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Our trips are one-of-a-kind, life changing adventures. But don’t just take our word for it.

Our son had an excellent time on this trip. We had assumed he would love ...: “Our son had an excellent time on this trip. We had assumed he would love the sailing and diving but he also really enjoyed the trips into town, the hiking and the community service work. We think he gained much more than the adventure. Being out on his own with daily responsibilities and leadership opportunities has definitely had a positive impact on him. He's now much more willing to try new thing and he has become more social than ever. He has matured before our eyes and is now better prepared for his first year in high school. As parents we were mostly concerned about the travel days - airports, customs etc. The Broadreach staff helped explain how this would all work and everything went as expected. During the trip we looked forward to reading the blogs from the kids to get a snapshot of where they were and what they were doing. We are extremely happy we decided to send him on this trip and we would highly recommend it to anyone.”— Derek
Broadreach was the most amazing experience I ever had. The people on ...: “Broadreach was the most amazing experience I ever had. The people on my boat were incredible and will be my lifelong friends. There was no awkwardness and even the first night we all felt completely at home and stayed up half the night talking and telling jokes. My trip leaders were awesome as well. They were so open to let us choose what we wanted to do. Before I went on this trip some people had said that living in such a confined space was going to be challenging but I loved the bonds that formed that came from living on top of each other. There were no conflicts between people on my boat. I had never scuba dived before and my first dive was incredible and from then on I was hooked. This trip helped me realize what I want to do with my life and the lifestyle I want to live. It was worth every penny because its changed me as a person so much and really opened my eyes to the world. I only hope that everyone can have such an amazing experience as broadreach gave to me. ”— Nina (age 16) from New York, NY
I’ve never been more grateful.: “This was my first real life adventure. I will never be the same. For a while I will be classifying my life experiences as ‘before Broadreach’ and ‘after Broadreach’. Because of Broadreach I am more aware that there is a bigger world out there with more than enough resources to support everyone and everyone’s dreams. I love Broadreach and the view you give your students. Thank you! I’ve never been more grateful.”— Sophia L from Corona, CA
My Broadreach experience was life changing. You have extremely fun filled ...: “My Broadreach experience was life changing. You have extremely fun filled and action packed days. I loved being secluded away from the world and sailing on private boats. I learned that there is so much to see in this world and people's ways of life are diverse. Broadreach was the start of travelling for me. The experience shows me so much. I have made new friends and will be coming back next year for sure!”— Kristin P (age 17)
best experience of my life!!!: “This was seriously the best experience of my life! I really learned that stepping out of my comfort zone to do something like this can lead to amazing things. I even wrote my college application essay about it! I made so many amazing friends who I still keep in touch with six months later, I've visited some of them and I'm even planning to do a trip with one this coming summer! Diving is my new passion since the trip and I'm so glad I had this experience. Our divemasters were fun and patient, and our skipper was a blast! Learning to sail was great too. Getting to experience the different islands, both from hiking in nature and exploring the towns, was incredible. I can't recommend this highly enough! ”— Julia T (age 17)
I had the most amazing time on the Caribbean Underwater Discoveries Voyage. ...: “I had the most amazing time on the Caribbean Underwater Discoveries Voyage. I would not call this trip a vacation, I think that a better word would be either an experience or adventure. During those incredible three weeks, reality seemed to reverse, in that the days were very long but (instead of being slow and boring) they were filled to the brink with fun. We would get up very early (usually from 6 to 8 AM) and would breakfast, which, like all other meals, was made by another kid. From there we would have to clean the boat and get right into our dive gear. THE DIVING, It was phenomenal! We did at least 20 dives and each one was a new adventure. From massive coral reefs with sunken ships, it was like jumping into a new world where the laws of gravity didn't apply. My favorite part of the diving was provably going down to 70 ft underwater and not being able to see the surface. Even the night dives which, though little scary, were phenomenal. When the sun went down, all of the interesting creatures like sharks and lobsters came out. Other than the diving, we learned to sail, which, while it wasn't my thing, I still enjoyed, most likely because of our instructors. OUR INSTRUCTORS, They were amazing. All 3 of them handled every situation very well, from us not cleaning up our boat well enough, to us all feeling the worst pain we had ever felt after being bitten by Sea Wasps (jelly fish which stigs hurt so much, you are supposed to get shock treatment.) Not only were the great at handeling problems, but they also were very supportive and turned into our family rather than our instructors for those three weeks. A question you might have is, how did we sleep? There is are small cabins underneath the deck, which, in my opinion, can't allow for 4 kids to sleep there (the catamaran is meant for 4 people) also, it