Broadreach: Caribbean Marine Biology Voyage

This trip was awesome. Getting to live on a 50 foit sailboat with people that became your best friends was something that I'll always remember. Scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, sailing, learning about marine biology and learning how to live on a boat were my favorite parts about the trip. No two days were alike, some days we would dive 3 or 4 times and other days we would sail to new islands. Generally though, we would wake up pretty early after sleeping under the stars, our daily cooks would have breakfast made and we would all sit down to eat together. Each day, new people cook the meals for everyone on the boat (which is actually a lot of fun!) and we pick meals out of a recipe book that they have on board. After breakfast, we'd all help clean up and do the dishes. Then we would do different things, we'd either have a marine bio lecture which were always really interesting, we'd dive, sometimes we would do some games or team building activities, sail or do other things! My favorite days of the trip were the free days that we had on most of the islands. Saba was my favorite island. It's a tiny island that's part of the Netherlands and it looks like something straight out of Jurassic park. It's known for having the tallest peak in the Netherlands, called mount scenery. On one of our free days, five of us chose to hike all the way to the top. It's over a thousand steps to the top and was definitely the hardest hike that I'd ever done but it was definitely worth it. The views from the cloud forest were the best I'd ever seen! Overall, diving over 20 times, living with a bunch of people that became really god friends and learning all about how to sail and about marine biology made this trip the best thing I did all summer. I would highly recommend it to anyone that likes trying new things, adventure and the ocean. This trip made my summer fantastic and it was definitely worth it.

I attatended the Caribbean marine biology voyage in the summer of 2016 at the age of 16, there were 13 of us on our boat (nala) and we called ourselves the nalaites. Together we supported eachother and blossomed together. We had some free time on Saint Eustatius so out skipper turned on some music and we threw a dance party and danced around the boat in conga lines after a while our skipper and another staff member built a rope swing off of the boat we all took turns swinging off of the boat and into the turquoise waters. When our arms were too sore to swing we went for an afternoon snorkel and found an amazing wall with thousands of young fish. In the 21 days that I spent in the Caribbean this is the memory that I will hold closest to my heart. If you have the chance to go on this trip please do if I could I would do it all again in a heart beat I learned so much and made a family that I know will always have my back.

I was awarded a grant by my school to go with Broadreach on their Marine Biology program. In short, it changed my life. Not only was the experience outstanding, but the people I met and the events were amazing. We spent all 12 days on the boat and became so close. The instructors were truly knowledgeable and there was no pressure at all when it came to diving. We became sufficient in diving over just the first few days and at each spot we increased in skill, leading up to the final 'dive' day where we were thrust against an overhang 120' above the seafloor. We combined our skills of buoyancy and breathing control to examine spectacular corals and marine life. On top of the diving, we were given intriguing lectures of the local marine life. We even helped with community service by developing trails for the people of Saba. All in all, this trip was the best experience in my life so far and fostered a love for sailing and diving as well as marine biology. If given the choice of Broadreach or another program, I can assure you that you will have no regrets choosing Broadreach and when you get back home, you will be looking for ways to get right back there.

At the age of fourteen, a summer trip has completely changed the way I see the world. Being on a trip with possibly ten other teenagers made me learn valuable lessons that couldn't be taught anywhere else. Waking up every day to the beautiful Caribbean Sea and seeing all the amazing sea life opens our eyes to how beautiful the world really is. The dives were amazing. Every time we would go down, so many animals and corals were there to be discovered. The towns are so colorful and the townspeople are really friendly. This trip still makes me think of all the things we learned from how to equalize your ears to cooking dinner for fifteen people. I would go back for the whole summer if I had a choice. Broadreach is the way to go if you are looking for a once in a lifetime experience.
- Danube out

This trip was life changing! Two summers ago I experienced this trip and had the best time of my life. Life on the boat was simple, but it was hard work. Ocean showers, scrubbing the deck and cooking canned food became a regular routine. But waking up on the deck and looking out to the crystal clear ocean, seeing stingrays and sea turtles during my wake up swim, diving with nurse sharks and endless coral reefs, make every ounce of work worth it. These are the things I live for and this trip with Broadreach showed me how hard work, friends and nature can really open you up to yourself and allow you to appreciate everything in life. I had a blast making new friends, seeing different islands, hiking a volcano, snorkeling (at least 5 times a day) and learning more than I ever would have in a classroom. Ive done multiple trips with Broadreach and the memories continue to make me smile!

Wish I could be on that boat again! Thanks Broadreach!

I participated in the Caribbean marine biology program this past summer and I am so glad I did! It is an amazing experience and I would definitely recommend it to everyone! While on the trip I received several SCUBA certifications, learned to sail, met awesome people and got to explore beautiful places all while earning school credit. Yes, every meal is cooked by the students on the boat and you have to clean up after yourself. We were assigned days to cook or clean and would switch everyday. If you do not live with your parents at home, it's kinda the same thing, just in PARADISE! You wake up everyday with the view everyone wishes they had, staring at beautiful water. I loved that we had class on the top of a mountain! We were right off of an island and we watched the sun begin to set before we returned to the boat. We got to cliff jump, hike, explore and participate in community service in the rainforest along with the botanical gardens. We had designated lecture time everyday and a few exams but even the lectures were fun. I never felt unsafe on this trip but I knew I could talk to the crew members if I did and if I wanted to call home they would let me use the phone. I was never uncomfortable or worried, Broadreach is an amazing program with amazing staff and I would do it all again tomorrow, worth every penny!

I would not change this experience for anything. I truly cannot imagine with summer without it. This, along with the program I did after it, were the best way I could have spent the summer before my junior year of college. It presented with me with opportunities, connections, and career possibilities I had no idea existed.

I think one of the best elements of the program is the connection between what we learn in our marine biology lectures, our dives, and our small sailing lessons. Not only did we learn about the creatures and the environment, we also learned about our personal and global impact on the water. Leaning about the destruction of the largest ecosystem on the planet and then being able to live out sustainable practices was an incredible experience. Broadreach give me the opportunity to explore the kind of life I wish to lead.

I just returned early from a Broadreach live-aboard program in the Caribbean. I came home because there were serious health and safety issues on the boat, it was filthy. Another girl left when I did because she contracted staph. It was a nightmare. They crowd too many people on their boats, not enough beds for every student! There is no generator on the boat, no a/c, very little refrigeration. Fresh water is rationed to the extreme- we were allowed only a 10- second shower a day, not in private, but on the deck using a hose that trickled water. We were unable to clean ourselves thoroughly. The students are responsible for cooking every meal and cleaning the entire filthy boat. We only had warm water to drink the entire time, nothing else. Only the crew had cold drinks. We were forced to share dive computers even though we pre-paid for rentals through Broadreach. They said they ran out. It is dangerous for more than one diver to rely on a single dive computer. I feel very fortunate that I was able to come home early. I spent my entire savings from my graduation money on this trip, over $6,000.00, and I am so upset that Broadreach is getting away with treating students this way.