Adventure Tours in Oranjestad, St. Eustatius

Prior to going on my Broadreach trip I was a little nervous going into it, not knowing what I was getting myself into and meeting bunch of “strangers.” Little did I know all the instructors and everyone else were so welcoming and kind spirited, I immediately felt a sense of relief and knew I was gonna have the best time. Learning to scuba dive was my favorite part, I always felt so safe and it was just such an exciting and fun thing to do. Also, living on a boat and learning to sail showed me a new side of myself and the world. It taught me to be so great full for the normal Luxuries like unlimited water and internet but also taught me that you don’t need fancy things to live your best life. Exploring all the islands was so cool, I was immersed so many new cultures I had never experienced, and I loved hiking and exploring. The bond I formed with the people around me, is a bond I will never forget, and by the end of the trip I didn’t wanna leave and was ready to come back as soon as I could.

This trip was really fun, but also a bit stressful. For starters, the living situation was rough. It was too hot to sleep in the cabins, so we had to sleep outside, but it rained every night, and it was difficult for all of us to fit under the covered area. My boat had seven people on it, but some had 12, which must have been really cramped! I loved learning to dive and meeting new people, but I felt a little bit unsupported sometimes. For instance, I got this rash (probably due to the fact that you're only allowed 10 seconds of fresh water to shower with), and I wasn't sure who to go to. I guess I could have gone to my counselors, but I would have rather spoken to someone from the support boat. It was kind of frustrating because, even though they were supposed to be there to support us, we never really had a chance to talk to them. I kind of just wanted to call my mom and ask her what to do. I know that all of our counselors and staff were adults and professionals, but I would have felt more comfortable talking to my mom and having her contact support boat for me. We weren't allowed to wash out hands, we could only use hand sanitizer, and we almost ran out before the trip was over. We washed our dishes in the ocean (although we rinsed them off at the end), and if someone used the bathroom while we were doing dishes, we had to wait for a while. Maybe I'm just not cut out for boat life, but I did have a pretty good time.

This voyage was insane! I had so much fun and new friends that I think I got more memories there than in all of my previous camps. If you will ever go on that trip, get some candy to share with your teammates and counselors (if you do that they might even take you on the unplanned night dive :). I had a lot of fun!!!

I had an amazing experience for 12 night aboard our boat seeing the Carribbean and snorkeling on all the islands. The food was great overall and I had fun cooking and preparing meals with friends and counselors. I loved sleeping outside on the boat and seeing the amazing stars and night skies. I loved being able to disconnect and just be with peers and the amazing counselors. I learned to sail and want to learn more next summer. Our hikes and our adventures on land were great! I highly recommend this trip and hope to return to Broadreach again soon!

Being a student on Sea|Mester was the most incredible experience of my life. I did the South Africa to Antigua voyage on Vela, and it exceeded any and all expectations I could have possibly had. I got to visit places that I never thought I would get to go. I met people that started out as strangers, but quickly became family to me. Prior to Sea|Mester, I had very little sailing experience and no diving experience and I think that that is a common turn off for people that come across this program, but you have no need to be worried if you're in that boat (haha). The staff does an exceptional job teaching you the ropes, making you feel safe, and making you feel like the boat is your home. If you're a hands on learning that thrives on getting outside of your comfort zone, adventure, and travel then this program is for you. I can not effusive enough how much Sea|Mester and my crew changed my life. If you're presented with the privilege to be a student on Sea|Mester... do it. If Sea|Mester taught me anything, it's to say yes even when you're scared. The greatest adventure of your life could be waiting for you.

The three times our daughter has participated in Action Quest summer camps all three have surpassed ours and her expactations, in all aspects. It has giving her so much confidence, knowledge, it has helped empower her to become an independent and resposible teen. Ready for her next adventure, anywhere she so chooses!

I loved my experience at Action Quest so much, I ended up going three years in a row! The BVIs are such an amazing place and the sailing, scuba, and activities make it even more rewarding. I’ve also made some of my life long friends at AQ, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.

This experience absolutely blew my mind. You are surrounded with the best people, while having the time of your life. We live on a sailboat for either 17 or 21 days, learning to sail, scuba dive, as well as many other activities. The counselors and staff are the best I have ever had at a camp, always supporting, encouraging, and helping us along the way. The community that is built on your boat is one of a kind, I have made lifelong friends who come from all over the world. Furthermore, you are able to learn and improve many life skills, like teamwork, collaboration, or small things like cooking and cleaning. Some may think that close quarters is frustrating and cramped, but I have never minded, it teaches you to share your space and made me even closer with my roommates. Additionally, we are able to learn and explore the beautiful BVI's. You develop such a love for the islands, and some programs even get to help restore the BVI's from past hurricane damage. I have done the Vega and Carina programs, furthering my diving and sailing skills each year. I have no negative memory from camp, except from the day that we had to leave and go home. Being in the fleet is such an empowering and amazing feeling, whether it was race day or barbeques at Sandy Spit. I have had so many people at school and back home ask about ActionQuest, asking me how it was and wondering if they should go. Every single time, I always encourage them. I truly believe that this was the best experience I could ever ask for. Compared to every other summer/sleepaway camp I've done, the community created outdoes everything else. When I walked into the marina for my second year, I immediately was greeted by my friends and counselors from the year before. The memories created aboard will never leave you, and the family that you form with your "shippies" will live on forever. ActionQuest most definitely exceeded every single expectation that I had.

I would suggest this program to anyone. I met some of my best friends, learned so much about diving and sailing, and even used it to get into all my desired colleges by writing my essay about my experience.

