FAQs about BSA Sea Base High Adventure trips!

Everyone has questions about the Florida Keys Sea Base high adventures. Is your captain... The Skipper
Here are FAQs and answers from actual participants!

FAQs and Tips

Pre-Trip stuff

Sailboat questions:

Boat captains
Boating terminology
Sailing vs. motoring
PFDs (Personal Flotation Devices)
Crew Bags - this is on a separate page

Fishing and snorkeling

About masks, snorkel and fins
Types of fish to catch
Fishing - tips, bait, lures, etc. - on a separate page
Types of fish and other wildlife to observe

Food, snacks, meals and cooking

Land life

Brinton / Summerland Key:
dorms and laundry - on a separate page
Islamorada:
dorms and laundry - on a separate page

Boat life

Bathrooms and toilets on the boats
Sleeping on the boat
Crew bags, what goes into them and more crew information
Electricity, power and solar panels

Health and Safety

CPAP on boats?

Island life

Big Munson Island
Stops in Key Largo (John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park)
Islamorada base camp bathrooms and toilets

Miscellaneous

Where do I find the forms?
Hawaiian luau shirts
Cameras: underwater action cameras, still cameras, disposable, etc.
After our trek returns to the Islamorada OR BEC base camp, will we be allowed to use the showers at Sea Base BEC / Islamorada?
Where to camp or stay before or after Sea Base
What can you do before or after finishing at Sea Base
Tipping, extra expenses and why does Sea Base say to bring $150-$200 cash
Important things to know

Be sure to see

FAQs

Transportation
Blue Sky Adventures is frequently used to shuttle crews back and forth from Ft. Lauderdale to Islamorada and BEC Summerland Key. Participants report that it seems to be pretty close in price to renting and parking a vehicle for a week. All reported being happy with the service. , or any of the other ideas we had, and it was a great choice!
Who are the popular boat captains?
A few frequent mentions (in alphabetical order) are

Florida Keys Boats:
- Captain Aimee on the Treasure of Athena - this boat has been a Sea Base vessel for 30 years. It has been retrofitted with 7 bunks and Air Conditioning, which managed to keep the temperature at 85 below decks.
- Captain Brian (who is Sea Base’s longest serving Captain at 33 years) on Misty Shoals .
- Captain Pat Carney on the Thirsty Lady - This boat is one of the more authentic sailing experiences in the Sea Base fleet with a deeper draft. That lets this boat sail farther and handle rougher conditions that some of the other boats can't. This boat has two aft cabins under the cockpit, each with a double berth, two settee berths in the main saloon, and two cockpit berths, with some addn'l sleeping space topside between the cockpit and the mast.. People rave about Captain Pat!
- Captain Cheryl on the Dream Weaver. "She had so much knowledge about sailing, the reefs, fish, and life in general."
- Captain Chuck on the Wanderer.
- Captain Grandma - much beloved!
- Captains Joe and George - said to be excellent and funny!
- Captain Jordan on Southeast Breeze
Bahamas Boats:
- Captain Ryan on TT Knotalus
- Captain Ashton and Captain Greg on Second Chance
- Captain Carly on Ripple
St. Thomas Boats:
- Captains John and Michelle, a married couple with years of experience chartering in the USVI.
  "They acted like they were part of the crew rather than simply operating the boat."
  "A fantastic balance of supportive guidance and encouragement to independently take on the tasks- they know the area super well so the snorkeling and sailing was amazing"
- Captain Adam on Dark N' Stormy - very positive reviews! He was born in the USVI, knows the area very well and had detailed information.
Every crew may have a Gilligan, but none of the Sea Base captains are "The Skipper"!

Does anyone have any photos of any of the captains?

What are some of the popular places to sail to?
On the Keys sailing trips, there is a mooring ball at San Pedro where the Scouts can snorkel to see the place where a shipwreck is.
Where do I find definitions of these terms:
Port = left,
Starboard = right,
Aft = towards the back,
Bow = front, stern = back, etc.
See this page for a complete list of boating and sailing terms.
What type of PFD (Personal Flotation Device, a.k.a. "life jacket") is used?
Sea Base provides inflatable snorkel vests (like the oral-inflatable, commercial airplane-style vests) but designed for snorkeling, along with fins and a mesh bag for snorkeling activities. Participants are advised not bring their own PFD or fins (Sea Base supplies them for consistency and safety compliance), but you must bring your own mask and snorkel. These vests are required while snorkeling (typically they are worn, but often left uninflated for better mobility in saltwater, where buoyancy is high).
They are USCG-approved PFDs suitable for the sailing, boating and snorkeling.
Crews report them as being functional and are provided in various sizes. Some participants note they can feel bulky if fully inflated, so most leave them deflated or just partially inflated for snorkeling.
Sailing vs. Motoring

How much sailing your cruise actually do that is using the sails to drive the ship depends upon the weather and the wind. It is possible to not have enough wind to move the ship and the captain will be forced to use the motors. However captain start out by putting the sails up and teaching the crew how to do it.

Even if you do have much wind, crews report it is still amazing! You snorkel, fish on the boat and do small boat sailing and kayak from base .

If sailing is important to you, the Bahamas trips are best. They have the most consistent winds. St Thomas is second to Bahamas, but also usually has good winds.
What snorkeling gear must I bring with me?
You only need to purchase your own mask and snorkel. Sea Base sells a very generic mid-quality snorkel and mask. You can actually get much better for the same or less. See this page for mask and snorkel recommendations.
Sea Base provides the fins at no cost, SCUBAPRO GO Travel Scuba Diving Fins, see photo at right.
No need to bring your own.
People report the fins are excellent.
What kind of fish do people typically catch when fishing?
Catch: Cero mackerel, Spanish mackerel, tuna, grouper, yellowtail snapper, yellow jack, mutton snapper, barracuda, wahoo.
See this page for Florida Keys Fishing Tips (types of fish, photos, lures, baits, methods) It has photos of each type of fish and more information.
Check out this Sea Base Fish Identification Guide PDF. NOTE: this wiill open in a new window and then after you click there, it will download the PDF to your "downloads" folder.
And you can see many photos of the fish in crew photos on the Sea Base website.
What types of wildlife should we expect to see on the trip?
Here are some of the species seen in the water, on land in in the sky's:
- Land: iguanas, curled tailed lizards, anoles, No alligators: they cannot live in salt water.
- Sea: sea turtles, stingrays, dolphins, puffer fish, groupers, sea stars, sea cucumbers, conchs, lobsters, crabs, horseshoe crabs, grunts, angel fish, barracudas, snappers, trumpetfish, nurse sharks,
- Air, land and or sea: pelicans, herons, parrots, chickens (at Key West), ibis, ospreys, egrets!
- Restaurants: chicken and fish, plus a few land mammals (ground beef)!
What kind of meals are included?
Food is typically pork chops, burgers, hotdogs, pasta, chicken, Mac and cheese, potatoes, eggs, turkey bacon, milk, apples, oranges, pineapple, lettuce, tomato, onion, nature valley granola bars, Cheerios, fruit cups, pringles, bread, mayo, mustard, oatmeal packets, pop tarts, pancake mix, plenty of spices, cookies etc.
Is coffee available on sailing adventures?
Seabase provides both instant and ground coffee. But at sea... Coffee availability varies by captain.
Some captains have high-quality brewed coffee
others have only instant coffee,
Some have a Keurig,
Some have a percolator,
Some have refrigerated cream or milk,
others have powdered creamer.
And then there is an urban legend (which may be ture or not) which says coffee is an acid reflux trigger, and thus contributes to sea sickness.
What are the bathrooms and toilets like at the Islamorada base camp?
Islamorada dorms have a regular bathroom with several toilets. Obviously, you have to take turns between adults and scout use. The showers are separate shower rooms with pull string and curtains. There are 4 separate shower rooms (each with 5-10 showers) for adult male or adult female or youth male or youth female.
There are also individual bathrooms with toilet and showers. These are intended for the boat captains or those in the camping in tents.
Ummm, okay... and what are the bathrooms and toilets like on the boats?
There are no showers on the boats.
Every boat is different, every captain is different.. That said, the toilets are marine "heads" (hand or foot pump action small toilets; the pump moves ocean water through to flush the toilet) or composting toilets. You pump a handle to empty the waste, then flip a switch, pump it 10 times more times to flush it, then flip the switch again. If you don't put the lid down, or you don't pump it enough, or don't flip the switch, it becomes sticky fast!

