Oneida BSA Troop 2 travels to Florida National High Adventure Sea Base
A local crew of 8 teenage Scouts and adult leaders from Oneida Troop 2 travelled to the Florida National High Adventure Sea Base. The Crew embarked on a once in a lifetime adventure February 18-24 th , that broadened their perspective of our world and experienced “ocean adventures that make a lifetime difference.”
When we think about outdoor program and high adventure in Scouting, we typically think of hiking and camping. The Sea Base provides an opportunity to explore another part of our world that few Scouts ever see – the Atlantic Ocean and Florida Bay.
The crew paddled a Polynesian war canoe more than five miles to a primitive barrier island located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary for a unique primitive camping, and epic high adventure experience. Upon arrival at Big Munson Island, the Crew camped under a canopy of gumbo limbo trees, mangroves, and lush vegetation. Endangered Key Deer passed through the campsite along with hermit crabs. From Big Munson Island the Crew ocean kayaked, boarded a large vessel to access the Florida Barrier Reef to snorkel, boarded a Sea Base vessel for a fishing excursion, shark fished, paddled to Munson Rocks for a night snorkel, and explored the largest wilderness on Earth. The ocean.
The Florida National High Adventure Sea Base is a unique Scouting program that offers aquatics programs found nowhere else and serves around 13,000 participants annually. The Sea Base began in the early 1970’s as a local program in the Florida Keys called the Florida Gateway to High Adventure under the guidance of Sam Wampler, a professional Scouter from the South Florida Council. As the idea caught on and grew, it joined the high adventure offerings of the National Council of the BSA along with Philmont Scout Ranch and the Northern Tier High Adventure Base. As the popularity of this program grew, scuba diving was added and in 1984 the BSA received the gift of Big Munson Island from Homer Formsby. This undeveloped island offered tremendous program potential as an outpost for primitive camping, Robinson Crusoe style. Thanks to the generosity of J. Porter Brinton of Greenwich, CT, the Brinton Environmental Center opened in 2001.
Scouting’s most complete aquatic facility offers a variety of water activities from scuba diving to sailing Tall Ships. All of our participants have the opportunity to swim, snorkel, and fish among the most beautiful coral reefs in the northern hemisphere. For more information visit bsaseabase.org like on Facebook.com at Florida Sea Base in The Florida Keys, or call 305.664.4173.