Seabase Ultimate Packing List Gear and Supplies and Where to Get Them

 

Here is a master list of the essentials you'll need for a Seabase high adventure sailing, snorkeling trip, or any overnighting at sea, on islands, etc.

Sea Base provides meals, dry bags, fishing equipment and nearly everything else you will need on your adventure

The Seabase camp will provide you with a 40L duffle bag for your gear, so figure your stuff must (with the possible exception of the sleeping mat) fit into 40 liters (10 gallons).

It says they also will provide 2 short sleeve shirts and a buff (neck gaiter / covering). There will be communal sunscreen and bug lotions provide apparently, but be certain to check with your group's leader. 

They suggest to bring spending money ($150-$200) per person for the onshore days and replacing supplies.

Fishing Equipment: Again, all fishing tackle and equipment is provided by Sea Base. Please do not bring personal fishing gear.

Packing Lists

For a complete official packing list for your adventure please see the following list pages in the Seabase official guide below. But after these links, we provided the same information, organized by category, and with specific recommendations from people who have been on these trips to specific gear and where to get it:

• Keys Adventure packing list - and here is the complete Keys Adventure guide
• Out Island Adventure - pg.29
• Florida Fishing Adventure - pg..31

By Category:

Clothing and personal gear

1. Clothing: ALL quick dry, not cotton:
   • 3 UPF30+ long-sleeve shirts, for sun protection. Both Costco and Sam's Club have these ultra-lightweight shirts for $10 - $20 in March - May. They DO sell out! The ones with a hoodie are recommended.
   • Casual, non-scouting shirt for trip to Key West (optional)
   •  3 Pairs of shorts: 1 pair or two pairs of swim trunks or and 1 dry pair for land (or combo swim/shorts)
   •  1 pair of pants, Convertible Zip Off Lightweight Waterproof Quick Dry pants recommended (switchback scout pants are fine)
   •  3 Pairs of socks
   •  Shoes
     • (1) Teva or Chaco style sandals - presumable for off-boat, as some people say you cannot wear shoes or sandals ON the boat.
     • (1) Good walking shoes (open-toed shoes are permitted, so you could use the sandals above)
   • Neoprene water socks - These are to wear inside your fins 3mm to prevent chaffing, they are optional, but also protect your feet from sharp coral and shells and from no-seeums. Neoprene with 4-way stretchy nylon laminated, elastic and durable, protects your feet from cuts, scratches, sun and no-seeums. Get the tall version to protect your lower legs and ankles. They are very comfortable.
   • If you are going on Big Munson Island you will be wading in shallow water around so they say to bring a pair of water shoes or dive booties.  These water shoes need to be hard-soled and closed-toe.
   • 1 Conch Luau Shirt - I KID YOU NOT. A Hawaiian shirt is in the official packing list. I like this shirt, but this shirt is super cheap, if you want one-and-done.
     
2. Water bottle, 32oz Nalgene and an insulated matching coozy to keep it insulated and with a carabineer
3. Sun hat - This wide-brimmed sun hat gets great reviews - and it has a strap under the chin, which is vital, because otherwise one good breeze and it is gone.
4. Polarized sunglasses with a strap - Since you might drop them overboard, you probably want cheap glasses, and a strap for them. This strap floats the glasses.
5. Neck Gaiter (aka, a "Buff") - The point here is to protect your neck from the brutal sun.  Better than sunscreen. And believe me, the water and sand will reflect sun UP to your face, under your hat and burn you. So you use either this or more sun screen on your neck
6. Sailing Diving gloves - protects your hands from cuts, abrasions, sun, bug bites, aggressive fishies...
7. Rain poncho - If it's semi-tropical. Expect afternoon / evening thunderstorms
8. Towel - Fast Drying Lightweight Microfiber Travel Towels - The official guide says "2 Towels:
   • (1) Regular
   • (1) Microfiber sham/Camp Towel"
   One pack of these fast dry towels will do just fine as both regular and microfiber ->
9. Personal hygiene kit - razor, shaving cream, soap, shampoo,
10. Mini first aid kit with large bandages and tape, aloe vera lotion, hydrocortisone cream and
    Sea Base Specific First Aid Kit: Every crew must provide their own first aid kit A Sea Base Specific First Aid Kit includes all items found in a traditional back country first aid kit and also the following items:
    •  SPF 35 or greater reef-safe sunscreen, this means mineral-base sunscreen, like this Banana Boat mineral lotion, which is available everywhere, including Wal-Mart.
    •  SPF 35 or greater, reef-safe, lip balm
    •  Small bottle of vinegar (less than 3oz.)
    •  Sea sickness medication - Dramamine, or Bonine (said to be more effective than Dramamine and lasts 24 hours) or what ever anti-seasick stuff you prefer. 
    •  Non-aerosol insect repellent
    •  Swimmers ear drops
    •  Benadryl
    •  Hand sanitizer
      

