This weekend, October 19, 20 and 21, Maine Maritime Museum and Sea Scout Ship 243, along with Boy Scout Troop 254 from Warren, will host the Boy Scouts’ Downeast District Fall Camporee on the grounds of the Maritime Museum in Bath. The Camporee will bring together Boy Scout and Sea Scout groups from all over the Midcoast region for a weekend of nautical education, exploration and fun.

It’s appropriate that the Museum be the sight of the 2012 Camporee as both the Museum and the Sea Scouts are celebrating milestone anniversaries.

Maine Maritime Museum is marking the 50th anniversary of its beginning as the Marine Research Society of Bath, a small, local group that ultimately grew to what it is today, one of the foremost maritime museums in the country.

In addition, this year marks the 100th anniversary of Sea Scouting, the nautical branch of the Boy Scouts of America, and the oldest such organization after Boy Scouting itself. With Maine Maritime Museum serving as the charter partner for Maine’s most active Sea Scout Ship, Ship 243, it was only appropriate that the two anniversaries should be celebrated together.

The Camporee will feature challenges with an historical and nautical theme, such as rescue at sea competitions, first aid for such injuries as cannonball and cutlass wounds, sword fighting instruction and more.

The Wawanock Power Squadron, part of the United States Power Squadron, will carry out a flare burn on Saturday afternoon and the Merrymeeting Amateur Radio Association will be operating a ham radio, giving the scouts a chance to talk to people all over the world. The United States Coast Guard Cutter Flying Fish will be dockside and open for tours.

Maine Maritime Museum will be open to the public during the Museum’s regular hours for the weekend of the Camporee, and anyone is welcome to come an observe the fun, tour the Coast Guard cutter and try their hand at ham radio operations.

Boy Scout Troops interested in taking part in the Camporee should contact District Executive Owen Maguire at 797-5252, ext. 28 or magowen@bsamail.org.