Cpl Booth was sucessfully selected to attend an international exchange in Canada over the summer.
cpl Booth was joined by cadets from the UK, Sweden, South Korea and Australia. While there he experienced a varied program of events which included; Sailing, shooting, aerial adventure,Power boating, parade and ceremonial along with a lot of fun, his time there was a showcase of what is available within the cadet experience.
Over the summer POC Young enjoyed an international exchange to Hong Kong, Here is what she said of her experience...
Hong Kong was the best experience I have ever had in my life, packed with full filling exciting activities, the ten days I spent on the Cantonese Island felt like a once in a life time opportunity.
To begin the exchange, we began with a ‘welcoming party’ which was held at the ‘two international finance centre’ , the second tallest building in Hong Kong. We where on the top floor and it only took us three elavators to get there! Wearing our tropical uniform, the party consisted of cadets from five different countries; and their escort officers. We chatted all night too the other cadets, who all spoke excellent English and we all learnt how different the Sea Cadets are in the other countries compared to the United Kingdom Sea Cadets. We also tried some Cantonese food and juices which tasted wonderful. Straight away, I knew I had made some international friends for life!
After the welcoming party we headed back to our accomodation which was at the Baden-Powell international hotel. The rooms where more than adequate and the beds where really comfortable too!
The morning after the welcoming party we got the ferry too the maritime museum. Unfortunetly, the typhoon weather had struck Hong Kong and it was raining heavily. However we still had a really good day. We were took on a tour around the museum and I found it really interesting. There were many different models of tall ships, boats and dragon boats that I had found very intriguing as a member of the Sea Cadet corps most likely would.
The next day we had the wonderful opportunity of getting to walk to victoria peak. The highest point of Hong Kong where you can see the whole Island. It was a very long walk that took quite a few hours; but it was definitely worth it! The sights we got to see along the way where simply amazing and the final view, Victoria Peak, was absolutely breath taking and to have gotten to experience it made me feel so lucky. It was beyond aesthetically pleasing.
The day after, we were supposed to do some boating activities that are popular in Hong Kong, but sadly due to the typhoon weather it was cancelled. However the Hong Kong Sea Cadets took us hiking. It was amazing! We visited some beautiful places such as the very edge of the Hong Kong island.
The following morning we visited the Hong Kong diving fire station where we were took on a tour around the buliding. We where shown the equipment and experimented with it which was very interesting. The diving helmet was so heavy! They also shown us how they practise for real life problems in the sea by creating huge waves in a eight foot deep swimming pooling using a huge bouy to create the waves.
We also visited some very traditional places, such as the chinese temple where people came to pray or have their future told. The buildings where beautifully coloured. Bright reds, greens, blues and golds covered every milimeter of brick. The temple was surrounded by chinese dogs that were believed to protect the temple.
The next day we took part in the Hong Kong orienteering challenge where each country set off in their teams and had to visit all the different tourist attractions, the team that visited the most places won, and of course the UK Sea Cadets won!
We visited the Bank of Hong Kong, the Church of Hong Kong and the Lan Kwai Fong where the people who lived in Hong Kong went for a night out!
Saturday night, we joined the Hong Kong Sea Cadet Corps camp fire at the Hong Kong YMCA which was like a huge disco. Music played and everyone was dancing and enjoying them selves.
The next night we joined the Hong Kong Sea Cadets at their annual variety show where they all showed us there acts and the UK cadets had to perform too! We done a traditional song and dance about all the kings and queens that have ruled Great Britain, it was really embarrasing but fun to be a part of!
Finally we joined the farewell party where all the cadets exchanged gifts and souvenirs that represented their country. Each cadet was presented with a certificate for completing the Hong Kong exchange programme and then we all tucked into a delicious Cantonese buffet while pictures of the exchange programme where presented upon a slide show.
This summer 4 of our cadets enjoyed a voyage sailing the sea cadets flagship TS Royalist.
