The Florida Sea Base
About

All Adventures

Reservations Info

Our Locations

The Florida National High Adventure Sea Base operates nine different adventures out of three different locations: two in the Florida Keys, and one in Marsh Harbour, Bahamas. The adventures Coral Reef Sailing, Sea Exploring Adventure, Scuba Adventure, Scuba Certification, and Live Aboard Scuba Adventure operate in the Florida Keys at Mile Marker 73.8 at Sea Base on Lower Matecumbe Key located 75 miles south of Miami (Lower Matecumbe Key - MAP). Out Island Adventure and Keys Adventure programs operate in the Florida Keys on Summerland Key at Mile Marker 23.8 at the Brinton Environmental Center located 125 miles south of Miami (Summerland Key - MAP). (Key West, the southernmost point in the Keys, Florida and the continental United States, is located at Mile Marker zero.) Bahamas Adventure and Bahamas Tall Ship Adventures operate out of the Bahamas Sea Base in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, Bahamas, located about 100 miles east of Fort Lauderdale. (For mailing and physical address, visit the contact page.)

Scouting's most complete aquatic facility offers a complete variety of water activities from SCUBA diving to sailing "Tall Ships". All of our participants have the opportunity to swim, snorkel, and fish among the most beautiful coral reefs in the northern hemisphere.

The Facility


Satellite Photo

The elevated dormitories look out across Florida Bay to one of the many bridges that separate the Gulf of Mexico from the Atlantic Ocean. Our harbor has a 300 foot pier for the sailing yachts, as well as many smaller docks for our fleet of power boats. SCUBA instruction is offered in special diving tanks complete with an underwater viewing port. The Ship's Store (Trading Post) sells many items that you may have forgotten and items to take home to help you remember your adventure.

Only a few miles offshore, an extensive underwater living coral garden forms a barrier reef protecting the islands. Here, among pillars of living coral, you come face to face with thousands of multi-hued tropical fish in water so clear that while swimming, you have the sensation of floating in mid air. The area abounds with legends and tales of unequaled adventure. Even to this day, the lure of discovering a buried treasure burns in the hearts of true adventurers.

The Brinton Center

The Brinton Environmental Center is the new home for the Out Island and Keys Adventures. This facility was dedicated on May 5th, 2001, and officially opened its doors on June 1st, 2001. The center is named after J. Porter Brinton, the project's benefactor. It is located near Key West on Summerland Key.

Big Munson Island

In December of 1982, a gift was received by the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America which was destined to change the very nature of some of the exciting programs offered by the Florida Sea Base. The gift was an untouched, uninhabited island over 100 acres in size, surrounded by the crystal clear water off Big Pine Key in the lower Keys.

On the entire string of islands called the Florida Keys, there are but a few that remain as they were when the pirates first rowed ashore in search of fresh water and game to provision their galleons. This island shows up on old nautical charts as Newfound Harbor Key, and on newer charts as Big Munson Key.

It is located three miles offshore from US 1, and a mere four miles inshore from Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary, known for some of the most fabulous reef formations found in the Keys. Sea Base has committed to retain this island in its natural state. Lightweight screened tents, cooking gear and other necessary equipment is provided by Sea Base, but all personal gear, food, and water must be waded ashore for your stay.

The Bahamas

The original Florida Gateway program was meant to sail young people from Miami to Freeport on Grand Bahamas Island. To insure the safety of our scouts we no longer cross the gulf Stream but rather use Man of War Key in the Abacos as a base for our Bahamas' sailing adventure. While there are some additional costs incurred by each crew to begin their adventure in Marsh Harbor, Abacos, this still remains a very strong component to our variety of ocean adventures. The people of the Abacos Islands, Bahamas, have made great efforts to welcome these young foreigners to their home. Man of War and its surrounding islands create one of the most beautiful yet protected sailing areas offered in the free world.

Our Weather

The Florida Keys are the southernmost, frost-free, tropical isles in the continental United States. We have the best diving, snorkeling, boating and fishing weather and conditions in the continental U.S.


www.bsaseabase.org