get's really hot down there. It seemed that most of the other kids agreed with me as everyone slept on deck under the stars. They weren't the most comfortable conditions but after a long and tiring day, sleep always came easily. One problem with that was that it constantly rained and, when it did, you had to grab your sleeping bag and sprint to cover before you got soaked. Another question you might have is, how do we use the bathroom? The ship does have bathrooms, one per cabin. They are incredibly inconvenient and flushing involves pumping your "stuff" into the ocean. What is easier and much more encouraged is doing an "Aqua-Duckey." This involves swimming a good distance away from the boat and getting out your "number 2" there. All in all, I had the time of my life over my three weeks in the Caribbean. I made great friends, learned to scuba dive and sail, and was able to get the best tan I have ever gotten. I also learned many things about myself, from how much I enjoyed a good dinner after a long, tiring day to the fact that I like rap. I would recommend this trip to everyone who can cope with being away from home for 3 weeks. I, for one, had the time of my life.”— Ari L (age 14)
It was the best summer experience our daughter has ever had: “When we first considered sending our daughter to a Broadreach scuba program, we were a bit apprehensive. After all, we would be sending our child to another country, where she would spend three weeks scuba diving with people we didn't know. Now that we've gone through the experience, we can unequivocally say that it was the best summer experience our daughter has ever had. The program was educational and amazingly fun. She learned to sail and she earned a slew of advanced scuba certifications. She also loved the instructors and made great new friends. The program not only taught her diving and sailing skills, but the other valuable lessons like teamwork, shared responsibility and discipline. We already are making plans to sign her up for next summer. Broadreach earned an A+!”— Christine H from New York, NY
The program you are running is absolutely phenomenal.: “The program you are running is absolutely phenomenal. The instructors are great... They taught the material very well and made every part of my adventure fantastic. The diving and sailing were my favorite parts. I had so much fun diving on the reefs and seeing all the animals in their natural environment. We would go on these long sails and see nothing but blue water and the island we were headed to in the distance. Thank you so much for an amazing adventure!”— Garnett S from Waynesboro, VA
This journey has certainly expanded my hoizons through its veiled teachings. ...: “This journey has certainly expanded my hoizons through its veiled teachings. I have learned how to operate a sailboat and know all of its proper names. I have learned all of the proper procedures that take place in a diving rescue situation. I have learned how to classify fish. Yet what made this venture different from pedantic courses is the ability to make the trip one's own. The chance to navigate for weeks in the open sea with out phones, internet, Facebook and feel ok. Better than ok, feeling superb overcoming those lesser things. I remember my shirt drenched in sweat as we hiked up Brimstone Hill Fort, then once at the summit we felt invincible, powereed by the view, by the soothing winds. Waking up at four in the morning for a sail, gliding in the wind, riding the waves, the sun slowly rising. Geared up at dusk to night dive at 'Bird Poop Rock' then submerged in an alien environment with creatures cautiously swimming by. This trip gave me plenty of amazing opportunities but I was ultimately responsible for taking advantage of them. And for this reason, this adventure is one I will never forget.”— Carlos C (age 17)
Video: Hear what Eli said about learning to dive and sail
Video: Hear what Stuart said about his staff & being in the Caribbean
This trip was an amazing experience. It was an eye opener in so many ...: “This trip was an amazing experience. It was an eye opener in so many ways. You meet kids your age from different places and backgrounds and learn to interact with them. It gets difficult at times because when you are on a boat it is hard to get your alone time. Apart from the social aspect, the places aer just beautiful. We do so much in one day and everything is absolutely gorgeous. My best piece of advice would be to push yourself to the max; that way you can get the most possible out of your trip.”— Cecilia Z (age 17)
Over the course of my trip I have gained skills that will help me in ...: “Over the course of my trip I have gained skills that will help me in every aspect of life. Working, playing and learning with other members of my group has created an increadibly strong bond between us. Even though I have never met any of the people on my boat until three weeks ago, I feel like we are a close knit family. I will always remember my Broadreach experience and the bonds I have cultivated on my trip.”— Eli S (age 18)
This has been the best summer program I have ever done. The dives were ...: “This has been the best summer program I have ever done. The dives were incredible. The kids were fantastic and so were the instructors. The islands were beautiful. There was nothing I would change.”— Matthew S (age 14)
As her trip winds down I just wanted to thank you for all you do in the ...: “As her trip winds down I just wanted to thank you for all you do in the NC office to make this possible. The details and professionalism of your staff from the first contact has been world class. Although our contacts with her have been few and limited (best for her, hard for us) I can tell you this has been a life changing experience for Sarah. You all are making it possible for these kids to go on to better and richer lives. Thank you.”— Michael B from North, VA

