Boyscout smarter than us?

[Codiak]

Yes the Mile is offered and I do it every session I'm at a camp (normally two a summer)

The Scuba Award, not a merit badge, has the swimming requirement because Boyscouts limits the depth of water, swimmers of the basic levels of swimming may enter. Beginners and Non-swimmers are simply not allowed in 12 feet of water.

Note that not just the swimming requirement is higher so to is the age restrictions.

The BSA program is a generalized "Try Scuba". The award like merit badges is meant to provide boys with the opertunity to try an activity in a safe supervised environment, in the hope that the instructors enthusiasm will inspire the boys to pursue further training.

Having the ability to swim and snorkel shows a basic competence for water activities, giving the boys and the supervising staff greater confidence and the ability to focus on the funner aspects unique to scuba diving.

Like Try Scuba, the award does not have an Open Water component.

 

[Aquatic Eagle]

Boy Scouts are from 11 to 18 (after that, they are "varsity scouts", etc...).

It's typical that just about any aquatic activity in scouting has certain pre-requisite certifications and/or merit badges. For example, to get the "canoeing" merit badge, a scout must first have the badge for swimming. SCUBA mb is the same way. In that way, scouts can build upon what they already know and instructors can be reasonably comfortable in knowing that they already have some basic skills and comfort levels.

After 18 scouts can also be Venturers.

SCUBA BSA is not a merit badge. It is an extra opportunity award. It does not require that scouts have any particular merit badges, only that they pass the BSA Swimmer test and be at least 14 years old.

 

[BlueC5Kitten]

the minimum by many c-agencies (NAUI 15 forward strokes, PADI/SSI 300 yrd snorkel).

Are you sure about these requirements? I believe, for my NAUI cert, we had a 300 yard swim (unlimited time, any stroke, so long as it was non-stop) followed by 5 minutes treading water and 3 minutes floating. Perhaps my instructor was that much more strict...

 

[Teamcasa]

Yes the Mile is offered and I do it every session I'm at a camp (normally two a summer)

The Scuba Award, not a merit badge, has the swimming requirement because Boyscouts limits the depth of water, swimmers of the basic levels of swimming may enter. Beginners and Non-swimmers are simply not allowed in 12 feet of water.

Note that not just the swimming requirement is higher so to is the age restrictions.

The BSA program is a generalized "Try Scuba". The award like merit badges is meant to provide boys with the opertunity to try an activity in a safe supervised environment, in the hope that the instructors enthusiasm will inspire the boys to pursue further training.

Having the ability to swim and snorkel shows a basic competence for water activities, giving the boys and the supervising staff greater confidence and the ability to focus on the funner aspects unique to scuba diving.

Like Try Scuba, the award does not have an Open Water component.

Things must be different now. Back in the mid 60’s, I did the mile swim 3 years in a row at Camp Cherry Valley, Catalina Island. We had to swim 2 or 3 laps around Cherry Cove. The other portion of the laps were in far greater depth than 12’, more like 60-100’. We had to stay behind a guy in a rowboat.

But it was an award, not a merit badge.

 

[MBH]

I did it in the late 60's here in GA at Camp Bert Adams. The first 2 years we did it in the lake (we had to follow a guy in a canoe) and the last time we did it in the pool. The lake was great, but swimming laps in the pool for a mile was the most boring thing in the world.

 

[Guba]

I stand corrected. I was a Scout Leader for 15 years, but it has been a while. While I remembered that SCUBA wasn't a merit badge when I was active (don't know why I said that...must be why I retired from scouting, huh?), I thought there were certain MB's required. But I defer to those who know.

On another note. While a Scoutmaster, two assistant SM's and I went for our BSA lifeguard cert. One prerequisite was a half-mile swim. The instructors lined us up on the first morning (of the five day course) and pointed across the lake to a big rock. "Okay, men. Go put your wet handprint on that rock."
It was about a half mile to that rock. Which meant we had to get BACK, of course. Well, once we had done that, we thought we had it aced, though the rest of the day was gruelling.
The next morning, they lined us up again. "Okay men...Touch the rock."
Yup, we had to do it again....and again....and again....and again....and again. Though it was a requirement for the course to do it only once, that's how we started the day EVERY DAY.
And I was 45 at the time.
Didn't hurt me (at least, that's what my memory says...but you know how memory is the first thing to go).

 

[Blackwood]

Before doing other requirements, successfully complete the BSA swimmer test. To begin the test, jump feet first into water over the head in depth, level off, and begin swimming. Swim 75 yards in a strong manner using one or more of the following strokes: sidestroke, breaststroke, trudgen, or crawl; then swim 25 yards using an easy, resting backstroke. The 100 yards must be completed in one swim without stops and must include at least one sharp turn. After completing the swim, rest by floating."

I'd fail.

Without an exposure suit I can not float while resting, even in salt water.

However, FWIW, I can swim a mile...

 

[Aquatic Eagle]

Things must be different now. Back in the mid 60’s, I did the mile swim 3 years in a row at Camp Cherry Valley, Catalina Island. We had to swim 2 or 3 laps around Cherry Cove. The other portion of the laps were in far greater depth than 12’, more like 60-100’. We had to stay behind a guy in a rowboat.

But it was an award, not a merit badge.

The policy now says that if the scout is going to swim in water deeper than 12 ft., he must wear a flotation device. If the swim is in open water, each scout must have a rowboat with two occupants; an experienced rower and a lifeguard (or scout with Lifesaving merit badge). It sounds ridiculously overstaffed but BSA is very conservative when it comes to safety. Also, doing something like the Mile Swim may involve several scouts and each scout swims at different speeds. One rowboat can't keep up with everyone safely.

 

[Bobyjimmie]

I did the mile swim as well every year and then froze my wet butt off running for the warm showers.

I also got kicked out of boyscouts because my parents were too busy to attend meetings. No clue why they needed to attend the meetings but it affected me. F THE BOYSCOUTS.

 

[Aquatic Eagle]

I'd fail.

Without an exposure suit I can not float while resting, even in salt water.

However, FWIW, I can swim a mile...

Have you ever had real instruction in how to float? You'd be amazed at how many scouts have come to me convinced that they physically cannot float and learned how to float to pass that test.