You ONLY put poop and pee in the toilet. Anything else (like toilet paper) must going in a doggie poop bag in the toilet paper waste receptacle. Most people pee in the ocean. Hey. You think 50 ton mammals like whales don't? If you've ever wondered why the water suddenly got real warm... you probably swam into whale pee. (yeah, you're gonna Google that aren't you! ��)
Note to guys: boats are frequently moving and rocking, so "when at sea, sit to pee" or “A good sailor sits”. It will keep the bathroom cleaner!
Sleeping on boats
Everyone says, "expect not to get a lot of solid sleep". Temperature extremes happen, frequently very hot and humid, but in early season, it can be cold. Between, the 15-20 mph winds, which gusts to 30mph throughout the nights, plus occasional heavy downpours and 3-4ft swells , you are not likely to sleep solidly. Sunrise at 5:30 AM, so you're not sleeping in. But, adults can often catch naps during the day!
Each boat is different. Some have "berths" (cozy bunks below decks), but it may be too hot to tolerate it, so many sleep on deck, in the cockpit or around the deck on a sleeping pad. This Mylar emergency sleeping bag would be perfect to bring along as a emergency blanket for the cold dorms,, rain tarp on the boat, etc.
See sleeping gear choices and recommendations here.
What do adults do on the boats?
Adults have lots of downtime on the boat and freedom to do what you want to do: snorkel, fish, sail, depending on the wind. Bring waterproof playing cards. A book. If there's a lot of rain, you will have more inside downtime than other crews
What can you tell me about stops in Key Largo?
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is located on Key Largo, FL or rather, just offshore. It is a Florida State Park with 70 square nautical miles of adjacent Atlantic Ocean waters. The park, known for incredible snorkeling, is roughly 25 miles long and extends 3 miles into the Atlantic Ocean. Scouts like Tower Of Pizza in Key Largo which also has other food! Last heard, they open at 11am daily and deliver to John Pennekamp for the Sea Base boat crews, and also for the park's campers and staff. You can Canoe and kayak through the park's waters; plus fishing is permitted in designated areas. Saltwater fishing licenses are required. Visitors can go walking on short trails, picnicking, or swimming at the beach. The Visitor Center has a 30,000-gallon saltwater aquarium and nature videos are shown in its theater.There are washing machines available at Pennekamp State Park.
102601 Overseas Highway (MM 102.5), Key Largo, FL 33037.
Phone: (305) 451-6300
Electricity on boats - Some boats have solar panels, and the captain may allow you to charge phones, cameras and CPAPs, but depe nding upon the length of your time on the boat, a 10,000 - 50,000 mAh Battery Pack typically suffices for 2-3 days. You can bring your our solar panel chargers. See solar panels below.
Solar Panels - There is no power on the island, so if you want to recharge anything you're going to need solar panels. I have spoken to 2 scout leaders who had scouts who actually used these. They said it took a very bright day, but it did work. Some scouts even attached the panels to the back of their backpacks and charged their device while hiking. This was the one they used:
40W Foldable Solar Panel Charger: High Efficiency, Portable N Type Cell, USB-C/USB-A connectors for Fast Charging, IP67 Waterproof, very Lightweight for Outdoor use, Travel, Emergencies.
Downside: aside from the 2 leader's reviews, there are only a few dozen reviews on Amazon, so I'd go with this next one:
30W solar panel charger has lower power output than the panel above (30W vs 40W), but it has MANY MORE reviews (almost 10,000 reviews) and a higher rating.
For CPAP tips, see this page.
CPAP?
CPAP devices ARE allowed. Most boats have solar panels and 12v chargers, but since everyone wants to charge their cameras or CPAP, access can be limited and CPAPs drain batteries fast, so many CPAP users bring their own 100W battery pack backup (which is TSA air travel compliant). Some recommend bringing 60W solar chargers to recharge on the boat, since every boat is different. Some may have or allow recharging, others may not. You can get both a rechargeable battery and a solar panel as a combo kit, too.