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Journals

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alumni journals
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from this program!

Kimberly Oparil

At first I was filled with misgivings and doubts about my decision to come to a land foreign to me, to learn to scuba dive. Was I crazy? All the dangers; having to befriend new people, and the ...

At first I was filled with misgivings and doubts about my decision to come to a land foreign to me, to learn to scuba dive. Was I crazy? All the dangers; having to befriend new people, and the extensive learning that I would have to undergo. It all seemed so scary and so unlike me. But boy was I wrong. Yeah when I first arrived I was nervous about meeting new people and afraid that they wouldn’t like me. Not to mention having to learn something new; I was afraid I wouldn’t end up enjoying myself. But some of the best memories of my life now come from those 3 weeks I spent aboard the boat Bulloo on my UWD13 trip in the Caribbean.

I learned so much, not only about scuba diving but also about myself and the amazing beauty of the world, our world. I learned to love the ocean, the amazing ecosystems that survive within it, its vastness and its power over human beings. I learned to love myself better than ever. I learned that I can do things that were unimaginable to me before, that my dreams are closer within my reach than I ever believed possible.

All this and more I gained in just three short weeks spent in an amazing place with some very amazing people (students and instructors). I have so many unforgettable memories; from helping rescue a hatchling turtle and watching it swim free out into the big ocean to face the world, to jumping into the water for the first time in my scuba gear and feeling the exhilarating rush as I descended to the ocean floor for the first time, to spending time at the helm with the wind in the sails and nothing but beautiful ocean expanse for miles. Moreover, the trip allowed me to build special bonds with my instructors and new friends. These bonds will forever bring us together, no matter how many miles are physically between us.

Life on Bulloo became a ritual, a normalcy to me over the weeks. All too soon it came to an end. As I lay under the beautiful stars on our last night, I reflected on my friends, the amazing diving, and the small things; like the rocking of the boat at night which gently put me to sleep, the gestures of kindness between people that so much helped make a bad day good again, sitting on the deck of the boat watching a beautiful sunset, or a dinner together with the 15 other people aboard my boat sharing the glums and glows of the day.

Everything about Bulloo became special to me. I will never forget this amazing trip; the beautiful islands we visited and explored, the wonderful people, the amazing ocean, reefs, and marine life, and the changes it brought about in me. I love you Bulloo, I love you UWD13, and I will never forget you!

Brendan Szulik

When I read the guidelines for this essay, I was stunned. “A description of your program in you own words – 350 words or more”, the Broadreach letter says. How could I possibly write an essay about some of the best three weeks of my life in less than 350 words? The answer is, I can't; I could write a novel I did so much during that time.

I spent 17 days on the Verone on the UWD32 trip to the Lower Antilles. Throughout my personal odyssey, I explored the underwater world, islands of St. Bart's and Nevis, and the depths of my own being. I met seven other students, one intern, and two staff members who will forever have an impact on my life.

I came to Broadreach to go diving; this was my main reason for going on the trip. I came back having gone diving, successfully passing my American Sailing Association test, making friends, and learning how to deal with other people such as through being a leader. What you get on the trip is tons more than what you signed up for.