Safety, sun and bugs

1. Clothing/gear for Mosquito and No-Seeum / midge protection: 
   The No-Seeums can be fierce, especially at twilight and when close to shore. Sooo, if the boat will anchor near an island, it could be very problematic. People report that Avon So-Soft skin lotion  works as a no-seeum (but not mosquito) repellant, but their bites are SO miserable and lasting, I'm bring at least the head netting, which can be worn over any hat, to keep the netting off your face, such as when sleeping. Long sleeved shirt and pants, socks gloves might work for the rest of the body. 
   a. Whole body (head, jacket, pants), Mosquito / No-See-Um Mesh suit, Super Light and Cool, or this one that ALSO includes hands and feet.
   b. Head: Ultra-Mesh Mosquito Head Net for Midges, No See-ums and Small Insects Head covering (goes over your hat).
   c. Upper body: Fine mesh bug jacket
   d. Legs: Fine mesh bug pants
   e. Mesh mini-tents for sleeping: 1-Person fine mesh sleeping tube tent OR...
        If you need the smallest, this mesh netting to put your sleeping mat inside, this netting which you hook to something ABOVE you, would work.
   
   
2. Lotions (no aerosols are allowed, pumps sprays are)
   a. Avon So-Soft lotion - contains repellant for midges/no seeums. people rave about how effective it is against midgets at twilight.  They also say  with Picardin (i.e., Skin-So-Soft Bug Guard) works.
   b. Lipbalm with sunscreen - they say this is really necessary!
   c. Sunscreen - 16oz +45 biodegradable reef-safe sunscreen, other than that, It's your personal preference. I've found that the mineral-based lotions like this Banana Boat have really improved and last all day. They are what my dermatologist recommends.  If space is an issue, Avon makes a combo sunscreen-bug repellant lotion.
   d. Deet, good for mosquitos, less so for midges / no-seeums
   

Sleeping gear

1. Sleeping pads:  A foam self-inflating mat is best in my opinion.  Even if it were to leak, you still have foam.
   If you need the smallest foam mattress you can get (rolled up), pick this 1.5 inch thick one.
   Some people like the hard foam Sleeping pad, but they take up more room and are nowhere near as comfortable as foam.
   Others, tight on space, like the inflatable air mattress with a built in foot-pump. Very lightweight and compact BUT if these spring a leak, your out of luck.
2. Pillow, inflatable - curved so you don't roll off of it. Some of the inflatable air mattresses have a pillow built in.
3. Sleeping bag liner to use as the sleeping bag in hot climates. In the semi tropics in the summer months, there is no point in bring an actual sleeping bag. Also called a Sleeping bag insert
4. Ear plugs and snore strips -
   

Snorkel and Goggles

You need to bring your own. Fit and comfort are very important.  Go to a local dive shop (shop, not bar) and test them out.  Apparently, you must get a separate snorkel / goggle, not the all-in-one bubble face shield type.

Packing gear

1. Waterproof bags for phone, keys, wallet, etc. and this one is a floating IP68 rated for up to 8.3" iPhone's like 17 16 15 14 13 (and smaller sizes) and for Pro Max Samsung S25 Ultra S24 S23,
2. Dry bags: Floating Waterproof Dry Bag Backpacks; sizes  5L/10L/20L/30L/40L, with Roll Top Sack, Keeps Gear Dry

Electronics

1. Headlamp - waterproof, rechargeable, very bright, multiple settings include red (for nighttime, not to wake others)
2. Battery backups to recharge devices:
   BEST: This Portable Power Bank 50,000 mAh, Ultra-High Capacity Battery Pack, 2 USB ports, and 4 different cords - lightning, USC, USA and micro, all built-in, Charging Power bank  would work great.
   This power bank with a built-in solar-panel for recharging Power Bank 10,000mAh, Battery Pack with USB C for Cell Phones even has a flashlight. But reviews say the solar charging would take a super bright day for a half-charge.
   The boat has some charging ports to recharge.

Nice to have underwater recording optional items

See this page for ALL of the waterproof, even underwater, camera options from $45 on up to $400, from generics, Fuji, Insta, GoPro, DJI and everything in-between

The 2026 Florida Keys Seabase Packing list: