Middle School Adventures

Caribbean: St. Martin, St. Barths + Saba Caribbean 12-Day Intro to Marine Biology

Dive a little deeper and learn more about underwater creatures while earning scuba certifications. A great introduction to learning with Broadreach – a combination of diving, sailing and marine biology instruction – along with the fun and friendships you would expect from a liveaboard adventure.

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Dolphins seen in Caribbean on marine biology introductory summer camp
Teens learn to dive on intro to marine biology intro program
Middle school students on catamaran for intro to marine biology program

Amazing days experiencing the freedom of a floating classroom

  • Participate in hands-on marine biology activities that provide context for all of the cool things you see underwater.
  • Learn how to scuba dive in the clear water of St. Martin.
  • Walk the historic streets of St. Barths and catch a wave on body surfing beach. 
  • Navigate the underwater pinnacles of Saba, diving among groupers, jacks, sea turtles and gorgeous corals.
  • Explore how marine parks influence the health of the ocean and impact life in the Caribbean.
  • Laugh and listen to music while working as a team to learn how to cook, clean and live together on a sailboat.
PROGRAM DATESCOSTAVAILABILITY
June 13 - June 24, 2024$5,180LimitedEnroll Now
June 20 - July 1, 2024$5,180AvailableEnroll Now
July 5 - July 16, 2024$5,180Call for optionsEnroll Now
July 20 - July 31, 2024$5,1802 spots leftEnroll Now
August 3 - August 14, 2024$5,180AvailableEnroll Now

*Currently accepting applications from alumni families only. Open enrollment begins September 15, 2023. To join the waitlist prior to open enrollment, click “enroll now”; your payment method will not be charged until the open enrollment period begins.

“I have never been so excited about learning in my life! Not only did I get to study a subject I love in new and beautiful places, but I got to learn how to sail, scuba dive, wakeboard and climb mountains. This trip also taught me so much about people in general and myself personally. I truly made friendships that will last and memories I will never forget. This is a great trip to conquer fears and try things for the first time.” Shannon, middle school alumna

This intro to marine biology trip offers:

1

Sailing Certification

1

Scuba Certification

2

Service Hours

One PADI scuba certification available:

  • PADI Open Water Diver or PADI Advanced Open Water Diver.

One sailing certification available:

  • Broadreach Intro to Yachting

Two hours of service learning on projects that may include beach cleanups and underwater debris collection.

Requirements:

  • Available to students completing sixth, seventh or eighth grade who are at least 12 years old by program start. No additional experience necessary.
marine biology, scuba and sailing camps for high school students video

Get a hands-on introduction to marine biology with a Broadreach liveaboard marine biology camp for middle school students!

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 and have the curiosity to explore it with purpose. Settle into your yacht and get accustomed to the pace of 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, working toward earning your PADI Open Water diver certification. On board, interactive lessons on fish identification and coral reef ecology immediately 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 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 the (aptly named) 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.