Boy Scouts seek sailors for Melita Island camp

The Boy Scouts of America Montana Council is looking for a few good sailors to offer instruction at its summer camp on Melita Island on Flathead lake.

This marks the first year that camp is back in full swing after the pandemic, and the island will host hundreds of Scouts from across the United States for a period of five weeks. The camp provides training in scouting skills as merit badges or rank advancement, with many offerings related to aquatics including sailing, canoeing, motorboating, fishing, water skiing, and other disciplines.

For adult chaperones, the island has three large sailboats over 20-feet long and offers leisure and educational cruises to keep them occupied while Scouts are busy learning their skills.

In order to continue offering adult sailing cruises, the council is seeking competent sailing captains with experience in sailing and handling a 20- to 25-foot boat. Captains may also use their own boats; slips and moorings are available.

Volunteers spend a week at camp and are compensated with a tent to sleep in, meals every day, and a good time helping the Scouting program.

Their job is to take one of the boats with two to four adults on board out on the lake for approximately two-and-a-half hours in the morning, and again in the afternoon. The rest of the time is theirs to do with as they like.

If a captain would rather not stay on the island, a shuttle back to the mainland is available morning and night. The camp has space available for RV parking should the sailors prefer to stay in their own rig.

Summer camp begins July 8 and continues six days a week until Aug. 12. Call 406-250-7004 for more information.