Florida Sea Base Out Island Adventure 2022

[Bear456]

Hello,   My troop signed up for an Out Island Adventure in 202 at the Florida area Base.

 

I have a whole bunch of questions for those who have had crews out there.

lve found found a few threads from previous crews and I am grateful for them

 

What training did crews do for Out Island.?   How do you prepare for the boat trip out to Big Munson Island? 
what does the swim test consist of at Sea Base.  Our Scouts are all swimmer. But for some reason I think if some of our scouts are “barely” making swimmer, then other than putting scouts on a swim training program for this next year?

for snorkeling, is it just enough to have kids pick up any snorkeling gear?

 

for now I’ve been focused on logistics getting to from sea base.   Our crew is planning on flying into Key West instead of Fort Lauderdale.  We found a house on Big Pine Key to house the crew for the night before, hit up the Winn Dixie on Big pine Key for groceries for dinner that night and breakfast the next morning before then taking the bus/ public transit from Big Pine Key to Summerland Key to get to the Brinton Environmental Center at 1300.

 

or would it be better to rent a 15 passenger van from a rental company and park the van at the brinton? Is there place to leave our van at Seabase for the week? Instead of chartering a van from Key west to Big Bine Key and from Brinton back to Key West at the end of our trip?

 

I understand that sea base provides a camp stove for our 4 nights on Big Munson Island, but are we responsible for providing our food or what are we cooking?

I saw the post that says it gets cold on the island at night and that it might be possible to have hammocks, and the smell…   So I am grate for any info 

 

thanks in advance.

 

 

 

[RememberSchiff]

Welcome to scouter.com @Bear456

I have not been to SeaBase but I will send up a flare to more informed members who I can recall.  An incomplete list of informed members no doubt.

@Jameson76 @fred8033@qwazse @mashmaster @69RoadRunner

[fred8033]

Answers in-line....

 

3 hours ago, Bear456 said:

Hello,   My troop signed up for an Out Island Adventure in 202 at the Florida area Base.  .... you are 1819 years late.   

I have a whole bunch of questions for those who have had crews out there.

lve found found a few threads from previous crews and I am grateful for them

 

What training did crews do for Out Island.?  ... Standard swimming practice.  Some practice with fins.  Even then, you don't sink in salt water.  Even weak swimmers can do fairly well ... UNLESS you are caught in a current (did happen on sailing at Sea Base).  Then you need strength and stamina.   

How do you prepare for the boat trip out to Big Munson Island?  ... For us, it was an outrigger canoe.  No special training.
what does the swim test consist of at Sea Base.  Our Scouts are all swimmer. But for some reason I think if some of our scouts are “barely” making swimmer, then other than putting scouts on a swim training program for this next year? ... Keep doing troop trips to the pool.  Scouts enjoy those nights.  Have scouts swim a few laps once or twice each visit.  Remember... it is salt water.  It does help. 

for snorkeling, is it just enough to have kids pick up any snorkeling gear? ... Sea Base provided us that gear.  That's a covid change.  If you can buy from Sea Base, I'd be tempted to do that even if it's a few dollars more.  Than you have a consistent step.  I'd also then buy a sharpee to label it all for each person.  ... Mesh bags to keep them in?  That is VERY USEFUL.

 

for now I’ve been focused on logistics getting to from sea base.   Our crew is planning on flying into Key West instead of Fort Lauderdale.  ... We flew to Fort Lauderdale.  More flight options.  More connecting options if there is an issue.  We found a house on Big Pine Key to house the crew for the night before, hit up the Winn Dixie on Big pine Key for groceries for dinner that night and breakfast the next morning before then taking the bus/ public transit from Big Pine Key to Summerland Key to get to the Brinton Environmental Center at 1300.  ... Your choice.  We timed ours exactly for our visit with a tour after before the flight home.

or would it be better to rent a 15 passenger van from a rental company and park the van at the brinton? Is there place to leave our van at Seabase for the week? Instead of chartering a van from Key west to Big Bine Key and from Brinton back to Key West at the end of our trip? ...  depends on how many people you are bringing.   ...  Sea Base manual was excellent on it.