Action Quest gave me a opportunity that I never would see myself doing, In 3 weeks I was able to learn to scuba dive, sail and make friends, The people I met inspired and encouraged me and made me feel like they were my family, I felt safe and respected by everyone there, I’m proud to call Action Quest my second home!!

My whole family has engaged in Action Quest's programs. I specifically went to please my family, yet I found myself having the time of my life. During my time in the Vega program, I made friends, had unforgettable experiences, and got to know cultures and areas I otherwise wouldn't have been exposed to. When people ask me what I do during summer, I jump at the chance to say: I spent 3 weeks sailing the caribbean and getting "scuba certy" with 11 other kids at THE summer camp known as Action Quest. The first questions I most frequently recieve are: How did you all fit on a sail boat? How did you sleep? and, What did you eat? To which I reply: We managed our space well thanks to our VERY organized and well-prepped counselors, We often slept on the tramp at the bow like burritos and we'd fall asleep quite easily to the smell of salty air, the star-filled sky, and the slight sound of the ever so often coming gusts of wind. The cooking, on the other hand, fell into the explanation of the chore chart and how, even as lazy teenagers, we'd come together and pull our load! Experience wise, AQ gave me everything they had to offer, the staff were always present, aware, and engaging. As I'd experienced a serious alergic reaction to a jellyfish sting years prior which led to a three day hospital visit, the day I arrived I met with James who assured me they'd do their best to keep me safe, with epi-pens on board, extra shower buckets if necessary, etc. The activities were fun but always required safety (which was greatly appreciated on those wakeboarding wipeouts), the "townhalls" with Mike brought the community together, our trip to spanish town brought only laughs to our crowd, the bbq night was filled with dance and sights of pure joy. After every dinner we'd have our nightly session of "squeeze" where the skipper otd would pose a question to which everyone would contribute a special and unique answer, and if we got lucky, we'd get a special guest appearance from the 3 ft long barracudas swimming below us. When a boat had a covid outbreak, it was delt with flawlessly and all of us took the required measures to keep healthy. Action Quest for me was a life changing experience that taught me independence, responsability, compassion, and more importantly, it brought me closer to the world of sailing and diving of which I'm so fond of. Now, I know I could keep spouting about the wonders of AQ endlessly so I'll keep it short and mention simply one more thing. Do it. Go. and don't miss out because I PROMISE you won't regret it.

Having been to an action quest camp for 2 years it has easily been the best thing I have ever done. From living on a boat with some of the coolest people to diving the most beautiful places in the world every second of the camp is amazing.

I did the trip from Palau to Thailand in 21 and it was so much fun. I learnt so much, made so many great friends and got to see and experience some of the coolest stuff I’ve seen to date. The staff are all very cool, approachable and great teachers. I got 12 credits and it didn’t even feel like a semester because it was so fun. If you like adventure, travel and the ocean I couldn’t recommend this program more.

This trip was amazing!! I loved it so much that I did it twice! Seeing all of the amazing life and islands was insane. Being able to learn how to dive in such a cool place was one of my favorite experiences ever.

The whole trip was so amazing, I loved every second! My favorite part was definitely learning to scuba dive and seeing all of the turtles. It was a little disappointing that we were unable to go to Saba because of a storm but we still had a lot of fun. In replacement for the Saba land day we went to st.Martin and all got Shawarma for lunch. We went scuba diving at least once a day and saw stingray, starfish, urchins, Sandollars, small fish, and even a shark! My favorite dive was one of our last, during this dive we didn’t wear our fins and we were blowing ring bubbles and doing back flips. Overall I though this trip was an amazing experience and I would definitely recommend!

Working with Broadreach was a seamless process that clearly comes from experience. From the administration to the actual trip leaders, we always felt connected and that our child was safe. Our 13 year old came home with more confidence and an excitement for travel. Now that he has completed his level 1 scuba certification, he is ready to get his advanced diving so that he can use it to volunteer in the shark tank at the local aquarium. He made friends from around the world and saw parts of the Caribbean only known to the locals. Thank you Broadreach for taking such wonderful care of our child and opening his eyes to the world.

Broadreach responded to this reviewOctober 20, 2022

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! How amazing that your son is hoping to use his skills to volunteer in your community! We loved having him.

I went to broadreach during 2021, during a lot of COVID cases. I felt safe and healthy during the camp, and there were tests when we needed them. I also loved the sailing and scuba combination, and I enjoyed most of my time during the camp. I am going back a year later, and am so grateful for all the amazing experiences I had and friendships I'll have for a long time.

Broadreach responded to this reviewOctober 20, 2022

Thanks for your review, Lyla! We're glad you felt safe and enjoyed your time with us. Can't wait to see you again next summer!

She loved the sailing and learned a lot about scuba diving. It was also a good opportunity for her to be on her own without her parents making all the decisions. Things were well coordinated and ran on time.

Broadreach responded to this reviewOctober 20, 2022

Thank you so much for your review! We're so glad your daughter enjoyed her experience :)

Action Quest provided me with a second home and family. Currently, my favorite people on the entire planet are the ones that were on my boat this past session. Scuba diving and sailing are the most amazing activities ever, and I cannot believe I was able to breathe underwater and see many creatures you never get to see on a regular basis. Sailing is so calming and it helped me to forget everything stressful in my life and just focus on the waves and horizon. I seriously cannot say enough about how close I got to my shipmates and the impact they've had on me as a person. I hope that everyone can experience something like this once in their life, and I am so grateful to have done so myself. The best thing about Action Quest is the people that you meet; there are no connections like the ones you make living on a boat with someone.

I had such a fun time getting SCUBA certified and learning how to sail. I met people that had became my family for 21 days and that I will remember and talk to for a very long time. I had such a fun time and will never forget this life changing experience.