Sea Base 2028 — Troop 474

Troop 474 is going to Florida Sea Base in Islamorada in summer 2028. Everything you need is on this page.

At a glance

• Two choices: live aboard a sailboat, or scuba dive (you must already be certified).

• Dec 1–20, 2026: Signup form is open. Your signup time is recorded.

• Jan 4, 2027: We email payment requests, in signup order.

• Jan 6, 2027: Pay $300 or you lose your spot to the next person.

• Mid-Jan 2027: Troop books the crews with Sea Base (first come, first served).

• Oct 15, 2027: Pay ~$875 (second payment).

• Dec 31, 2027: Priority adults finish Wilderness First Aid + CPR/AED.

• Feb 1, 2028: Pay the remainder, ~$875 (final payment).

• Feb 1, 2028: Scuba medical forms due.

• Week after May 26, 2028: Trip, right after school ends. Exact day set when we book.

• Total cost: about $2,050 per person, approximate and may go up (Sea Base fee + van, gas, food on travel days).

• All payments are non-refundable. If you drop, you find your replacement.

• Meeting point: Unity church, Racetrack Road, St. Johns County.

• Questions: seabase2028@troop474.com

The two options

You pick and rank on the signup form. How many crews of each we book depends on how many people sign up.

Live aboard: Sailing

• What you do: sail, snorkel, fish; cook, clean and stand anchor watch on the boat.

• Where you sleep: on the boat (most sleep on deck).

• Length: 6 days / 5 nights (Sea Exploring: 7 days / 6 nights).

• Crew size: 8, 12 or 20 people, depending on signups.

• Minimum age: 12 by arrival.

• Scuba certification: not needed.

• Total cost per person (approx.): ~$2,050 (Sea Base fee + van, gas, travel-day food).

Scuba (certified divers)

• What you do: up to 11 open-water dives on the reef, including a night dive.

• Where you sleep: air-conditioned dorms at Sea Base.

• Length: 7 days / 6 nights.

• Crew size: 8 or 12 people, depending on signups.

• Minimum age: 13 by arrival, no exceptions.

• Scuba certification: required before signup (Open Water or higher).

• Total cost per person (approx.): ~$2,050 (Sea Base fee + van, gas, travel-day food).

All costs are approximate and can go up (2028 Sea Base prices are not out yet, and a crew that is one person short costs more per person).

Which program? You sign up for "Sailing" or "Scuba." We choose the exact program (and how many crews) based on how many sign up — see How signup works below.

Sailing programs: Coral Reef Sailing (crew of 8), Eco Sailing Adventure (crew of 12), Sea Exploring (crew of 20, one extra day). Scuba programs: Scuba Adventure (crew of 8), Advanced Marine Exploration (crew of 12, earns PADI Advanced Open Water).

• Scuba: you must get your own certification before the trip. That cost is not included.

• Scuba medical rules are strict. Asthma, seizures, insulin-dependent diabetes, anxiety medication, or more than one ADD/ADHD/depression medication = no diving. No waivers. Read the Scuba guide before you rank scuba first.

Who can go

Minimum age by arrival date: 12 for sailing, 13 for scuba. No exceptions.

Everyone (youth and adults):

• Registered Scouting America member (bring your membership card).

• Pass the Scouting America swim test as a Swimmer within 1 year of the trip. Sea Base does not do swim tests on site.

• Under 295 lbs. Everyone is weighed at check-in. Over the limit = sent home at your own cost.

• Annual Health and Medical Record (AHMR) Parts A, B and C, signed by a doctor.

• Able to climb a 6-foot ladder from the water onto a rocking boat, unassisted.

Adults (21+), in addition:

• Registered in a leader position with a background check.

• Trainings: Safeguarding Youth, Safe Swim Defense, Safety Afloat, Hazardous Weather.

• Each crew needs 2 adults and at least 1 with Wilderness First Aid + CPR/AED (or MD, DO, RN, EMT, etc.).

• Youth must be equal to or more than adults on every crew.

How signup works

1. Dec 1–20, 2026: fill out the signup form [link]. Rank the options 1st, 2nd. Only rank what you would actually do. The form records your signup time — earlier is better.

2. Dec 21 – Jan 3: we build crews using your rankings, the priority order below, then signup time.

3. Jan 4, 2027: you get an email — a payment request for your spot, or a waitlist notice.

4. By Jan 6, 2027: pay $300. No payment = your spot goes to the next person on the list.

5. Mid-Jan 2027: troop books the crews with Sea Base.

Priority order for adults when filling crews:

1. Adults who commit to finish Wilderness First Aid + CPR/AED by Dec 31, 2027 (a Sea Base requirement), and adults who are MDs.

2. Current active adult leaders.

3. Everyone else, by signup time.

How crews are filled (sailing and scuba alike):

• We book whatever crew combination lets the most people go.

