Sea Base Islamorada - Photos, Map, Check-in Process!

If you've got an upcoming trip to Sea Base Islamorada planned, you may be curious as to what to expect when you arrive. What does it look like? What's the layout? How does it work? This page provides a walk-through tour of the camp as you arrive for your Sea Base adventure, with a locations map and photos to give you a better idea what to expect.

Here is a map and layout of the base and the various stations and locations you will need to know. If you are looking for the Brinton Environmental Center (BEC) on Summerland Key, click here.

Arrival at Sea Base Islamorada

You may arrive at Sea Base in a car, a small van or even a large bus. Commonly, you get dropped off in the front area near the program office (1). But you may have to park further down.

You will then unload your gear and carry it to the quarterdeck area (2) on the map above.

This is a blue building raised over a covered area that's open on the sides and has a number of wooden picnic tables underneath.

Each crew typically takes their own table. That helps to keep the crew's gear separate and organized so it is taken to the right boat, dorm or locker. Sea Base map arrival

Quarterdeck

The quarterdeck area is a covered area of picnic tables under a blue building.

On the top floor of that building is the Sea Base ship store which you enter from the back left corner and exit from the back right corner going up and down stairs.

When you first enter Sea Base Islamorada you head for the Quarterdeck area and stow your gear on top of empty tables there, then find your crew mate.

Quarterdeck area

Checking In

There are plenty of Sea Base staff walking around and if you don't approach them they will probably approach you and you will find your crew mate to check in. Your crew mate will need to get together with your leaders who have all the paperwork and sit down at a table off to the side to review it. This could take as little as 30 minutes to as much as an hour and a half. It depends how organized you are and how complete the paperwork is. It's best to make sure there is nothing left unchecked, uncompleted or ambiguous on the paperwork for all participants. Even something as simple as a missing date for a tetanus shot can cause an issue.

Change, stow your gear and fill water bottles

water and ice station While the leaders are checking in the crews, the crews themselves should be preparing, separating the gear they will leave on land, which will go into the lockers or dorms until checkout day. The lockers are in the building with the dorms identified as number (4) on the map above.

Each crew gets one locker and you bring your own lock to lock it.

The lockers are approximately 3 feet by 3 feet and about 6 feet deep.

The crews can go to the restrooms or showers (4) or the STU's and begin

changing into their swimsuits and boat gear or whatever is appropriate for their activity coming up, and
begin filling their water bottles at the Water and Ice station identified as (3) on the map.

The Sea Base Ship Store

At some point one of the staff will solemnly approach you to talk to you about ... well I never did hear what pitch was exactly about... but it was to take us to the Ship Store. (News flash; it was a sales pitch). The store is packed with loads of Sea Base stuff, some useful, some overpriced. Souvenirs, toiletries, gear, shirts, sweatshirts, hats, candy, drinks, ice cream, you name it. See this page for photos of the inside of the physical Sea Base Keys Ship Store to see what is sold (and the prices); it's different from what is in the online store. They will ship badges, btw.

DO look for the clearance rack near the entrance door, on the right - good bargains there like Sea Base T-shirts FOR $12.

Photos and Flags

Your mate will take you over to the photo area which is usually by the Chapel (5) but you can pretty much do it anywhere and they will give you your crew flag if you don't already have one . Photos there go on the wall so to speak on the Sea Base website and of course you get a copy as well electronically.

Fins and PFDs

After getting our crew photos done, we were taken over to the Fins and PFD room, number (6) on the map above, just across from the dorms. This is probably the hottest room you have ever been in, outside of a Turkish sauna in Islamabad. While you simmer and cook in there, they will have you test your feet in the fins and you grab a personal flotation device (PFD). The fit on your fins is important. Try not to get one that's either too tight around your toes nor too big and loose. They are somewhat adjustable, but listen to the staff; they know what they're doing. If they tell you if need a different size, you probably do! Get on your boat

Find your adventure's specific tentative itinerary here:

What you need to do and where you go right after check-in depends upon your specific adventure, the weather, and other factors. That said, here are the typical schedules:

Next Up - Land-based Adventures

Your crew mate will give you a tour of the facilities, assign you to your dorm, conduct your swim review, and then give you some time to settle in before a leader’s meeting at 5:30 pm, and dinner at 5:45 pm at the Galley (8) across from the Quarterdeck in the green building - see photos below.

You can see photos and more about the Sea Base Islamorada dorms here
or
the Brinton Summerland Key dorms and arrival here.

After dinner, there will be a brief opening ceremony and then its bedtime.

Galley - inside

Next Up - Coral Reef Sailing Adventures

If you're on a Coral Reef Sailing adventure OR your crew mate tells you you're heading out to sea right away (not common, but it happens), when the check in process is complete, you'll need to do a group fin-snorkel-mask swim test in the lagoon (10) on the map, to the far left of the docks, down a path. It happens fast, so if you have never practiced with your gear... well, it could become interesting.

Snorkel-Mask-Fin Tips

My advice is get one or two pair of fins (that match the largest and average foot sizes of the participants) the for the troop and in the weeks leading up to your trek, meet at a pool with those fins and each person brings their own mask and snorkel, (see this page for mask and snorkel information and a selection guide) then get everyone practice with the mask and snorkel, and with the fins! There is a trick to it, and it takes some time to get comfortable with the fins, mask and snorkel all at the same time.

These fins are nearly identical to the ones used by Sea Base.
These fins are similar, just cost 1/2 the others and are, but would save money on a practice pair - and they are VERY popular.

Sailboating Tips

After the fin/swim test at (10), you'll carry your gear out to the docks (7), meet your captain and board your boat. That is dependent upon whether you're on a boat trip that is departing right away. Some sailing trips may depart for their sailing that evening, the next morning or later in the week. n the week.

The captains own or lease their own boats, or in some cases, captain the boat for an owner.

Each captain sets his own rules for the boat. Most do not allow you to wear shoes of any kind on the boat. Some allow dive socks, but you probably won't even want to wear those. Your feet give you the best grip. Once you've met your captain, you start boarding the boat, bringing your crew bags on first (typically) and then the other bags. Most gear gets stored below deck. Snorkels and bins and masks usually get stored above decks bungeed or clipped to a line or railing so they don't fall overboard.

Heading out to sea

No matter which trek you are on, sooner or later, you will be heading to the docks and out to sea! Undoubtedly, you have questions about the boats, where and how you sleep, eat, poop, etc.

So, click here to get familiar with life on the typical Sea Base Morgan 41 sailboat. This page has many detailed photos and descriptions of the interior (and deck area) of the sailboat!

More general information

What can you do after finishing at Sea Base if you have time before your flight or before coming to Sea Base?
Some crews do the following, all of which are close by, some just 5 minutes away.

Other related pages: