Sea Base is a unique Scouting program that offers aquatics programs found nowhere else. Whether your interests lie in sailing, scuba diving, rustic camping on an undeveloped barrier island, fishing or a combination of all, this is the place for your Troop, Crew, Sea Ship or Explorer Post. Sea Base serves around 16,000 participants annually.
COVID-19 Update
Please review our COVID-19 mitigation plan, policy updates, and medical checklist.
Coral Restoration
The Sea Base coral nursery will grow up to 10,000 corals each year which Scouts will help grow, care for and plant on the reef.
Sea Base Photo Archive
View, download, and purchase keepsakes with your crew photo from your Sea Base Adventure
Family Adventure Camping
The Sea Base Family Adventure Camp is designed to meet the needs of families and build bonds through exciting and interactive programs
Professional Courses
DIVEMASTER ACADEMY
Looking for the first step in working with scuba as a career? Your adventure into the professional levels of recreational scuba diving begins with the PADI Divemaster program. Working closely with a PADI Instructor, in this program you expand your dive knowledge and hone your skills to the professional level. PADI Divemaster training develops your leadership abilities, qualifying you to supervise dive activities and assist instructors with student divers. PADI Divemaster is the prerequisite certification for the PADI Instructor Certification
INSTRUCTOR DEVELOPMENT COURSE
Are you ready to take that next step? The PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC) is your next logical step as a PADI Professional. PADI Open Water Scuba Instructors are the most sought-after dive professionals around the world because they’ve completed the program that sets the standard for training dive professionals. You earn a PADI Instructor rating through hard work and commitment, but you’re rewarded with a job that lets you share incredible underwater adventures with others – transforming their lives for the better and enriching yours.
Sea Base began in the early 1970’s as a local program in the Florida Keys called the Florida Gateway to High Adventure under the guidance of Sam Wampler, a professional Scouter from the South Florida Council. It offered primarily sailing programs using local marinas and chartered boats sailing to the Bahamas and back. As the idea caught on and grew, it joined the high adventure offerings of the National Council of the BSA along with Philmont Scout Ranch and the Northern Tier High Adventure Base. In 1979, Sea Base acquired a permanent facility on Lower Matecumbe Key and when this opened for Scouts in 1980 it was renamed the Florida National High Adventure Sea Base. As the popularity of this program grew, scuba diving was added and in 1984 the BSA received the gift of Big Munson Island from Homer Formsby. This undeveloped island offered tremendous program potential as an outpost for primitive camping, Robinson Crusoe style. During this time period the sailing program concentrated on sailing around the fabulous Florida Keys. New sailing programs were started that originated and ended in Marsh Harbour in the beautiful Abaco Islands of the Bahamas.
Sea Base programs continued to excite the imagination of Scouts and Scouters, and as attendance grew the need for a second facility was obvious. Thanks to the generosity of J. Porter Brinton of Greenwich, CT, the Brinton Environmental Center opened in 2001 making Sea Base even better. Sea Base has continued to add and upgrade facilities and programs to meet the needs of Scouts.