One of the issues I see is that boys don't want to swim in a lake, esp if your council camp was designed for Boy Scouts, so the non-swimmer area is a mucky-rock area. It's hard to encourage them to get into the water to learn to swim when it looks gross. I always had boys who wanted nothing to do with the water, so I told them that the swim test is NOT MANDATORY if they don't want to swim, but that if they wanted to go in a 'boat', that they would need to take it. Most of my boys skipped the test, avoided the water, and had a great time at camp.

After attending resident camp with my son for 3 years, we decided that we would look for a Webelos resident camp with a pool. I found one in another state, in another council, three hours away. (Our council camp was 1 hour and 45 minutes away.)

My son loved the out of council camp. The three years of resident camp prior, he NEVER wanted to swim. At this camp with a pool, I took him to every early morning swim, and I could not get him out of the water.

(This was the first resident camp that we went to without anyone else in the den, and without knowing a single soul in that council. My son loved having me to himself and not "leading" constantly. I loved spending time with him, as this phase in our life was soon to end once he crossed over into a troop.)

That year, he also went to our council resident camp after the out of council camp. He still didn't want to go into the lake, and that was ok with me.

One of the things that my son's troop does that I wish my pack had done was to have a "pack swim night", maybe 1-2 times a year. Then once a boy becomes a Webelos Scout, the Webelos den leader should know what the den's swimming abilities are, and can aim Aquanaut accordingly. It would also help the pre-camp swim test jitters.

Aquanaut is very different from most of the other activity badges. Most of the other activity badges that require boys to learn a skill can be done quite easily and quickly, but Aquanaut may take much longer to earn. I think that a Webelos den leader needs to take this into account, and well as the climate that they live in when planning their calendar. If I could do it all over again, it would be the first activity badge that we would start to work on in June of 3rd grade, and again in the summer after 4th grade.

Letting parents know as early as possible about the Aquanaut requirements, may prompt them to get their son in swimming lessons. But at the same time, let them and the boys know that Aquanaut is NOT a mandatory activity badge for Arrow of Light.

By all means, feel free to use my idea.

Depending on where you go to swim, following the Safe Swim Defense and Guide to Safe Scouting can be easy or hard.

Our local Y accommodates all levels – from zero depth to the deep end. For $10 per boy, it was 1 hour of instruction and 1 hour free swim. They do not have to be members. I took my den there, handed the instructor a photocopy of the Aquanaut requirements, and we did most of them in an hour. In the hour free time, I covered the Swimming belt loop with the boys. One huge drawback of the Y was that it was very, very noisy. Trying to do a buddy check with a pack there would be difficult, but doing it with the den was not a problem.

Some Y's may offer programs specifically for Aquanaut Activity Badge and the Swimming Merit Badge. You'd have to call them to find out. (Some Y's even have Swimming Merit Badge Counselors on staff.)

I found a community center that was quieter and would do 2 hours of instruction for $7. It was zero depth to the deep end.

My son's troop rents one of the pools at a local school, so they have it to themselves. This may be too pricy for a pack to do, but it may be more feasible if a Webelos den goes with a troop. (Great way to visit!) Two packs can even buddy up to rent a pool.

Also, some community centers will host birthday parties. This may be a way for dens/packs to afford swimming time, and possibly get pizza included.

Our council has a Corps V swimming program for Boy Scouts and Webelos Scouts. The cost is much more affordable than lessons at the Y.

We also have a great splash park in the area that is open Memorial Day to Labor Day. It is rather large and crowded. Trying to do Safe Swim Defense would be almost impossible. I would not consider taking my den or pack there.

I have not tried this, but I wonder if any hotels or motels would allow use of their pool during non-peak times.

Of course, you can use someone's private pool, but parts of Aquanaut may not be feasible if the pool is too shallow.

In all cases, you must satisfy the Qualified Supervision part of the Safe Swim Defense, and how you will do that will vary with the location.

In our council, we must file a Tour Permit to go swimming. Some councils may have different rules, but the Webelos den leader needs to keep that in mind as well. I had to make sure that I had all the training that was required on the tour permit.