This intro to marine biology trip offers:

Itinerary

Day 1-4

Bond with crew mates and push off toward adventure

Join a crew of new friends who share a passion for marine biology! After arriving in St. Martin, you’ll be greeted by Broadreach staff who will accompany you to our Caribbean base. From there, you’ll settle into your yacht and get accustomed to life aboard. Share all of the responsibilities, from sailing to keeping your home “ship-shape.” In the next two weeks, you will be the skipper, first mate, navigator, dive safety officer and chef for this journey.

Waste little time and head west from Anse Marcel marina, learning the basics for your PADI Open Water diver certification. On board, interactive lessons on fish identification and coral reef ecology immediately will come to life underwater. Later, sail toward rocky and uninhabited Ile Fourche to wrap up your in-water dive skills.

Day 5-6

Class meets underwater

Greet the day in St. Barts with a little wakeboarding fun, or take it slower with your feet dangling off the side of the boat, marveling at the incredible sunrise. Dive at Colombier beach and take note of fish schooling, pairing and predation behaviors you see down below. Here, you’ll also discover how waves and currents affect the reef systems you just finished diving!

Day 7-9

Bring it all together in Saba

Next, you’ll head over to Saba, where the island’s protected outer ring is one giant marine biology lab. Everything comes full circle with discussions on fish life cycles, symbiotic relationships and more.  It’s here where you shift to a marine biologist-in-training. Take a minute to appreciate the awe-inspiring pinnacles that rise over a hundred feet from the ocean floor and break the surface of the water, then dive down and get to the heart of scientific diving. At various dive sites that surround Saba, you’ll run transect lines underwater and take a census of the different types of habitats formed around the pinnacles. Later, take a break from the water for a final hike to the top of Mt. Scenery – it provides a perfect vantage point to take note of all you’ve accomplished!

Day 10-12

Picture-perfect Tintamarre

Sail on to the picture-perfect, deserted island of Tintamarre just off the coast of St. Martin. The white sand and crystal-clear water provide the ideal setting for your final days in the Caribbean. Do one last dive on the wreck of the Remorquer and, after nightfall, head to the beach for a campfire with your shipmates. As you toast marshmallows under the starry sky, enjoy reflecting on your adventure.