• Every crew must be full or missing just 1 person (7 of 8, 11 of 12, 19 of 20).

• Crews are filled in signup order; anyone who doesn't fit goes to the waitlist.

• If two combinations take the same number of people, we pick the cheaper one per person.

• Extra crews depend on Sea Base availability for that week.

Signing up is not a guarantee. Sea Base books first come, first served, and an option may sell out.

Cost and payments

Total is about $2,050 per person, paid in three parts.

1. $300 — due Jan 6, 2027. Covers the Sea Base crew deposit and Sea Base's 2nd payment.

2. ~$875 — due Oct 15, 2027. Covers Sea Base's 3rd payment (due to Sea Base Nov 1, 2027*).

3. ~$875 — due Feb 1, 2028. Covers Sea Base's final payment (due ~Feb 28, 2028, 90 days before arrival*) plus travel.

Budget for a possible increase: if a crew ends up one person short, the Sea Base fee, van and gas are split fewer ways. Expect about $220–$250 more per person on that crew. Keep this in mind when you plan your budget for the trip.

Earn it through fundraising: Scouts can earn money toward their Sea Base cost at the troop's 2027 fundraisers (mulch sales, camp cards, etc.).

• All amounts are approximate and can go up (2028 Sea Base prices, possible Sea Base fuel/food surcharges, crew size, van and gas costs).

• Why more than the Sea Base price: van rental, gas, and food on the two travel days, plus crew gear (first aid kit, med case, locks).

• How to pay: through the troop treasurer, the same way you pay other troop fees.

• All payments are non-refundable. If you drop out, you must find a replacement who meets all requirements for your option (scuba = certified diver). They take over your spot and remaining payments.

• Missed deadline: your spot goes to the next person on the waitlist. Sea Base cancels crews that miss its deadlines, so troop dates are firm.

• Not included: scuba certification, mask and snorkel, personal gear, spending money ($125–$175 suggested by Sea Base).

*Based on the 2027 Sea Base schedule and a late-May 2028 arrival; 2028 dates not published yet.

Travel

• We drive down and back the same day. No hotel.

• Depart: 4:00 AM from Unity church, Racetrack Road. Arrive by 3:30 AM to load.

• Arrive: Sea Base, 73800 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, FL, around 12–1 PM. Check-in window is 1–3 PM. Eat lunch before check-in.

• Wear your uniform (field or activity). Sea Base requires it on arrival.

• Return: leave Sea Base by 11:00 AM on the last day; back in St. Johns around [TBD] PM.

• Transport: troop-rented van(s) [+ parent drivers? TBD].

What you need to do

Before signup (by Dec 20, 2026)

• Read this page and the participant guide for the option(s) you rank.

• Scuba: confirm you hold Open Water certification from a recognized agency (PADI, NAUI, SSI, etc.).

• Scuba: check the medical rules. If in doubt, ask your doctor before signing up.

After you get a spot

• Pay $300 by Jan 6, 2027.

• Make sure your Scouting America registration stays current through summer 2028.

• Adults: complete Safeguarding Youth, Safe Swim Defense, Safety Afloat, Hazardous Weather.

• Priority adults: Wilderness First Aid + CPR/AED by Dec 31, 2027.

• Pay ~$875 by Oct 15, 2027.

• Get the Medical forms (Parts A, B, C) signed by an MD or DO.

• Scuba: also the RSTC Diver Medical form signed by an MD/DO. 

• Pay the remainder (~$875) by Feb 1, 2028.

• Pass the swim test as a Swimmer (within 1 year of the trip). Troop swim test date: [TBD].

• Practice snorkeling; buy your own mask and snorkel (full-face masks not allowed).

• Scuba: bring a dive watch or computer, cert card, and logbook.

• Pack from the Sea Base packing list. No aerosol sunscreen; reef-safe SPF 35+ only.

Fine print

• Refunds: All troop payments are non-refundable; if you drop, find a replacement. Sea Base keeps the $350 crew deposit and refunds nothing else unless it rebooks the crew.

• Weather: no refund for activities cancelled by weather. Hurricane evacuation = refund for missed days only. Travel insurance recommended.

• Medical: the Sea Base Medical Director's decision is final. A doctor's OK or an existing scuba card does not override Scouting America rules.

Links and contacts

• Sailing participant guide (PDF) — Coral Reef Sailing, Eco Sailing, Sea Exploring

• Scuba participant guide (PDF) — Scuba Adventure, Advanced Marine Exploration, scuba medical rules

• Packing lists: Sailing · Scuba (the "Gear & Packing" section of each guide)

• All Sea Base participant guides (updated each fall; 2028 guides come out fall 2027)

• Sea Base eligibility

• Troop contact: seabase2028@troop474.com