Big Munson Island on Sea Base - What to Know!

 

Are you going on the Florida Keys Sea Base high adventure sailing, snorkeling trip and wondering what is the Big Munson Island? Big Munson Island is an pristine, uninhabited island with mangrove swamps, over 100 acres (40 hectares) in size! Sitting in the lower Florida Keys off of Big Pine Key, it is surrounded by the clear blue-green waters. Some Sea Base adventures go here as a day trip, others stay up to 4 days there!

The official Sea Base website says you will paddle a Polynesian war canoe more than five miles to a primitive barrier island in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.  On Big Munson Island, your unit will camp under a canopy of gumbo limbo trees, mangrove swamps, sandy beaches, and lush vegetation. Your crew will wade to shore from our vessels and, depending on the tide, the water may be knee high to chest deep. Waterproof backpack duffels are ideal. Your campsite will be ready with hardwood hammocks, tents, cooking equipment, everything needed for your stay is provided. Sleeping pads are encouraged. Your crew will ocean kayak, go for a fishing excursion, shark fish, paddle to Munson Rocks for a night snorkel, and explore the ocean.

Tips and comments from those who have been there:

• Hermit crabs everywhere.
• Looe Key Reef is an amazing snorkeling reef. See the snorkling map here of all locations.
• Thieving birdies: Don't hang your wet socks tree branches to dry. Birds will steal them!
• Pack a headlamp like this one which is rain and splash-proof, rechargeable, very bright light, multiple settings, including red to prevent sea turtle confusion when camping on Munson so they don't think the white light is moon light and go in the wrong direction.  You are not permitted to use anything besides a red light on the island EXCEPT inside your tent.
• The tiny Key Deer were the size of a medium dog
• Shoes / sandals - To walk through the sargassum you need water shoes that are strapped securely on your feet (no flip-flops or crocs). Otherwise you’ll lose them in the muck and/or cut your feet on the sharp coral and rocks. The Keen-type (2-strap, front and heel )sandals that cover the toes are best. You’ll walk a lot in wet shoes, so these dry out fastest, while also protecting your feet. Low tide is a bit easier to walk and see obstacles, but during high tide the obstacles are hidden beneath the sargassum.
• 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.
    
• The HEAT and HUMIDITY - Almost everyone recommends a rechargeable Camping LED Light and Fan like the one shown at right which also has a light built into it, or you won't be able to sleep. Many people also recommend bringing along solar panels to recharge it. It has a 40hr Rechargeable Battery and a hook to hang it.  
   
• Hot night sleeping hacks: bring a rechargable battery powered fan for sleeping. Sleep in a hammock or a tent with the rain fly off - or a 1-Person fine mesh sleeping tube tent on the ground at night and the fan on low. It makes sleeping bearable.
• No-see-ums thick as a cloud that would devour you if you didn't have Avon So-Soft lotion. People rave about how effective it is against midgets at twilight. People swear by Avon Skin So-Soft lotion.
  No-seeums will go after every inch of exposed skin and they are relentless. People  report the midges just laugh at both DEET and Picaridin repellent. The reason  Skin So Soft is recommended is its oils create a protective barrier that No Seeums can’t penetrate. And Gold Bond helps with chafing in feet, suits, underarms, etc.
  But no-seeum clothing and fine netting like this (next) is also effective.
• Clothing/gear for Mosquito and No-Seeum / midge protection:
  The No-Seeums can be fierce, especially at twilight, You will use lots of insect repellant (and sunscreen). People report that Avon Skin So-Soft lotion works as a no-seeum (but not mosquito) repellant, but their bites are SO miserable and lasting, I took Deet, and the head netting, which can be worn over any hat, to keep the netting off your face, such as when sleeping. The netting must be rated 1000 holes/sq in. Standard mosquito netting has holes around 500-800 per square inch. No-see-um netting has 1000+ holes per inch and blocks the tiny biting midges that will penetrate standard mesh. If needed, your long sleeved sun shirt and pants, socks, gloves might work for the rest of the body.
1. Whole body (head, jacket, pants), Mosquito / No-See-Um Mesh suit, Super Light and Cool, or this one that ALSO includes hands and feet.
2. Head: Ultra-Mesh Mosquito Head Net for Midges, No See-ums and Small Insects Head covering (goes over your hat). This is simple, inexpensive and effective against mosquitos, midges, no-seeums, horse flies, black flies, etc.
3. Upper body: Fine mesh bug jacket
4. Legs: Fine mesh bug pants
5. Mesh mini-tents for sleeping:
    If you need the smallest, this mesh netting tent to put your sleeping mat inside, this netting which you hook to something ABOVE you, would work. It takes up almost no room at all and weighs next to nothing. It can fit in your pocket and weighs only 1 pound.
    There is also a 1-Person fine mesh sleeping tube tent which folds into a flat 2 ft wide disk, so it might be too big to carry on an airplane, but fine if driving.
    
6. Hammock tents with no-seeum / mosquito mesh and a rain fly. These have advantages, getting you up off the ground! Works on the islands, not on a boat.
   
   Inexpensive but high ratings: Night Cat Camping Hammock Tent: Lightweight Portable 4 in 1 Hammock with Rain Tarp and Mosquito Net.
   
   Premier brand: Lawson Hammock Blue Ridge Camping Hammock and Tent.
   
   If you choose to sleep on the ground, bring a good sleeping pad, like this one in 2" or beetter 3" thickness.
    
7. Hammocks and no-seeum netting - Scouts who slept in hammocks with bug nets were happy with their sleeping arrangements. (Tents are super hot). You can stack multiple hammocks. see photo below. Sleeping in a hammock with a fine mesh no-seeums bug net is bug free and comfortable.
   If there is a breeze, it helps disperse the bugs. They're worse on still nights. The bugs are fewer on the beach, so many scouts choose to sleep on the beach under the stars.
      
8. Plastic clamps with paracord - The clamp opens 1 inch wide, with a wing nut that you screw down to tighten it against whatever your clamping it to. It's made of heavy duty plastic,  so it could easily hold down a pillow, a sleeping bag liner, an air mattress, a waterproof tarp , anything that you can squeeze in under one inch, and then screw the wing nut down.
   It has paracord attached to it that you can then tie or clip it to the railing. If you get clamps without cord, see this Paracord 550 - In many colors and lengths.
   It often rains every night, so you might want a 6' by 8' waterproof tarp or emergency blanket or cover to use at night.
   

More Big Munson Weirdness:

• Little raccoons try to sneak up and steal food right out of your hands.
• Poisonous trees, like poison ivy, except the bark has the oil causes a reaction. Beware it's peeling bright orange bark
• Tarballs that wash up on shore. Yuck.

See these pages for more photos and first hand accounts!

• Unofficial Big Munson Island Facebook page.  

Things you will definitely want to have with you!

1. Closed toe, high ankle water shoes with a solid bottom. Protect your feet and ankles against sharps and biting things!