Sea Base - Merit Badges Overview and Daily Schedulee

 

Are you going on the Florida Keys Sea Base high adventure and thinking, I'll bet I could get a number merit badge requirements completed?  You are RIGHT!  Here's an overview of the best fit merit badges that have many requirements perfect for completion at Sea Base. Plus, a daily schedule to the merit badges that have requirements that you are very likely to be able to do while at sea Base!

There are also some, like Meterology and Bird Study which could be partially completed.

Be sure to get your Blue Card and a counselor assigned BEFORE you leave for Sea Base! Then document completion of anything you do on the trip.  Be prepared to show your counselor photos, if he or she is not there with you, whenever possible, to demonstrate you competency and completion  of requirements.

Note - we are NOT affiliated with BSA or Sea Base, just scouts and scouters trying to help other scouts and scouters!

The list of these merit badges is:

Click on each for the requirements, checklists, worksheets and more. 

Be sure to see these pages for detailed information!

1. Astronomy
2. Bird Study
3. Cooking
4. Fish & Wildlife
5. Fishing Merit Badge
6. Oceanography
7. Scuba Diving - Only on SCUBA adventures
8. Small Boat Sailing Merit Badge
9. Swimming - Note: most complete this at BSA summer camp.
10. Weather

🧾 Manage your time - Daily Schedule

You must pay attention to the schedule below and be sure to not fall behind!  The time will pass quickly!

🌴 Sea Base Merit Badge Overview & Tracker

📅 Suggested Day-by-Day Schedule

Day	Focus	Merit Badge Requirements
Day 1	Arrival / Safety / Swim Test	Swimming 1a–b Fishing 1a–d Oceanography 1 Fish & Wildlife 1
Day 2	Sailing + Snorkeling Intro	Swimming 3a–e Fishing 2, 5 Oceanography 2 Fish & Wildlife 3a
Day 3	On-water Skills	Swimming 4 Fishing 3, 4 Oceanography 3a–d Fish & Wildlife 5a
Day 4	Advanced Skills / Open Water	Swimming 5a–b Fishing 6b Oceanography 6 Fish & Wildlife 6
Day 5	Fishing Day / Marine Life	Fishing 9, 10 Fish & Wildlife 3b, 5b Oceanography 7 (if applicable)
Day 6	Wrap-up / Demonstrations	Swimming 6a–d, 7a–c Fishing 7, 8 Oceanography 8, 9 Fish & Wildlife 4a–b
Day 7	Departure	Final sign-offs / review

🧾 Requirement checklists

Be sure to see the complete information of each specific merit badge page, below is just a quick summary. 

⚓ Small Boat Sailing Checklist

There too much to put here, see the Small Boat Sailing Merit Badge page for the checklist.

🐟 Fishing

Full requirements and more: Fishing Merit Badge

Req	Description	Done	Initials
1a–d	Fishing hazards, safety practices, injury prevention, hook removal
2	Fishing equipment types, parts, and care
3	Use two types of fishing equipment
4	Tie required fishing knots
5	Identify lures and bait; explain usage
6a–b	Leave no trace and catch-and-release
7	Fishing regulations
8	Sportsmanship and ethics
9	Catch and identify fish
10	Clean and cook fish

 

 

🏊 Swimming

Full requirements and more: Swimming

Req	Description	Done	Initials
1a–b	Safe Swim Defense + health concerns
2	BSA swimmer test - MUST BE DONE BEFORE SEA BASE
3a–e	Demonstrate strokes
4	150-yard continuous swim
5a–b	Rescue methods and line rescue
6a–d	Floating, survival, HELP/huddle, hypothermia
7a–c	Surface dives and underwater swim
8	Headfirst and shallow dives
9	Benefits of swimming fitness

🌊 Oceanography

Full requirements and more: Oceanography

Req	Description	Done	Initials
1	Branches of oceanography and importance
2	Salinity, density, currents, climate
3a–d	Wave types, surf, breakers, rip currents
4	Seafloor features and zones
5	Seawater composition
6	Marine life categories and food chain
7	Project (choose one)
8	Report or presentation
9	Ocean research methods

 

🐠 Fish & Wildlife Management

Full requirements and more: Fish & Wildlife

Req	Description	Done	Initials
1	Conservation and management purpose
2	Wildlife resources
3a–b	Species identification and management importance
4a–b	Population control and environmental impact
5a–b	Observation and recording wildlife
6	Aquatic ecosystems
7a–b	Conservation project

 

VERY IMPORTANT:

• Get adult leader or counselor initial to initial as you complete requirementss
• Final sign-off usually happens after the trip

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🧠 Pro Tips

• Bring a waterproof notebook or ziplock
• In the notebook, log the following:
  • Fish caught (species, size)
  • Weather each day
  • Marine life seen
• Always take photos, if you can.

• Ask your captain/crew or the counselor, if present:

  “Can you watch me do this for a merit badge requirement?”

✔Final Check

If you follow this:

• You can realistically finish 2-3 full badges
  and
• likely get 50-80% done on 2-3 more merit badges.