The FAA has a page with more information taking batteries on airlines here. Spare (uninstalled) lithium ion and lithium metal batteries, including power banks and cell phone battery charging cases, must be carried in carry-on baggage only.
Tip:
Turn off tube heating and humidifier, which drain the battery. With all heating elements, it should last 2-3 nights.
Why do the Sea Base Guides say to bring $150-$200 cash? Where or how would be spent?
1. Tipping the captain of the boat ($20-$25 per person is typical)
2. On the St. Thomas trip: pay driver from the airport, food at the hotel, food at the cafe at the dock, restaurants on land that you can sail up to or snorkel to, cash for our shuttle (some don't accept credit cards)
3. Islamorada has a cafe with pizza.
  See the ordering form at right. You need to order 24 hours in advance!
4. Keys boats may make a mid week stop overnight at a marina and there are:
  Hot showers
  Flush toilets
  Expensive snacks.
5. Souvenirs when you are on land, like the Sea Base store.
  Which, by the way, on St. Thomas, is the trunk of a car.
  The Ship Store sells items for branding,
  like Leather coasters but be forewarned, the key chains sold in ship store are too small to brand.
  Bring your own leather blanks, like belts, bookmarks, bracelets, typically sold at Michaels, Tandy Leather or your local craft shop.
  You can get this 25 Pack of round tan leather 3-1/4" Circular Leather Pieces on Amazon.
What's the deal with the Hawaiian luau shirt in the Florida Sea Base packing lists?

The Sea Base page says: "On the last night of your Florida Sea Base Adventure your crew will participate in a Conch LUAU. This is a special dinner festival complete with fun, music and games. Dress for the Conch LUAU should be Keys- Hawaiian style. Floral shirts are available for purchase onsite at the Ships’ Store."
They are also available online for FAR less: Conch Luau Shirt
After our trek returns to the Islamorada base camp, will we be allowed to use the showers at Sea Base Islamorada, so we can board our flights in a clean state?
Yes, people report that there is plenty of time to shower, repack luggage, send adults up for captain's patches etc, prior to heading to airport.
For most, it takes about an hour to clean the boat and get organized. There is plenty of time to shower before you have to be off base by 11 am. You can also order pizza from the scout shop to have ready before you leave, see the menu above.
And they also have washing machines and dryers, free to use, free detergent, so crews often choose to wash everyone's' stuff as well.
Some folks report that they arrived at the dock in the afternoon at the end of their trek, had a ceremony and dinner then slept in the dorm.
What can you do after finishing at Sea Base if you have time before your flight or before coming to Sea Base?
So much to do, I made a separate page of things to do before or after Sea Base. Many are close by, some just 5 minutes away.