I understand that sea base provides a camp stove for our 4 nights on Big Munson Island, but are we responsible for providing our food or what are we cooking? ... ???  really ???   Seabase provided the food.  We were responsible for cooking.  I'd double check.  Maybe that changed since I was there.

I saw the post that says it gets cold on the island at night and that it might be possible to have hammocks, and the smell…   So I am grate for any info  ... Depends on time of year.  For us, it got down to a chilly 85/90 degrees with a 80 degree dew point.   FYI ... We were EXTREMELY thankful anytime we could be in the water and loved the air conditioning back at the base.  ... I'd imagine it can get chilly though.

My key suggestions ... #1  Read the guide in detail ... https://www.bsaseabase.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2021-Brinton-Center-Participant-Guide-Feb23.pdf ... #2  Call sea base and chat with any questions.

 

thanks in advance.

 

 

 

Edited August 14, 2021 by fred8033

[Jameson76]

22 hours ago, Bear456 said:

Hello,   My troop signed up for an Out Island Adventure in 202 at the Florida area Base.

 

I have a whole bunch of questions for those who have had crews out there.

lve found found a few threads from previous crews and I am grateful for them

 

What training did crews do for Out Island.?  Napping in hammocks, making snarking comments to adults, pretending to apply sunscreen then getting burned

How do you prepare for the boat trip out to Big Munson Island? Nothing special, it's an outrigger canoe (two canoes together).  Wear a lot of sunscreen, long sleeve shirts, extended brim hats (bucket hats)

what does the swim test consist of at Sea Base.  Our Scouts are all swimmer. But for some reason I think if some of our scouts are “barely” making swimmer, then other than putting scouts on a swim training program for this next year? - As noted, normal swim test

for snorkeling, is it just enough to have kids pick up any snorkeling gear? - Seabase provided this year, so not worries

 

for now I’ve been focused on logistics getting to from sea base.   Our crew is planning on flying into Key West instead of Fort Lauderdale.  We found a house on Big Pine Key to house the crew for the night before, hit up the Winn Dixie on Big pine Key for groceries for dinner that night and breakfast the next morning before then taking the bus/ public transit from Big Pine Key to Summerland Key to get to the Brinton Environmental Center at 1300. - Our 21 crew flew into Ft Lauderdale, then rented suburban to Brinton

 

or would it be better to rent a 15 passenger van from a rental company and park the van at the brinton? Is there place to leave our van at Seabase for the week? Instead of chartering a van from Key west to Big Bine Key and from Brinton back to Key West at the end of our trip? - Rental is about as cheap

 

I understand that sea base provides a camp stove for our 4 nights on Big Munson Island, but are we responsible for providing our food or what are we cooking? - Seabase provides all of this.  Neat thing with the food, you get a barrel of food, then Scouts decide on what to cook when

I saw the post that says it gets cold on the island at night and that it might be possible to have hammocks, and the smell…   So I am grate for any info - Depends on if you are front or back of the island.  Bring a hammock, though if it rains you can duck into the tent.

 

thanks in advance.

 

 

 

 

[eagle90]

We flew into Fort Lauderdale and used a limo service (Emerald, if I remember correctly).  They picked us up at the airport, drove us to Brinton, and then returned us to the airport at the end of the trip.  No worries then about rentals, etc. Plus the driver gave us a geography and history lesson along the way!

 

[David CO]

3 hours ago, eagle90 said:

We flew into Fort Lauderdale and used a limo service (Emerald, if I remember correctly).  They picked us up at the airport, drove us to Brinton, and then returned us to the airport at the end of the trip.  No worries then about rentals, etc. Plus the driver gave us a geography and history lesson along the way!

 

I could never take a limo to camp.  It would be humiliating.  But times have changed.  

I would feel like Marty Markham showing up to camp in a chauffeured limousine.  Oh the shame of it!  Even after 3 seasons, the Triple R boys never let him forget about it. 

[fred8033]

2 hours ago, David CO said:

I could never take a limo to camp.  It would be humiliating.  But times have changed.  

I would feel like Marty Markham showing up to camp in a chauffeured limousine.  Oh the shame of it!  Even after 3 seasons, the Triple R boys never let him forget about it. 

Limo services are nice shuttle busses.  Sometimes econoliners with four rows of seats.  Other times, similar to airport car rental shuttles.  Never the traditional stretch cadilac.

BUT ... it would be fun to show up in a stretch cadilac.

Edited August 15, 2021 by fred8033

[Bear456]

I was thinking like 10 or 15-pax van when I saw limo.   Some of those Mercedes Sprinter vans that some hotels run are pretty nice. and overkill IMO, but I'm just looking for transportation from the airport to Sea Base and back to the airport at the end.   

I didn't know if Sea Base had space to park a van for the whole week we will be on Munson Island.  so it seemed like a waste to rent a van from a rental company for the whole week when all it would do is sit at Sea Base for Days 2-6 and only be used on Day 1 and Day 7.

The rental car companies I'm looking at 11 months out are quoting about $1300 for a 15-pax van for a week rental.

Although at work my employer contracted for a shuttle van to transport us from point A to point B, and a stretch limo with a fully stocked bar showed up - not the normal Sprinter.  So that was pretty nice.

Edited August 15, 2021 by Bear456

[Bear456]

So the swim test at Sea Base is the standard BSA swim test?   jump in the pool and do the 4 laps and float for a minute?

Someone mentioned that the paddle to Big Munson was no joke, so no preparation is needed other than everyone needs to paddle?  How long does this paddle take to cover the 6 miles to the island?   I'm looking at the chart and I'm trying to figure out how we get from Brinton to Munson or someone from sea base takes care of the navigation and we follow a boat out there?

 

[69RoadRunner]

Swim test is the usual, but a tad shorter at the environmental center. The biggest issue some scouts have is swimming in a natural body of water vs. at a pool. At Sea Base, you're swimming near docks in ocean water.

Take a hammock and a tarp. That's what I did. It was really hot and while you can take the fly off of the tents, you can have storms every night. A hammock means you have better airflow and you don't have to tent with another person. That's a big reason why I took a tent to Northern Tier and Sea Base. I hate tenting with someone else. It's very hard to sleep.

Sea Base actually likes you to have a van. The reason is if they have to evacuate due to a hurricane, you can get in your van and boogey.

Sea Base provided flippers, but we had to have our own snorkels due to Covid. Not sure what will be the case next year.

Prepare? Hmmm. That might have been something to consider. Some good cardio is needed for the paddle out and back and you have to be able to swim. Test out your snorkel gear before you go so you're familiar. Otherwise, maybe get a base tan? (kidding, mostly)

They provide all the food and coffee. In fact, figuring out how to turn the supplied food into daily meals is part of the crew's responsibility. Let them do this. I just told the crew leader to set things aside on day one to figure it out. Our crew did great. Take a coffee mug.

 

[69RoadRunner]

I assume you've read this thread I wrote?

 

[qwazse]

Definitely get some time in at a natural waterfront. Go over Safe Swim defense and Safety Afloat. The more your scouts prepare, the more they’ll enjoy.

[Bear456]

1 hour ago, 69RoadRunner said:

I assume you've read this thread I wrote?

 

That was the first thread I found about Sea Base, so thank you very much for that one,  I did find another Sea Base thread several pages down.

Good point on having a van for hurricane evacuation.   I was wondering how that contingency was covered in the event of a hurricane while out on the island.

How much gear are we allowed to take out to the island?

 

[yknot]

I've never done a high adventure trip with scouts although we've had crews in our units go to both Phimont and Sea Base. You can never go wrong by being over prepared. Everyone might be fine in normal conditions over years of doing these trips. However, you never know when you might be faced with unexpected weather or some other unusual condition. It's a good instinct to get your scouts out swimming in open water conditions. We recently concluded the Olympics. Many successful athletes did their best to simulate Tokyo's extreme weather conditions while still at home.  Do what you can. 

[69RoadRunner]

6 hours ago, Bear456 said:

That was the first thread I found about Sea Base, so thank you very much for that one,  I did find another Sea Base thread several pages down.

Good point on having a van for hurricane evacuation.   I was wondering how that contingency was covered in the event of a hurricane while out on the island.

How much gear are we allowed to take out to the island?

 

Very little. Check the guidebook on their web site. That's it. They provide most things.