Study Abroad Programs in St. Eustatius

We did a giant loop of the Caribbean in 88 days, beginning in Antigua and sailing down through the lesser antilles to the coast of South America, then on to Jamaica, Honduras, Mexico, Cuba, and several other islands learning navigation, vessel operations, as well as credentialed college material.

My Sea|mester voyage(s) were unforgettable trips for more than a few reasons. Not only did it provide an environment where all students could live in their classroom and form unbreakable bonds, but it also allowed young adults to truly experience this planet we call home. I was able to sail the Carribbean while earning college credits, and get Padi scuba certifications- all taking place in the first few months of 2020. Even though we sailed right into the Covid-19 global pandemic (no pun intended), it really proved what an incredibly well thought-out program Sea|mester promises. Safety is always the top priority for any adventure, and this study abroad program delivers. The professional staff are excellent at teaching their subject matter, and the experiential learning never ends. This program is incredibly well suited for individuals that want to go out of their comfort zone, meet other students that also are seeking adventure, and who understand that you only live once. One of my main reasons for finding and selecting this program was because I was able to study abroad and experience different countries, cultures, and lessons- all while our floating home traveled with us. I even went back on a second trip with Sea|mester in the summer of 2021, and it was just as enjoyable as the first time around. These trips are for those who are excited to experience the world, and not afraid to put in the effort and teamwork to travel from place to place. You really do feel a sense of accomplishment when you can look back and see how much you learn about the subject material, and about yourself.

Before I had gone on this voyage I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life. I got my advanced and rescue diver certification and fell IN LOVE with the ocean and marine science. Since then I have gotten my dive master, logged over 1,000 dives, and dove for work in different countries. This program introduced me to a whole new world. I went in 2021 and still I go and visit my classmates from this voyage. It was the single best decisions I ever made.

If you had told me in January 2023 that I would spend my summer on a 112-foot schooner, crossing the Atlantic with zero sailing experience, I would have laughed, and then asked what a foulie was. My voyage was different from the typical Semester at Sea experience. Argo was small, with just 12 students and 6 staff, so there was nowhere to hide and no one to hide from. By the end, we were no longer a group of students and staff. We were a family. Some of my favorite moments happened after dark. My watch team and I would lie flat on the deck inside what we called the “sparkle dome”: bioluminescence glittering in the water below and a galaxy of stars above, so that it felt as though we were floating in the middle of a sphere of light. With no cell service for days, there was nothing to look at but the ocean and nothing to listen to but each other. Those nights, I felt both the smallest and the luckiest I have ever been. The ocean also gave me my favorite surprises. Crewmates would bang on my hatch window so that I would come up and see the dolphins, even when it wasn’t my watch. They knew how much I loved the marine life, and they cared enough to wake me for it. I can’t think of a better way to be loved. Then there was the adrenaline. Our passage to the Azores brought near gale force winds and 3 to 4 meter swell in the pitch black. We crawled across the deck at 4 am, dodging flying fish and waves crashing over the stern, then spent the rest of the day being tossed around our bunks. It was uncomfortable and chaotic, and it produced some of the best laughter of my life. On calmer days, I was backflipping off the bow, climbing the mast to free a halyard shackle, and leading my first sail raise. The girl who struggled on her first sailing test and felt like the only one without experience learned to motivate her watch team through the 3 am boat checks that no one ever wants to do. Our crew was divided into watch teams, groups that rotated through shifts steering, navigating, and keeping Argo safe around the clock. Over time, those teams became tight-knit units with their own traditions. That identity came to a head during the watch team challenge course, a friendly competition in which the teams raced against one another through a series of physical and teamwork-based tasks, including a run up a grassy, slippery hill. Watch Team Two won, and we celebrated it with the seriousness of an Olympic victory, complete with an aggressively chanted team name. In port, we hiked and explored new countries together, and each place felt bigger because I was seeing it through the eyes of people who had become my closest friends. Our captain, Calum, joined our holiday traditions, told stories we will carry with us forever, and taught us silly songs. He showed us how to be a family and, more importantly, how to be part of one. When the voyage ended, I walked the length of a dock in Gibraltar alone, leaving Argo and everyone aboard behind. It was one of the hardest goodbyes of my life. But it wasn’t really a goodbye. Our entire crew is still in a group chat that texts daily. Argo taught me how to sail, but the people taught me what a crew truly is, and I know they will be close to me for the rest of my life.

