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ABOUT THE NEWPORT SEA BASE
The Newport Sea Base is a place where sunlight, sailboats and sea lions are part of the day! Our desire is to inspire a love for the marine environment in the hearts of young people.
Since 1937, the Sea Base has provided fun and valuable educational maritime-based programs to all youth.
Year-round, girls and boys learn oceanography, marine biology, environmental science, boating safety, dinghy and keelboat sailing, rowing, canoeing, kayaking, motor boating, and other aquatic-related subjects.
MISSION
The mission is to provide a marine-oriented public education and recreation facility for youth and young adults for substantial public benefit in the form of enhanced knowledge, awareness, and understanding of the marine environment and aquatic recreation.
The Newport Sea Base is open all youth, including Scouting members, and other youth and young-adult organizations.
The site is provided courtesy of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, and operated by the Orange County Council, Boy Scouts of America.
HISTORY
In 1937, when “Sea Base” was little more than a strip of sand just east of “The Arches,” a groundswell of public support created the first 25-year lease of the Newport Sea Base property to the Orange County Council, Boy Scouts of America. Since that time, the Sea Base has been providing quality maritime programs for youth with a commitment to developing character and inspiring a love for the marine environment in the hearts of youth.
William H. Spurgeon, III spearheaded a drive to develop the facility that included a bulkhead, storage facility, a clubhouse, restrooms and shower building in 1947. By 1961, 2,100 Scouts used the Base, and by 1969 the overall day use attendance was 12,000 a year. During that period, new buildings and programs, like the summer Aquatics Camp, were added. Many of the programs continue today.
The original Newport Sea Base was beginning to show its age by the 1970s and demolition began in 1979. The Newport Sea Base (in its previous configuration) was dedicated on December 7, 1980.
In 2002, the Sea Base began a $7.2 million project to transform the facility into a modern teaching and aquatics center. The expanded Sea Base now features additional classrooms, a library, conference room, crew center, picnic area and new boating equipment. Fleets of boats include kayaks, canoes, rowboats and over three dozen sailboats. It is also home to the two Sea Scout Ships: Del Mar and Renegades, as well as the Chapman University Crew Team, Chapman University Sailing Team and Corona del Mar High School Sailing Team.
The site is provided courtesy of the Orange County Board of Supervisors and operated by the Orange County Council, Boy Scouts of America. A shining example of what a privately funded and publicly accessible facility can do, the Sea Base counts an overall attendance of more than 15,000 per year. The success of the Newport Sea Base has been made possible through the generous contributions of many dedicated donors.
The Newport Sea Base is a place where sunlight, sailboats and sea lions are part of the day! Our desire is to inspire a love for the marine environment in the hearts of young people.
Since 1937, the Newport Sea Base has provided fun and valuable educational maritime-based programs to all youth.
Year-round, girls and boys learn oceanography, marine biology, environmental science, boating safety, dinghy and keelboat sailing, rowing, canoeing, kayaking, motor boating, and other aquatic-related subjects.
The Newport Sea Base is a place where sunlight, sailboats and sea lions are part of the day! Our desire is to inspire a love for the marine environment in the hearts of young people.
Since 1937, the Newport Sea Base has provided fun and valuable educational maritime-based programs to all youth.
Year-round, girls and boys learn oceanography, marine biology, environmental science, boating safety, dinghy and keelboat sailing, rowing, canoeing, kayaking, motor boating, and other aquatic-related subjects.
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