Whangarei's Shackleton Sea Scouts win 7 trophies at Auckland regatta

Whangarei's Shackleton Sea Scouts won seven trophies at the annual Auckland Regional Scout Regatta.

Whangarei's Shackleton Sea Scouts have returned victorious from competing at the annual Auckland Regional Scout Regatta.

The scouts received seven trophies to add to the trophy cabinet, which included 1st Intermediate Aggregate, 1st Senior Aggregate, 1st Regatta Aggregate plus 1st for Stevens Trophy, which is awarded for the Annual Sea Scout Troop Competition which also includes accumulative points over the year in target shooting, canoeing and swimming competitions.

Last month, the Shackleton Sea Scouts were also Northland Zone Regatta champions having won the Shackleton Harpoon for Overall Regatta Winner and the Endeavour Trophy for 1st place Top Northland Group.

The event was held at Kai Iwi Lakes and it included sea scout groups as far away as Hamilton.

This comes after the group's New Year success at the 28th National Scout Regatta in Wellington where they were awarded the Leslie Short Memorial Cup for Best Oarsmen and came third overall at the national event.

With the rate of drownings on the rise nationally, Shackleton leader Larry Gordon said he was proud to teach Northland children how to stay safe and have fun on the water.

"Sea scouts equip kids with skills to stay safe on the water – they learn how to sail, row, kayak and swim,'' he said.

"Our scouts learn valuable skills that stay with them for life. During the national regatta, the camp was hit with a storm, but the site was well-built by the kids and was one of only three to remain standing."

Shackleton Sea Scouts officially started on April 6, 1956. The Scout Den on Riverside Drive, Whangarei was opened in 1958, and is used to this day, with the scouts launching cutters into the Hatea River from the den's boat ramp. The location allows scouts direct access to the water, making it easier to train and stay competitive with the rest of the country.