Royalist is 83 GRT and her hull is 23.32 metres (76 ft 6 in) long, with an overall length of 29.52 metres (96 ft 10 in). As well as her sails, she is equipped with two Perkins diesel engines of 110 kilowatts (150 hp) each. The engines drive twin screw propellers.
She is built of steel, with an overall length of 29 metres (97 feet) (including the bowsprit, which adds about 6 metres onto her overall length), and has a traditional square-rigged brig layout
Almost every week of the year, 24 Sea Cadets, Combined Cadet Forces (CCF) and a single week of Air Cadets from all over the UK, join the ship and spend the week on board working as part of the crew. Many different parts of the UK & France are visited, sailing from her home berth in Gosport to Southampton, Poole, Cherbourg, St Helier, Brest and the Isle of Wight.
There are 8 permanent members of crew who instruct the embarked cadets on a weekly basis and also carry out the maintenance/winter refit. These are the Captain, Sailing Master, Engineer, Boatswain, Coxswain, 2 Watch Officers and the Cook
Following on from 2012 National success Huyton sea cadets have continued into 2013 with a successful start to the 2013 Rowing season after winning the district event 3 of the 4 teams sucessfully won the North west area competition.
This year the teams have faced new challenges with the junior teams of 2012 progressing into the senior category and the junior teams being trained from scratch with many being new to the sport. Despite these challenges the cadets have once again demonstrated that their hardwork, dedication and commitment has paid off. The junior boys team narrowly missed out on the top spot for nationals in September.
The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest running campaign of the second world war and 2013 has seen the 70th anniversary of the battle in which Liverpool was so heavily involved and affected. It was therefore only fitting for Huyton sea cadets to have a heavy involvement and presence in the commemoration events which took place in Liverpool over the bank holiday weekend in order that we could honour those who “gave their tomorrows for our today”. For Huyton sea cadets our commemorations commenced on Friday 24th May 2013 when we were invited to Liverpool Maritime museum to help receive guests and fundraise on behalf of Seafarers UK. Many prestigious guests were present and the cadets had the opportunity to meet the 1st Sea Lord (the professional head of the entire Royal Navy) Admiral Sir George Zambellas, as well as spending time with international naval officers who showed interest in how the cadet force experience compared to their own naval cadet force.
On Saturday 25th May the commemoration activities were centred around the pier head where Huyton sea cadets were observed by the public upholding naval traditions of communication through their Semaphore display, whilst this was going on Huyton Junior section not to be outdone by the seniors turned out to visit the commemorations and learn for themselves the importance of the Battle of the Atlantic, during their day out they were invited by the Royal British legion to engage in some publicity photos in anticipation of this years poppy appeal, as a thank you the junior cadets were then invited to the grand opening of the veterans centre in the port of Liverpool building. The centre was formally opened by the 1st Sea Lord who spoke inspirationally to the cadets, the cadets also enjoyed meeting veterans and listening to their own stories of their time in services. Of the day the Junior cadets reported that they had seen so many interesting things and heard lots of really interesting stories.
Sunday 26th May 2013 cadets continued with their Semaphore display duties, while some cadets went to Liverpool cathedral and performed ceremonial duties in the presence of HRH Princess Anne, and took part in a ceremonial march past. Cadets from Huyton were delighted that Her Royal highness spent some time talking with them.
Monday 27th May 2013 marked the end of the long weekend, while cadets remained heavily present around the pier head areas of Liverpool some of the Huyton Marine cadet detachment were preparing themselves at Salthouse dock for their own Battle in the raft race. The weather had turned bad for Mondays team, but they turned up armed with our raft which they had built, and water bombs for the opposition. The event saw them as the only youth team in the competition and although the did capsize before the race was underway the team showed great resilience in completing the course and reported that although it was cold they had loved every minute. 
For Huyton sea cadets this weekend was a perfect opportunity to showcase a lot of the varied activities the sea cadets has to offer from; team work, helping others, naval tradition, ceremonial and having fun on the water, there was something for everyone and a lesson for all who took part to learn from those who went down to the sea in ships during the conflict of the battle of the Atlantic.
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