Ambersand Beach Seaplane Base

The closure was a direct result of the death of the private owner and operator. Private-use airfields and seaplane bases are often tied to a single individual's aviation activities and are typically decommissioned when the owner ceases operations, sells the property, or passes away.

The site is now simply an open water area within the Indian River Lagoon. The coordinates point to the water adjacent to a high-end, private residential area on the barrier island. The location is used for general public recreation, including boating, fishing, and watersports. There are no visible remnants of a dedicated seaplane facility, as it likely utilized a private dock or beach for mooring.

Ambersand Beach Seaplane Base was a private-use facility officially activated in April 1987. It served as a personal base for its owner's recreational seaplane operations on the Indian River Lagoon. It was not a commercial airport, handled no scheduled traffic, and had no FBOs (Fixed-Base Operators). The designated landing area was a 5,000 ft by 1,000 ft water runway (18W/36W) on the lagoon, adjacent to the residential community of Ambersand Beach on Orchid Island. Its significance was purely local, providing a private individual with convenient access to the Florida waterways by air.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the seaplane base. Given that it was a private facility tied to a specific individual who is now deceased, and the adjacent land is a developed residential area, its reopening is considered extremely unlikely. A new property owner would have to be a seaplane enthusiast and complete the entire FAA registration process from scratch to establish a new private base.