Planning a Ship Overnighter

[AlabamaDan]

Hello Everyone!

 

I'm planning to have my Pack spend the night on the USS Alabama and I'm hoping to get some ideas for the program. The battleship doesn't provide any programs for the overnighters, just sleeping accomidations and admitance to the park. There aren't any normal tour guides as it is usually a self guided tour anyway.

 

So, I'm sure a battleship overnighter is similar on The Alabama as any other battleship. I've never done one. Could you share your experiences and help me plan mine?

 

Thanks,

Danny

ROLL TIDE!

 

[GKlose]

I did an overnight on the Battleship Massachusetts (in Fall River, MA) several years ago (my 1C son was just a Wolf cub back then), but the battleship had a program. They had someone specifically talk about wartime armaments, and there was also a movie that talked about the role of the ship in the war. Afterwards, a guy (a vet from the ship, who was interviewed in the movie) was there to answer questions. That part was really cool.

 

Later that night, in one of the rooms, they showed a WWII-era film, suitable for a young audience. I can't recall what the movie was, because I nodded off during it. Not everyone on the ship watched it, nor could they have all fit in the room anyway.

 

About the rest -- I didn't really enjoy the overnight aspect. Below decks, it is hot, cramped and not very well-ventilated (and yes, I have a new appreciation for those that served on the ship, because I can envision what it must have been like with full-sized men everywhere, smoking and man-stink everywhere. It took a long while for Cubs to quiet down at night. There wasn't a whole lot of sleeping.

 

Guy

[Roadkill Patrol]

Sounds like fun.

 

When my son & I were in Cubs, the pack spent the night on the USS Silversides, a submarine docked in Muskegon, MI. The kids had a blast. There was a small tour, but then they were free to roam the boat and also a coast guard cutter docked next to it. We just had to make sure we had plenty of adults.

 

Plan on some board games depending on how long you will be there. Ours stay was from 6pm to noon the next day. Try to find out if there is spot on the ship where you can have the boys participate in a flag ceremony.

 

It sounds like there is going to be a lot to see on a bigger ship than a sub, so they should be pretty entertained just touring it (and trying to find their way back to the starting point)

 

Have fun!!!

[AlabamaDan]

I figured the ship would be hot and stuffy in the summer, spring an fall. That's on reason I chose January. I figured it's easier to heat a ship and cool it.

 

What type of board games did you play.

 

I was thinking about a movie, but couldn't think of a good one that would be age appropriate, related to what we were doing and interesting for the kids. Of course Down and Derby might always be good since it will be just a couple of weeks till out PWD. The movie might be a good way to wind down in the bunks. Especially if it is something that could settle them down and let them nod off. Hmmmm.... Maybe an old B&W film or episodes of McHale's Navy!

 

I also thought about finding someone who had served in the Navy and talking about what life was like on the ship. WWII vets are getting hard to find, but maybe Korea.

 

I thought about finding someone to teach morse code or flags and such.

 

I thought about a scavenger hunt, but then I wondered how that would work with them not being able to "take" something.

 

I sorta like the idea of stuff that might be similar to that era the more I think about it. A B&W movie like the sailors would've watched. Music like they would have listened to. I was thinking about pizza, but maybe it should be more 1940ish.

 

Idealy I'd like to do something that is fun, but has a purpose. My families are driving 4 hours down to the ship and I need to make it a WOW program!

 

Please keep the ideas coming.

[Eagle92]

When my old troop did the USS ALABAMA, we usually played some type of of walk around, stressing the WALK, like Capture the Flag, Axis and Allies, etc.

 

Another time when a troop I was with had two active duty personnell in it, a Navy CW02 and a USCG CWO4, we actually had a tour of the ALABAMA with them. That was a great expereince.

 

My recommendation would be to do some reasearch on the ALABAMA, especially her armaments. A good resource for the 40mm Bofors and 20mm Oberlikion (sp) guns would be the USS KIDD website. They also have a virtual tour that may help with some areas of the ALABAMA, i.e. ship's head and the "infamous red seat," officers' country, the 'goat locker," etc.

 

Now if you are willign to do a little drive, USS KIDD in Baton Rouge, LA not only allows folks to sleep aboard, but also do movies AND tours, including a few areas that are normally off limits due to timing concerns, i.e. the engine and boiler rooms. Price is VERY affordable, better than Patriot's Point, and it is a blast. Then again I may be prejuidice: my troop did that destroyer several times and i worked there when I was in grad school as a tour guide, including many an overniter.

[Buffalo Skipper]

AlabamaDan, Our pack does an overnighter every year. Call Dominos Pizza for dinner. They will let you pay with plastic over the phone and will deliver to the boat. We charge $5 per dad/cub and cover our cost fine. They let us eat in the Wardroom, so long as we cleaned up our whole mess.

 

It will be a great time! There is plenty to explore. Capture the flag is good. There are several rooms with movies (historical footage regarding the boat), and there is plenty to see. Last time I went it was in the low 20s outside, but it was toasty in the quarters. Expect three high berths, 100+ to a room 2 levels forward on the boat and one aft.

 

Our kids stayed up until 11pm or so and then crashed. You will need to be out early, but you can see the airplanes and the submarine USS Drum in the morning

 

Remember they are cub scouts, so letting the run wild (with dads and/or in small groups) is just fine. Too much structure and they will get bored. If you take off the time for dinner, you will only have 3 or so hours to run around, but let them. It will wear them out.

 

Have fun!

 

For Guy, the USS Alabama was one of 3 ships of this type/size built: USS Alabama, Massachusetts, and South Dakota. They were "Pocket" battleships, built to the standards of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922, which limited capital ships to 35,000 tons. These three ships are only about half the size of the famed Iowa class battleships of WW II.

[Kahuna]

Actually the Alabama is more 2/3 the size of the Iowa class BB's, and carried about the same armament. I don't know for sure that it was a treaty ship. It was laid down in 1939. The Alabama is hull number 60 and the USS Iowa is hull 61.

 

I never took Cubs overnight aboard, but our Scouts went several times and never found a lack of things to do. Cubs need more supervision, but you sort of have that. Enjoy.

[GKlose]

Thanks, B-Skip -- I didn't know that. I thought the Massachusetts was huge, so I can't imagine the scale if that one is considered a small battleship.

 

I suppose the only disappointing part, if you want to call it that, is that you can only climb so high on the Massachusetts. You can't get all the way up to the bridge. I think that would have been interesting.

 

Guy

[dewASM]

If you or the other parents have a few digital cameras, plan a photo scavenger hunt. Send groups out to find things and take photos next to them. Have them include themselves in the photos. Depending upon the ages of the boys, the clues may be very straight forward or they could be tricky or you can leave them open to their own interpretation. For example, you can be explicit and ask for two boys by a fire extinguisher or leave it open ended and ask for the a Scout next to the most exciting thing or the ugliest thing on the ship. It is always interesting to see their choices. With digital, you can immediately review the pictures to see if the complete the hunt. If they include boys in the pictures, they would make a nice scrapbook of the occasion! I happen to have a portable photo printer so I can print as I go providing there is electricity!