Since I am such a dive fanatic, I will first describe the dives. I logged 17 dives, each of which I can vividly remember; I can still see the drop off of a 60 foot wall of coral, the massive hull of the Charlie Brown, and the multiple crabs that my instructor scared me with on our night dives. I never realized when I got my dive license that I would be exposed to a world where the water glows when you move at night, where I would rather go diving for 30 minutes instead of spending a day at Yellowstone park, or where I can take time out to recognize that the world is bigger than just myself.

That is what I really learned on my trip: how big the world really is. I met other kids from California, New Jersey, and Washington D.C. who all had taken the risk of going to a foreign country to spend three weeks with ten people they had never met. I saw how they viewed the world in the same ways, the different ways, and how we can all come together to create a successful environment. I learned how to be unselfish, helping others before I helped myself, and how if we worked together everything we did would move more quickly. The group is more important than the whole, and my group and I sacrificed our time, effort, and emotions to prove this.

Broadreach really made me mature, and fast. I had to deal with growing up and living with other people or else I would have had a bad time. But I, like my boat-mates, survived and prospered from this journey. We fought off sunburns and rain, the smell of food in the fridge and broken dinghies, and as the saying goes, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger; we sure got a lot stronger.

If I ever get the chance to do this trip again, I would grab at the opportunity. Everything has its down moments, but I have forgotten them all since all the cool things I did like racing our boats and tubing. Just being able to sit on a boat on the ocean at night, with a nice breeze flapping over your face, looking out at the lights of some small volcanic island, it relaxes you. You really get a chance to take a step back from life and see your old problems and stresses from a distance, getting a chance to think them through and not have to have to worry about them at the same time.

Brendan Szulik, Raleigh, NC

Kate Matheis

My adventure began on June 18th as I boarded a plan to San Juan from Chicago. Little did I know then that such an experience awaited me that would change my perspectives, challenge my beliefs, ...

My adventure began on June 18th as I boarded a plan to San Juan from Chicago. Little did I know then that such an experience awaited me that would change my perspectives, challenge my beliefs, and open up a world to me which before I could only imagine. This adventure was Underwater Discoveries 14 aboard the noble vessel Le Galion, lovingly called El Grande.

The apprehension of the first day soon faded into excitement as I attempted to sleep before our first sail to Columbier the next day under a foreign sky that seemed so far away from home. I’ll never forget the first sail, as I was one of the few who remained untouched by seasickness. The unexplored islands and the never-ending sea brought a sense of adventure that still remains with me.

My first attempts at diving in confined open water seemed childish and awkward, feelings that were soon overcome by an amazing sense of floating in a world which I now belonged. As my diving skills increased, so did my relationships with my fellow crewmembers. The six other girls, five boys, and two awesome counselors that made up our crew began to form a community in which we all belonged, no matter where we were from, or what we looked like. I looked forward to dinner as the leader shared their quote and toast, and as we all shared “the squeeze”, and our glums and glows. We became a part of each other, not only because of our confined living space, but because we shared the same challenges, feelings, and adventures day in and day out.

Each day seemed to bring a new challenge, whether it was a hike, dive, or group conflict. Along with these challenges came the rewards of making lifelong friends, exploring the underwater world, and seeing the rainforest for the first time. The dives were amazing, my personal favorite being the wreck dive. A huge sea turtle, a giant eel, nurse sharks, black tipped reef sharks, and an octopus include only a few of the amazing underwater creatures that I came in contact with. Each day presented a chance to do something totally new with a group of people who you came to know as your family. I loved being there, and appreciate the way it has shaped who I have become. This once in a lifetime change will stay with me always, and I sincerely thank all those who have made this adventure possible.

Gratefully yours,
Katie Matheis

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In the News

Sport Diver Magazine

Broadreach takes you to a world you never even dreamed of, not only in your mind but also in your heart. You experience it firsthand and it changes you.

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Sail Magazine

Often the traits of a good crew—teamwork, communication, responsibility, mutual respect—don’t top the list of traits associated with an average teenager.

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Yacht Essentials

What makes a good leader is often difficult to pinpoint. Good leaders seem natural, seem born for it. I believe leadership can be taught, and it starts with good followership.

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Caribbean Underwater Discoveries Voyage

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