Florida Sea Base
Florida Sea Base is a nonprofit Scouting America program founded in 1980 that delivers ocean and aquatic high-adventure treks — scuba diving, sailing, fishing, coral restoration, and marine education — across five locations in the Florida Keys, Bahamas, and U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 16,000+ youth and adult participants annually.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersIslamorada, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Florida Sea Base does
Florida Sea Base (legal name: Scouting America, Sea Base) is a nonprofit youth adventure program operated by Scouting America and founded in 1980 as the organization's first co-educational facility. It delivers ocean and aquatic high-adventure programming across five physical locations: three sites in the Florida Keys (Islamorada, Summerland Key, and Camp Sawyer), plus international operations in Abaco, Bahamas and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. The core product, Scout Adventures, comprises 20 distinct treks spanning scuba diving, sailing (including live aboard), fishing, kayaking, ocean paddling, snorkeling, camping, marine education, and coral restoration, serving more than 16,000 participants annually.
Sea Base generates revenue through a diversified nonprofit model: adventure program fees from Scouting America units (Troops, Crews, Ships) registered via reservations.scouting.org; professional certification tuition from PADI Divemaster Academy, Dive Instructor Development, and U.S. Coast Guard Captain's Courses; merchandise sales through the Ship Store; donations including a dedicated Coral Restoration Fund; and off-season revenue from school groups, family camping, and conference hosting (October–April). Go-to-market is primarily event-driven and ecosystem-mediated: acquisition flows through Scouting America's centralized reservation system and the broader high-adventure base network (Summit Bechtel Reserve, Northern Tier, Philmont Scout Ranch), with no independent direct-to-consumer sales motion. The organization holds multiple credentialed designations, including NOAA Blue Star provider, Florida DEP Clean and Sustainable Marina, Project AWARE membership, REEF Field Station status, and WOSM Scout Centers of Excellence recognition since 1994.
Florida Sea Base firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Florida Sea Base
- Legal name
- Scouting America, Sea Base
- Website
- https://bsaseabase.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Florida Sea Base is a nonprofit Scouting America program founded in 1980 that delivers ocean and aquatic high-adventure treks — scuba diving, sailing, fishing, coral restoration, and marine education — across five locations in the Florida Keys, Bahamas, and U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 16,000+ youth and adult participants annually.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Florida Sea Base industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Adventure Camps
- NAICS
- Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210)
- SIC
- Water Transportation (4400), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Dive Centers & Scuba Training (PADI/SSI, certifications) (THAAAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Diving Experiences (Scuba Dives, Dive Trips, PADI/SSI Courses) (THAJAJAD), Private Charters & Yacht Experiences (Crewed, Bareboat, Day Charters) (THAJAJAB), Kayaking, Canoeing & SUP Coastal Tours (THAAAIAF), Dive & Snorkel Guides / Dive Masters (Boat-Based & Shore-Based) (THAAALAC), Coastal & Marine Nature Lodges (THAGAIAH)
Keywords
Where Florida Sea Base is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Islamorada
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Florida Sea Base business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Adventure Program Fees: Revenue generated from participants registering for various adventure treks including scuba diving, sailing, fishing, marine education, and coral restoration programs. Fees vary by adventure type, duration, and program year.
- Professional Certification Courses: Revenue from Divemaster Academy, Dive Instructor Development Course, and Captain's Course that provide professional certifications (PADI courses, U.S. Coast Guard captain's license).
- Scout Store Merchandise: Online ship store selling gear and equipment needed for sea base adventures.
- Donations and Fundraising: Donations specifically designated for Sea Base operations and coral restoration initiatives, including the Coral Restoration Fund.
- Schools and Conference Hosting: Revenue from hosting school groups and conferences at Florida Keys locations during October-April open season.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Scout Adventure Programs - Multi-night group trips |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Florida Sea Base product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Florida Sea Base operates as a Scouting America program delivering multi-night ocean and aquatic adventure experiences at five locations across the Florida Keys, Bahamas, and U.S. Virgin Islands. The core offering is the Scout Adventures portfolio of 20 different high-adventure treks (scuba diving, sailing, fishing, marine education, coral restoration, ocean paddling, and barrier island camping), supplemented by professional PADI diving certification courses (Divemaster Academy, Instructor Development Course) and a U.S. Coast Guard Captain's Course.
Product overview
Florida Sea Base is a Scouting America program offering a unified portfolio of ocean and aquatic adventure programs through multiple locations in the Florida Keys (Islamorada, Summerland Key), the Bahamas, St. Thomas, and Camp Sawyer. The core offering is Scout Adventures, which provides 20 different high-adventure treks encompassing activities such as scuba diving, sailing, fishing, camping, marine education, and coral restoration. Supporting professional development products include the Divemaster Academy, Dive Instructor Development Course, and Captain's Course for credential programs. Additional programs include Family Adventure Camp for non-scout families, Schools Programs for marine biology education, Conference hosting services, and COASTS programs for special needs scouts. The Coral Restoration Program integrates conservation work into adventure activities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Divemaster Academy: PADI professional diving certification program
- Dive Instructor Development Course
- Captain's Course
- COASTS
- Family Adventure Camp
Products and services
- Scout Adventures
- Divemaster Academy
- Dive Instructor Development Course
- Captain's Course
- Family Adventure Camp
- Schools Program
- Conference Hosting
- COASTS Program
- Coral Restoration Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Serves over 16,000 participants annually
Companies that use Florida Sea Base
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Florida Sea Base technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Florida Sea Base partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Scouting AmericacoreSea Base is a program of Scouting America, operating as one of four national High Adventure Bases. All registration flows through Scouting America's centralized reservation system (reservations.scouting.org). Sea Base serves Scouting America units (Troops, Crews, Ships) and is part of the broader Scouting America network.
- PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors)coreSea Base offers PADI certification courses including Divemaster Academy and Dive Instructor Development Course. These programs prepare attendees to earn PADI professional diving certifications.
- Summit Bechtel ReserveflagshipOne of four Scouting America High Adventure Bases. Linked as part of Sea Base's network of high adventure programming destinations including Northern Tier and Philmont Scout Ranch.
- Northern TierflagshipOne of four Scouting America High Adventure Bases. Part of the national high adventure base network for Scouting America.
- Philmont Scout RanchflagshipOne of four Scouting America High Adventure Bases. Part of the national high adventure base network for Scouting America.
- NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)coreSea Base is recognized as a NOAA Blue Star provider, indicating partnership in ocean education and marine conservation initiatives.
- Project AWARE FoundationcoreSea Base is a 100% Project AWARE Member, supporting marine conservation efforts and diving industry environmental programs.
- Florida Department of Environmental ProtectioncoreSea Base is certified as a Florida DEP Clean and Sustainable Marina, meeting state environmental standards for marina operations.
- REEF Environmental Education FoundationminorSea Base is designated as a REEF Environmental Education Field Station, supporting marine conservation and education programming.
- U.S. Coast GuardcoreSea Base's Captain's Course, coupled with required hours at sea, prepares attendees to earn a U.S. Coast Guard issued captain's license.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights5 records
Florida Sea Base competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS): Global nonprofit adventure educator offering wilderness and marine expeditions. Comparable long-form outdoor education model, certification pathways, and emphasis on leadership development.
- Outward Bound USA: National nonprofit delivering multi-day outdoor adventure courses, including sailing and scuba expeditions in the Florida Keys. Comparable mission, programming structure, and youth-development framing.
- Northern Tier: Scouting America High Adventure Base in Minnesota/Canada focused on canoeing and wilderness adventures. Direct sister program with identical distribution (reservations.scouting.org) and customer base.
- The Summit Bechtel Reserve: Scouting America High Adventure Base in West Virginia focused on action sports. Direct sister program in the same four-base national high-adventure network serving identical Scouting units.
- Philmont Scout Ranch: Sister Scouting America High Adventure Base in New Mexico offering backcountry expeditions. Directly comparable as a national high-adventure destination serving the same Scouting customer pipeline with multi-night group programming.
Broad incumbents
- Project Adventure: National experiential education nonprofit focused on adventure-based learning for schools and youth organizations. Comparable youth-development mission and adventure programming framework.
Regional players
- Rainbow Reef Dive Center: PADI Five-Star dive operator in Key Largo offering scuba training, charters, and certifications in the Upper Keys. Comparable PADI-led dive training and Florida Keys dive tourism operations.
- Islamorada Dive Center: Long-running Florida Keys PADI dive shop operating scuba charters, courses, and marine excursions from Islamorada — the same geography where Sea Base runs programming.
- Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas: Premier PADI dive operator in Nassau offering shark dives, certifications, and day charters in the Bahamas — directly comparable to Sea Base's Abaco Bahamas marine experience product.
Others
- PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors): Global certifying body whose standards Sea Base delivers against. Indirect peer/partner — defines the certification curriculum Sea Base monetizes and the instructor network it draws from.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Florida Sea Base social profiles
Digital presenceFlorida Sea Base compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Florida Sea Base financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Florida Sea Base leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Florida Sea Base funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Florida Sea Base M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Florida Sea Base
What does Florida Sea Base do?
Florida Sea Base operates as a Scouting America program delivering multi-night ocean and aquatic adventure experiences at five locations across the Florida Keys, Bahamas, and U.S. Virgin Islands. The core offering is the Scout Adventures portfolio of 20 different high-adventure treks (scuba diving, sailing, fishing, marine education, coral restoration, ocean paddling, and barrier island camping), supplemented by professional PADI diving certification courses (Divemaster Academy, Instructor Development Course) and a U.S. Coast Guard Captain's Course.
Is Florida Sea Base a public or private company?
Florida Sea Base is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Florida Sea Base founded?
Florida Sea Base was founded in 1980. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Florida Sea Base based?
Florida Sea Base is headquartered in Islamorada, United States, in the North America region.
How does Florida Sea Base make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Adventure Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are professional Certification Courses, scout Store Merchandise, donations and Fundraising and schools and Conference Hosting.
Who are Florida Sea Base's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), Outward Bound USA, Northern Tier, The Summit Bechtel Reserve and Philmont Scout Ranch. Project Adventure is listed as a broad incumbent. Regional players are Rainbow Reef Dive Center, Islamorada Dive Center and Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas. PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) is listed as an others.
Does Florida Sea Base have an API?
No public API is recorded for Florida Sea Base.
What industry is Florida Sea Base in?
Florida Sea Base's product category is Youth Adventure Camps. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAAAIAA, Dive Centers & Scuba Training (PADI/SSI, certifications), with a secondary code of THAJAJAD, Diving Experiences (Scuba Dives, Dive Trips, PADI/SSI Courses). Its NAICS code is 4872 and its SIC code is 4400.