weekend.  And I would especially like to thank Michael Trouillon, the chairman of the Southwestern Rendezvous, for making this competition and weekend possible.  I could not have thought of a better way to end the Sea Scout Centennial!!

Fair winds and good fortune,

Madison Edwards Shapiro

Area IV and Area VI Boatswain

Western Region

madshapiro@gmail.com

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