Newport Sea Base: Celebrating 80 years of history

Since 1937, the Newport Sea Base (NSB) has been committed to develop character and leadership in young people through a marine environment. Along the way, NSB has inspired a love for the seas in the hearts of youth of Orange County and beyond. Many people still call her the Sea Scout Base, or the Boy Scout Base, which describe some of the phases of the facility. The 400 feet of Newport Harbor waterfront has given access to the joys of the seas for an estimated 200,000 youth over the decades. Today, Sea Base programs are offered to the general public and are intended to increase understanding and appreciation for the marine environment by directly involving participants in thought-provoking and dynamic hands-on activities. Over 6,000 youth were served in 2016, with a turnstile attendance of 53,000. Some notable people that have called NSB home over the years are Bill “the Wizard” Lee, founder of Santa Cruz Yachts; Brad Avery, executive director of OCC School of Sailing and Seamanship; Gino Morrelli, co-founder, Morrelli & Melvin Design, Inc; Billy Whitford, executive director of the Newport Aquatics Center; Bob Whitford, director of facilities and operations at Nathan Benderson Park – Home of the 2017 World Rowing Championships; Wayne Ettel, master shipwright; and countless others who have found a calling in various marine and boating industries. As mentioned, some people are familiar with the Sea Scout program, which is designed for young men and women, ages 14 to 20. This life-changing opportunity allows youth take an active leadership role in running a sailing and seamanship program. They learn, practice, and execute skills such as navigation, piloting, nighttime coastal cruising, radio operations, and more. With regular trips to Catalina, and longer excursions to the Channel Islands, Sea Scouting provides adventures few other youth dream of having. Other big boat sailing experiences come from the NSB Youth Offshore Sailing Team, which competes in races like the Newport to Ensenada Race, Islands Race, Around Catalina Race, Border Run, and others. It is not all sailing, however. Newport Sea Base Rowing is in its third season and has already sent two boats to the US Rowing Junior National Championships, placing 9th and 10th, and one rower was selected to the US Rowing Junior National Team in 2016. Also, in 2016, the Newport Sea Base Marine Science Club was started, and has 19 enthusiastic students engaged in studying the wonders of the ocean. They meet weekly and have monthly field trips to local marine science centers, tide pools and aquariums. NSB sits on land provided courtesy of the Orange County Board of Supervisors and is operated by the Orange County Council, Boy Scouts of America. The success of the Newport Sea Base has been made possible through decades of support and generous contributions of many dedicated donors, including the likes of NOSA.