Florida Sea Base News

Yesterday was dedicated to moving forward with the 2011 Florida Sea Base Divemaster Academy; emails, eLearning spreadsheet, more emails, clothing spreadsheet, more emails, staffing, more emails, and then a few more emails.

There was a link in Tuesday’s post that was supposed to contain a radar overlay.  The link did not work properly.  Please accept my apology.  My computer skills are marginal.  Oh well; I tried.

Captains Rich Beliveau, Steve Harrison and Bruce Payette took the Hillel Community Day School 5th graders snorkeling yesterday.  This was NOT the captains’ idea, they just drove the boats.  I’ve said it in the past, I said it Tuesday, and I’m saying it again, taking 100 people, mostly young children, all of whom have never snorkeled before snorkeling on a reef 4 miles off-shore is not a good plan.  Fortunately, no one was injured or lost, but the stress on the captains and staff by such large groups is significant.  Responding to one person in trouble with so many people in the water and on the boat could be disastrous.  Hopefully we will break the attendees into smaller groups in the future.

Despite the weather forecast, the wind clocked to the west yesterday, making it a little bumpy (but not bad) on the Florida Sea Base dock.  It is trying to clock back to the north and (at 0500) is blowing from the NNW.  Here’s the NSW forecast for the coming week:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 79. North wind around 10 mph.
Tonight: A slight chance of showers after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. North wind between 10 and 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 10%.
Veterans Day: A slight chance of showers before noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. Breezy, with a north wind between 15 and 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 10%.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. Breezy, with a northeast wind between 15 and 20 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. East wind around 15 mph.
Saturday Night: A slight chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. Chance of precipitation is 10%.
Sunday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Chance of precipitation is 10%.
Sunday Night: A slight chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. Chance of precipitation is 10%.
Monday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Chance of precipitation is 10%.
Monday Night: A slight chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. Chance of precipitation is 10%.
Tuesday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Chance of precipitation is 10%.
Tuesday Night: A slight chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. Chance of precipitation is 10%.
Wednesday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Chance of precipitation is 10%.

The Florida Sea Base hosts a session of the PADI Member Forum annually.  It will be held in the Administration Building on 28 February from 1900 – 2130 (7:00pm to 9:30pm).  The PADI Member Forum is an open meeting but is intended for PADI professionals (Divemasters and higher) to review changes in policies, standards and new products.  There is no charge for this program.

I will finish staff hiring for the Christmas season by the end of this week.  The deadline for hiring spring 2012 staff is 15 December.  If you want to work at the Florida Sea Base this spring, please submit your application immediately.  AND – since the applications go through a “process”, I would recommend you contact the hiring manager that you hope to work with via email to let us know you have sent in an application.  For scuba related positions, that is obviously me, steve.willis@scouting.org.  For sailing related jobs contact  rich.beliveau@scouting.org.  For Out Island, Keys Adventure, Fishing Adventure and other positions at the Brinton Environmental Center contact scott.martin@scouting.org.  Ranger applicants for both the Florida Sea Base and Brinton Environmental Center should follow-up with keith.douglass@scouting.org.  Galley, commissary and other food services applicants for both facilities should email tim.stanfill@scouting.org and persons wanting retail positions at either facility (such as the Ships Store) should follow up with maria.donovan@scouting.org.  EMAILS DO NOT SUBSTITUTE FOR APPLICATIONS.  Please send in a full application and about a week later follow up with an email to the appropriate person.  The applications can be emailed to robert.kolb@scouting.org, faxed to 305-664-2039 or mailed to Rob Kolb, Florida Sea Base, PO Box 1906, Islamorada, FL 33036.

Have a great day.

Capt. Steve Willis
Aboard S/V Escape