Is there someplace I can camp or stay before or after Sea Base?
Yes, there are Pre and Post camping and hotels. Oddly, the cost is about the same; about $200 a night for either the dome tent camping (they provide the tent) or the motels. The Glamping camping is almost triple that.
Camping:
Camp Jackson Sawyer - 10 miles north of Sea Base Brinton Environmental Center and 40 miles South of Sea Base Islamorada at
33990 Overseas Hwy. Big Pine Key, FL 33043. (Pre/Post Deluxe is only offered during the Summer: May-August)
Motels/hotels:
Hampton Inn by Hilton Miami Airport West
3620 NW 79th Ave. Doral, FL 33166
Hampton Inn and Suites Ft. Lauderdale Airport/ South Cruise Port
2500 Stirling Rd. Hollywood, FL 33020.
Courtyard Miami Homestead
Map. nice showers, comfortable beds, outdoor pool. Breakfast included.
5-10 min from Robert is Here and Everglades Alligator Park
I see many troops and crews have their own Class B Sea Base shirts. How do we get them?
There are 2 ways:
Buy the standard ones sold at Sea Base, which many crews do.
OR
Design your own! And you can either use a standard logo or make your own design. It's easy, see this page about how to make your own custom design and have it made into shirts!

Oddball questions and esoterica

For Sea Base's official FAQs, see this page.

Important things to know:

Adults: Without exception every adult leader and all individuals 18 years and older participating in a Sea Base program must
- be registered with Scouting America,
- complete Youth Protection Training, Scouting America Safe Swim, Scouting America Safety Afloat, and Hazardous Weather Training Certificate.
- Per boat,
  One adult age 21 or older must complete Wilderness First Aid Training and
  one adult age 21 or older must complete CPR/AED Training.
Every participant, youth and adult, must complete Scouting America Swim Test as a Swimmer passed on a date within a year of the start of their adventure. The Scouting America Swim Test should be documented on the Unit Swim Classification Record and submitted during check in.
Sea Base participants must be in good health. All participants must provide a current and complete the 2019 version of the Scouting America Annual Health and Medical Record (AHMR). AHMR’s are current for 12 months from the end of the month in which they are completed. For example, if the medical form is signed and dated on June 2, 2024, it is valid until June 30, 2025. No other medical form will be accepted.
No participant can exceed 295lbs as evidenced by the medical form. No exceptions will be
made, as this is the weight limit for safety equipment aboard our US Coastguard inspected vessels. Participants exceeding 295lbs will be sent home at their own expense. No refund will be given.
If you are on a sailing adventure:
- Water bottles: do not bring metal or aluminum water bottles (they clank all night). You are expected to bring a Nalgene 32 oz BAP-Free Wide Mouth Water Bottle and an insulated matching insulated carrier / coozy to keep it insulated and with a carabiner. The one linked to Amazon coozy has a should strap and even zipped pockets. Much cheaper with the links on the photos, even less that Wal-Mart. So you get the bottle and the carrier for just the cost of the bottle alone at Sea Base.
  At the Sea Base Ship store, the 2026 Nalgene water bottles are $26 double the cost of the Nalgene bottle on Amazon .
- No shoes: sailing captains do not allow shoes of any kind- including deck shoes while on board, just the fin Neoprene water socks.
- Sleeping: Due to the heat, most participants will choose to use a very thin sleeping liner (with a zipper and pillow pocket) and sleep on deck rather than below deck.
- Masks and snorkels: Bring your own. Get it at a local (to you) dive shop, in person, prior to departure, so you can check the comfort and fit, which is very important. They will not be provided as part of your adventure, but can be purchased/ordered through the Sea Base ship store, but I would not recommend that. They only sell one generic brand and if it is a poor fit, well, have fun with that. It's enough of a specialized topic, that it's all on its own page: See this page for everything you need to know AND where to get it
- Fins, inflatable vests and fishing gear are provided, so do not bring those.
  More info on the packing list pages.
- Luau night: On the last night of Florida Sea Base Adventures, your crew will participate in a Conch LUAU. This is a special dinner festival complete with fun, music and games. Dress for the Conch LUAU should be Keys- Hawaiian style Conch Luau Shirt. Floral shirts are available for purchase onsite at the Ships’ Store. Check with your leader - Sea Base has recently changed which trips have luau's! Apparently not all do now.
For off-boat walking, bring closed toe, high ankle water shoes with a solid bottom. Protect your feet and ankles against sharps and biting things!