Sea Base - Merit Badges - Swimming Merit Badge

 

Are you going on the Sea Base high adventure Florida Keys, Bahamas, St. Thomas sailing, snorkeling trip and thinking, I'll bet I could do most of the requirements for the Swimming Merit Badge?  You are RIGHT!  Here's what you could get signed off on the swimming merit badge!

Be sure to get your Blue Card and a counselor assigned BEFORE you leave for Sea Base! Then document completion of anything you do on the trip.  Be prepared to show your counselor photos, if he or she is not there with you, whenever possible, to demonstrate you competency and completion  of requirements.

Swimming Merit Badge

You can find and print to bring with you,

• Swimming merit badge on Scouting.org
• the full, free PDF of the Swimming Merit Badge pamphlet here.  and
• the Swimming Merit Badge workbook here.

The requirements below are almost exactly what you’ll be doing all week, anyway, so this is a perfect merit badge to work on at Sea Base.

✅ Requirements you can likely complete at Sea Base

Below is a summary and checklist. See the pamphlet or workbook above for details. Learn, during the trip, about those you must later explain to you counselor.

You must pass Requirement 4, the swim test, before you arrive at Sea Base!

But, if you're swimming merit badge counselor is present or some other leader who can document your completion of the other requirements you could do the rest of it there .

���� Swimming Complete Checklist����

This is only a checklist and  a summary of requirements - you must see the BSA pamphlet or workbook for the detailed requirements!

Req	Description	Done	Initials
1a	Review Safe Swim Defense and how it addresses drowning risks (deep water, currents, cold water, murky water, etc.)
1b	Discuss prevention/treatment of swimming-related health issues (hypothermia, heat illness, cramps, hyperventilation, injuries, stings)
2	Successfully complete the BSA swimmer test
3a	Demonstrate front crawl or trudgen using good form
3b	Demonstrate back crawl using good form
3c	Demonstrate sidestroke using good form
3d	Demonstrate breaststroke using good form
3e	Demonstrate elementary backstroke using good form
4	Swim 150 yards continuously using required strokes (25 yd each + 50 yd elementary backstroke)
5a	Demonstrate reaching and throwing rescues; explain why swimming rescues are avoided and how to avoid contact
5b	Demonstrate line rescue as both rescuer and tender with victim ~30 feet away
6a	Float faceup in a resting position for at least 3 minutes
6b	Demonstrate survival floating for at least 5 minutes
6c	With PFD, demonstrate HELP and huddle positions and explain purposes
6d	Explain why swimming/survival floating increases hypothermia risk in cold water
7a	Perform feetfirst surface dive and retrieve object
7b	Perform headfirst surface dive (pike or tuck) and retrieve object
7c	Dive to at least 5 feet, swim underwater for 3 strokes; repeat sequence twice
8	Demonstrate standing headfirst dive and long shallow dive in water ≥7 ft (or local requirement)
9	Explain benefits of aerobic exercise and why swimming is valuable for fitness and therapy