This is one of the most unique study abroad programs out there! It's definitely hard work but it is very rewarding. Sailing on Ocean Star was one of the best experiences of my life and my only regret is choosing the 40 day voyage over the 80 day.

My Seamester trip was genuinely the best 20 days of my life! My biggest regret was not doing a longer trip with them. It was crazy how much I got to experience in just these 20 days. I learned how to scuba dive and got to dive in some of the most stunning dive sites in the Caribbean. I learned responsibility, as we got the opportunity to be full-immersed in sailing an 88-foot schooner. And I learned how to live and work well with others in very close quarters. The friends I made on this trip will be my friends for a lifetime. Seamester does a really good job of cultivating an environment where you work hard and play hard. Additionally, the staff were the most patient, kind, selfless and hard working people I have ever met. I really trusted them to keep us safe, and I learned so much from them. They are amazing role models and had everyone's best interest in mind at all times. I seriously could not recommend this program enough, the only thing I would do differently is never leave :)

My biggest takeaway, besides the incredible places we visited and sailing, was how inspiring the staff was! I loved meeting new people and hearing about how their paths brought them to Sea|Mester!! It truly opened new pathways that I hadn't imagined, knowing that I could have those experiences too. I had the best time exploring different islands and learning so much about sailing a big boat! My biggest excitement was that every day was a new adventure. I learned so much in just a short amount of time and would highly recommend this program!! (Although my one regret is that I didn't do a longer trip!)

I have recommended the experience to everyone I know. My only regret is that I didn’t go longer. The staff before the trip and on board were so incredibly helpful. Overall I made friendships and memories to last a lifetime. I loved every moment!

Being on Seamester was such an amazing experience in so many ways. From learning how to scuba dive to being completely under sail for the first time, I was able to learn so many new things and fall in love with boat life. The community was one of the best parts of the trip. Since we all are with each other pretty much 24/7 it’s easy to create really close relationships. Overall, the trip was amazing, the only thing I wish that was different was that I chose a longer trip

Seamester was the adventure of a lifetime. I went into it not knowing how to sail but wanting to learn, and came out of it not only with that knowledge, but also with memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me so many new things about myself. The staff members were amazing with their teaching and support, especially when times got rough. Their diligence ensured we all made it safely across the pacific. I also loved the places we visited, with my favorites being the Galapagos, Mo'orea, and the Panama Canal. The class schedule could be challenging at times, and waking up for watch in the middle of the night was definitely not my strong suit, but overall I had an amazing semester. I couldn't recommend Seamester enough and I'm so grateful for this wonderful experience.

The hardest question after returning from this trip is "What was your favorite part?". The only answer is EVERYTHING. Everyday on Ocean Star is absolutely incredible and just when you think you've seen it all it only gets better! Living onboard with your fellow students, you will get to experience the trip as a working member of the crew. That's right, This is NOT a cruise ship. Be prepared for dance parties while cooking in the galley, cleaning the saloon and heads, and getting your hands dirty hauling lines and flaking the anchor chain. Within 3 days, every person on the boat will feel like family and by the end you will have up to 15 lifelong friends. The Seamester staff are AMAZING! They care so much about every student and want to see each person thrive. They provide top of the line medical care and good medical facilities were easily accessible everywhere we went (speaking from personal injury experience). If you, or your parents, are concerned about storms, they closely monitor the weather and will alter the course or the schedule if necessary to make sure the conditions are safe. I came into this program with next to no sailing or diving experience (as did the majority of the students on my trip) and I never felt behind at all. We started with basic sailing 101 for everyone and slowly built our skills from there. In a few short weeks, you'll have a brand new boat vocabulary and be confident enough to take the helm on passage! The 80 days I spent on Ocean Star were some of the best days of my life! We went horseback riding on the beach in Nevis, toured a chocolate factory in Grenada, found the geckos on Union Island, visited a mud bath in St. Lucia, went canyoning in Guadeloupe, dove with reef sharks in Saba, and so much more! This experience was better than I could have ever dreamed. If you are adventurous, hard working, open minded and up for any challenge, then this program is for you. Apply! I promise you will regret it if you don't!

