Aquatics Trail Badge

This Trail Badge, awarded on completion of the requirements, is affixed to the Trailman’s Troop Standard.

Do all requirements (1-9).

  1. Research what the Bible says about water.
    • Describe water in the creation process.
    • How was it used as a curse and a blessing?
    • Where did all the water in the world come from? If there ever was a time where nothing existed, how could all the water come from nothing?
    • List the ways in which water sustains life on earth.
    • List the ways that natural bodies of water (oceans, lakes, springs, & rivers) are a gift to man for food, travel, and recreation to enjoy God’s creation.
  2. Participate in a Safe Aquatics method orientation and fulfill the following requirements pursuant to the Safe Aquatics method. (See The Trailman’s Handbook)
  3. Complete the Swimming Competency Test at the Swimmer level. (See The Trailman’s Handbook)
  4. Demonstrate how to properly put on a personal flotation device (PFD) and while wearing the PFD do the following:
    • Jump feet first into deep water and swim 25 yards.
    • Learn and demonstrate the heat escape lessening posture (HELP) cold-water survival technique.
    • With a group, learn and demonstrate the Huddle cold-water survival technique.
  5. Demonstrate the following reach and throw rescues:
    • Several reach assists including arm, leg, and towel reaches without entering the water, and pole or shepherd’s crook assists
    • Throwing a rescue tube or ring buoy to someone at least 25 feet out in the water
  6. After ensuring the safety of the swimming area, in deep water, do the following::
    • Tread water for 3 minutes.
    • Survival float on your stomach for 3 minutes.
    • Float on your back for 2 minutes.
    • Demonstrate a feet-first surface dive.
    • Demonstrate a head-first surface dive, and recover a diving ring or some other object from the pool bottom.
  7. While wearing shoes, long pants, and a long-sleeve shirt over your swimsuit, jump into deep water.
    • While treading water, remove the shoes and pants.
    • Inflate your shirt and float long enough to prepare your pants.
    • Inflate your pants and use them to float for one minute.
  8. Demonstrate that you can continuously swim 200 yards without stopping to rest.
    • Use at least three of the following five strokes: front crawl, backstroke, sidestroke, breaststroke, and elementary backstroke.
    • Swim each of the three selected strokes for at least 50 yards.
  9. Participate in a skill orientation and an open activity for three of the following aquatics activities: Group water game, swim race, diving, snorkeling, Red Cross Junior Lifeguard, scuba, stand-up paddle boarding, boardsailing, canoeing, kayaking, rowing, sailing, peddle boats, water skiing, wake boarding, or an alternate water activity approved by your unit leader.