Marine Biology Study Abroad Programs in Caribbean

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!

I loved learning to sail on Vela, exploring every new place we sailed to like devils island with no inhabitants was pretty cool too. Meeting some of my new favourite people in the form of my crew was pretty sweet too. I’m going to miss it<3

Seamester was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but also the most rewarding. Living on a boat, sailing every day, and diving in some of the most incredible places in the world pushed me far outside my comfort zone and helped me grow so much as a person. The dives were unforgettable, the sailing taught me resilience and teamwork, and the people made it all worth it. I met some of my closest friends and made memories I’ll carry with me forever. It challenged me, changed me, and gave me experiences I never could have had anywhere else. I’m so grateful I did it.

Seamester was a last minute decision for me, kind of came out of nowhere. Best decision I could have made. I met 30 incredible people that I am happy to report are some of my closest friends now. This trip was so fun but also extremely difficult. I wouldn’t change my experience for the world though. Thank you Seamester.

What this trip gave me was unreplicatable experiences. I got to live on a boat for 90 days with like-minded individuals, and do things and go places that most people will never be able to. We crossed the Panama Canal, got to scuba dive in Galápagos, and had a special ceremony as we crossed the equator. We visited many remote islands that would be hard to get to otherwise. We sailed the Pacific, and went eighteen days without seeing land. And as we were doing it all, we studied marine biology and oceanography, learned what it meant to be a sailor, and how to be a leader. This is a once in a lifetime experience, and I’m grateful for every story I have brought home with me.

The time I spent on this adventure is something I will never forget. I won't forget the amazing people and places we visited. no matter what I know I will hold this experience I won't forget, and there won't be another like it. The Classes were great as well as the sail handling as well. Thank you for the amazing time I and my freinds had

I would 100% recommend this trip to anyone who is interested in adventure, trying new things, and being a part of a team. When I came across Seamester online, it just felt right from the beginning, and I knew it was something I wanted to do. Actually, going on the trip was even better and like coming home. A value of mine is living life to the fullest, enjoying the small things, and I want to live a life where at the end, I know I did everything and felt everything. I have never felt as alive and so at home as I did on Argo. It is hard to describe all the emotions I've felt over the past 90 days. I have never felt so close to people and myself as I did on Argo. I have learned to love people in a deeper way and gained a new appreciation for everything. I am extremely grateful for all the lifelong friendships made. I am proud of myself for taking the jump and who I've become through the experience. If you share any of the same interests and are considering doing a Seamester, I urge you to do it because it will change you in ways you can't even imagine.

Seamester was an amazing experience. It challenged me in so many ways including physically and mentally, and I grew so much as a person in several different ways. I loved seeing the world on a sailboat and it truely was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

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

Kalvins trip to Curacao this summer was his second Broadreach trip. As a parent, I can say that this program is top-notch and you are giving your child a world of opprotunities by sending them on a Broadreach adventure. Both years my son has come back with so much personal growth. He matures mentally, intellectually, and physically on these trips. As a 14 year old, he was intimidated by the college coursework this summer but excelled at it largely inpart to good instruction. I am thankful for the opprotunities that Broadreach provides, he is already booked to go to Yucatan next summer!

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.

I am so thankful for this once in a lifetime opportunity. This is something I will never forget and will always have this story to tell. However no one outside of this program will ever understand the true meaning because they did not experience it the same way I did. They were not there. I have attempted to explain the jokes or stories we told but very little people understood it like the crew on Argo did. The staff and students were the nicest people I have ever met, I know I made lifelong friends. From swimming with manta rays to midnight watch during a long passage, to cleaning the boat and making her sparkle. We made every moment fun. We always turned something that the staff told us wasn't going to be that fun (for example boat appreciation or clean up after meals) into dance parties. There was never a dull moment.

This trip has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience and something I will never forget. I have made so many lifelong friends that I will continue to keep in touch with and see again. Sea|Mester is the greatest thing I have ever done. It opened my eyes in so many different ways and has made me change in so many great ways. I made many great memories I will cherish forever. All the staff was incredibly kind and made sure all of my needs were taken care of. I could talk to the staff about anything and always had fun talking with them. The staff treated us as equals which was super nice. All the classes were taught very well and every teacher was very passionate about their course. For me, the most valuable aspect was the social factor. I was pretty nervous coming into this trip about meeting new people and broadening my social circles. I have always been anxious about introductions and showing people my true self and this trip helped me so much. This trip allowed me to be myself and unlock a part of me I didn’t know I had. Everyone embraced me for who I was, which was great. I owe a great deal of this trip to my fellow crew members who were so kind and funny. Sea|Mester is awesome. Don’t change anything. This trip is probably the greatest thing I’ve ever done and I’ll remember it forever. I have lifelong friends all over the world now.

If you’re a student thinking of doing Seamester, I cannot tell you enough…DO IT! Going on this voyage has absolutely changed my life. Not only did I get to cross an ocean, see the world, scuba dive, and meet the most incredible people, but I also left the boat a more confident, competent, and better version of myself. The academics are rigorous but reasonable, and I loved learning about the ocean in the most hands-on possible environment. I cannot recommend Seamester enough and will never forget each special memory from my time aboard Vela!

I had a wonderful time studying with SeaMester aboard Vela on the 2024 South Africa to Caribbean trip. I was consistently impressed with the organization of the trip, as well as the support from the office and staff onboard. This particular voyage had a lot of time sailing in blue water, which created a close environment between the students and allowed us to focus on school during the first half of the trip. By the time we got to the Caribbean we were able to focus intensely on diving and exploring the various islands with people we had already crossed an ocean with. I particularly enjoyed the leadership class, as it tied the emotional side of the trip together as well as taught us how to be better people in general.

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!

This has been the most amazing trip of my life just now finishing up and cannot believe the experience I have gained from traveling. The traveling, sailing, academics all of it as a whole is something I will never forget for the rest of my life. From traveling the streets of Rome to diving the blue waters of Dominica nothing compares to a trip of this caliber. The academics have been great especially seeing the things you learn about in class as we are diving or sailing is amazing. Straight from classroom to using the skills or topics in the real world. 10/10 would do this trip again and wish it would never end.