I took a gap year after high school and chose to spend my Fall onboard S/Y Argo and sail from Palau, through Indonesia, to Bangkok Thailand. I had some scuba diving experience, but had never even been aboard a sailboat before. The Seamester staff was supportive and amazing. I made some of my strongest friendships and had the most amazing experiences, from diving with oceanic manta rays to long night watches sailing through the rough South China Seas. I learned so much about diving, sailing, and marine sciences, as well as so much about myself as a person. I would recommend Seamester to anyone considering it!

Seamester was definitely one of the best experiences of my life! This is not a luxurious sailing program (there’s no crew to sail you from place to place or cook for you), but that makes it so much better. Learning to sail while actually living on a boat was amazing. You can look forward to swimming in the ocean every day, getting really close with your fellow crew, and making so many cool memories!!

Every day was different from the last and the constant adventure is something I will never forget! The students and staff onboard were all fantastic and I made some of the best friends ever in such a short period of time. I wish I had done the 90-day voyage but I think even after that I would be wanting more.

Seamester provided me with the best 3 weeks of my life. From the moment I stepped aboard I felt an instant connection to my crew and the staff. Throughout the 3 weeks aboard I gained a new family that I will never forget. Together we sailed to foreign shores, dove to immense depths, laughed, sang, learned and created memories a of a lifetime. The staff were incredible and knowledgeable. The places you go are nothing short of amazing, but the people you meet and the things you learn are truly the most amazing part of this experience. This trip has immensely changed my life, and while right now I am not floating in the ocean, this program has taught me to accept the uniqueness in life and to never stop seeking adventure.

It was a really great program and I got to have so many new experiences and everyone got along so well. I definitely think you have to be a specific type of person to go on this trip, you have to be very adaptable and open to new sometimes nerve racking experiences. The staff of the ocean star were amazing leaders, super interested in helping us and teaching all the new skills while also joining in on our shenanigans from time to time :) I will miss them all very much. I think the friendships made were the most valuable aspect, everyone was so supportive and protective of one another and got along so incredibly well, we all loved each other a lot after only 20 days.

I had the time of my life! What made my best time was the diversity of experiences and learnings we made and the balance between academic classes, diving, sailing, on-shore activities, free time with the crew.

This experience was one of the most amazing things I have ever done. I wish that everyone would have the opportunity to do something like this, because it not only sparked my interest in pursuing a career at sea but it also gave me a sense of being able to face anything coming my way with confidence. The staff on my trip were amazing and made me feel safe and cared for. The friends I made on this trip are now some of my closest. Overall, this experience pushed me out of my comfort zone and I feel so much stronger and well prepared for all that life can throw my way!

If you have the chance to go aboard with Sea|Mester, take it! I promise you won’t regret it. Yes, you may be worried since the whole idea of sailing is new and you won’t know anyone going into it, but I promise it will be the best experience of your life. Hands down, Sea|Mester is probably the best thing I have ever done. Learning to sail was a blast. I saw so many cool things scuba diving. Exploring the beautiful islands was incredible. The staff were amazing. I made friends of a lifetime. Like I said, if you have the chance, take it! You wont regret it. I wish I could do this experience over again. Almost made me want to switch from being a doctor to working as staff on one of the boats. That’s how awesome it was!

I came upon this trip due to an interest in marine biology and diving. Even if I did not have these interests I still would highly recommend going on this voyage. It was honestly the best time of my life and I met people that I will be friends with for the rest of my life. Whether it was an awesome hike or a great dive, there was never a dull moment. You will be busy, but it is a good type of busy especially when you get to hang out everyday with awesome people and staff. Got to get my rescue diving certification which is also sick and nav master license. The classes are not bad either and the staff do a great job at making them interesting. Overall, I would love to do this trip again and will do my best to make it back on a vessel like Ocean Star in the future.