East Northport's Jonas Raio getting adventure on iconic Coast Guard cutter Eagle

Jonas Raio didn’t know how to sail five years ago. Now he is an accomplished seaman about to go on the adventure of a lifetime: He will spend a week aboard the iconic Coast Guard cutter Eagle, the same tall ship that led the parade of vessels into New York Harbor at the start of the 1976 American Bicentennial OpSail.

Raio, 18, of East Northport, gained a slot on the ship due to his participation in Sea Scouts, an offshoot of the Boy Scouts of America. He is one of six Sea Scouts nationwide selected for the voyage.

“I’m kind of shocked,” he said. Initially picked as one of two alternates, when he found out he would be able to join the trip “it was pretty mind-blowing.”

Sea Scouts is little known, but it could offer a partial solution to personnel shortages at the Coast Guard, which says it faces a nationwide shortfall of 3,000 service members. This year, the Coast Guard sharply reduced staff at three stations on Long Island, including Eatons Neck, Kings Point and Jones Beach.

Sea Scouts is now the official youth program of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, meaning it is something of a training ground or “farm team” for the Coast Guard. The hope is that Sea Scouts participants eventually join the Coast Guard.

But part of the problem is getting the word out. While BSA has more than 1 million members, Sea Scouts number about 15,000 nationwide. Sea Scouts were founded in 1912, two years after the creation of the Boy Scouts.

“I say with some sadness we are the best-kept secret,” said Penny Van Riper Gadzini, who heads a Sea Scouts “ship,” or troop, in Northport.

Long Island is home to just a few Sea Scouts ships, though it has hundreds of Scouts troops, said Bob Hoey, who works with Sea Scouts “ships” in Northport and Centerport.

“It’s just a mystery — people are not even aware of it,” he said.

Sea Scouts follow a similar format as Boy Scouts, allowing scouts to work their way up ranked levels, with Quartermaster being the equivalent of Eagle Scout.

It is coed and open to young people ages 14 to 20. They learn about parts of a boat, sailing, operating boat engines, navigation and first aid, among other things.

Some units specialize in certain areas, such as scuba diving, white water rafting or sailing.

Van Riper Gadzini said she believes Sea Scouts does not have as many members as Boy Scouts partly because the latter has Cub Scout units of younger children who eventually move up into BSA. 

“We don’t have a feeder program, so for us to recruit is one of our big challenges,” she said.

But, she added, “The Coast Guard Auxiliary has been a wonderful blessing to us. It’s a wonderful collaboration.”

The basic dues for the program are about $200 a year per member, she said.

As part of his Sea Scouts activities, Raio, who graduated from Northport High School in June, races sailboats both in the winter — known as “frostbiting” — and in the summer. His “ship” sails mostly out of Centerport Yacht Club.

His trip aboard the Eagle will take him along the coast of New England. He leaves from New London, Connecticut, on Friday.

Raio won selection to go on the voyage by submitting a resume outlining his scouting and other activities, and by writing an essay.

He says he would love to join the Coast Guard but can’t because of vision problems. Van Riper Gadzini said her ship has several members who are interested in joining the Coast Guard.

“I love Sea Scouts,” Raio said, noting his “ship” started with just him and his brother five years ago and now has 10 steady members. “I’m really proud of what we’ve become.”