Broadreach: Caribbean Underwater Discovery Voyages

This Broadreach trip changed my life. Every day was a new adventure spent with great people in great places. During the trip I made 12 new best friends. On top of that, the counselors were some of the nicest, smartest, and benevolent people i have ever met.

I cannot even begin to tell you how awesome Broadreach is. I have spent my last three summers with Broadreach and each one has been equally amazing in their own ways. I have done the Caribbean Advanced scuba and Grenadines Advanced scuba. This summer i did Belize dolphin studies and i had the most amazing time, from watching dolphins in the open water to seeing the aquatic life the lives in the reef of the blue hole. The entire three weeks was wonderful. With Broadreach, i have come to learn that you grow so close to the people on your trip, regardless of their age or where they are from. You try new foods, new activities, and maybe even conquer a few fears. I still stay in touch with kids from all three of my trips, they are some of the best friends. I know that if i spend a summer with broadreach, no matter where i go, i will have so many amazing stories to tell when i get home.

This is hands down one of the best experiences I've ever had. Not only was I able to see underwater canyons and beautiful rain forests, I was also able to join a select group known as Team Hard Body. The Team raced up dormant volcanoes, became certified Emergency First Responders and rescue divers, dove ship wrecks, and had some pretty intense games of ultimate frisbee. All the while our bodies hardened and our skin tanned. Team Hard Body was more than just one summer trip. It created some of my favorite memories that will stay with me and will bring a smile to my face many years later. I highly recommend this trip for anyone.

Awesome experience... Had the time of my life. I loved the food. All of the instructors were great. They really helped us out and made the difficult to learn diving really easy and fun. I hope to go again next year.

My experience on the Caribbean Grenadines Advanced Scuba Voyage of 2011 was nothing short of incredible. The entire boat bonded immediately due to the relaxed and comfortable environment set forth by our three wonderful instructors. At first, living on a boat proved challenging due to the many daily chores that are required to keep it in peak condition, however before long, it just became another part of the daily routine. In fact, many aspects of the trip followed that format- complicated processes soon became second nature and were executed with ease. Setting up dive gear, for example, is something that I guarantee every single person on the boat can still do with their eyes closed. The staff on my trip had cavernous knowledge about both diving and sailing. Any questions I asked were always answered in detail using simple metaphors or memory tricks. We learned how to navigate on the sea, the many rules of oceanic right of way, and how to safely take on a voyage independently. Beneath the water, the instructors taught us the correct techniques and scuba practices to be worthy of the Padi Rescue Diver Certification that is earned at the end of the program. I never felt unsafe or in danger during a dive because we stuck to a strictly enforced buddy system. Actually, on the contrary, especially towards the last week, I felt assured in my new abilities to help a diver in an emergency situation.
Along with the diving and sailing experience, traveling between the Grenadine Islands highlighted the trip. Each island has its own individual style, and the amount of Caribbean culture we were exposed to both astounded and humbled me. Coming from New York City, I was shocked to see how differently, but yet, no less joyously people lived in other parts of the world. When we made port, there were opportunities to explore the towns, and buy lunch or souvenirs. Everything is relatively cheap, and not much extra cash is necessary to have a good time off the boat. I spent less than $100 during the entirety of the three weeks because Broadreach covers the best and most memorable experiences. Overall, Broadreach provided me with unforgettable diving in some of the most beautiful water in the world, and helped build my confidence to travel the world.

I loved this trip. It was the best thing I have ever done. This trip changed me in the best ways possible, making me a better person. The people and instructors were amazing and we all grew to love each other as if we were truly a family. I loved the scuba diving, it was terrifying in the beginning but our instructors talked us through everything, making me feel much better. The things we saw while we were diving were beautiful. It was something I've never experienced before, and I loved it. The academic lessons were what every typical teenager would say, boring. Our instructors made it as fun as they could, and they were great at talking us through the things we struggled with, such as the dive tables. I also loved the sailing! I was worried I'd get sea sick, but our skipper was great and she knew tons of tricks to prevent it. She was great at showing us how everything worked, and great at helping us study for our test. Overall, this trip was amazing, going on it was the best decision of my life.

Going on the Caribbean underwater voyage was by far one of the greatest learning experiences I have ever had. I grew in self confidence, became more adaptable, as well as much more independent. These traits can be thanks to the instructors(not the typical camp counselors). We would wake up early, go on an early morning dive, make breakfast, clean the boat, go sailing, and so on. A great thing that Broadreach does is that they have the instructors designate a leader of the day, which is one of your fellow students that are to help organize the day. All in all, there were so many more great things (far to many to type).

Broadreach offers more than just a summer camp journey, the trips they offer are truly 'Once In a Lifetime Journies'. What more could a person ask for than being able to travel the islands of the Caribbean on a forty foot catamaran while at the same time learning to sail, scuba dive, climb mountains, help communities, wakeboard, waterski, etc. After looking back at my journey in the Caribbean and thinking of all the life long friends I made, I would be happy to do it all over again.

The Caribbean Grenadines Advanced Scuba Voyage was an over all amazing, life-changing, and thrilling summer trip. A regular day on the boat would include waking up for a dawn dive, making breakfast by yourself for the whole boat, going on another dive, having fun and swimming around the boat, having lunch prepared by another student, going on another dive, then another, then dinner, then another dive. You will receive around four dive specialties and a sailing specialty per trip, with possibly getting an Emergency First Responder certification along with a Rescue Diver certification. The amazing thing is is that you won't just come away from the trip with new knowledge on diving and sailing, you will come home with new life long friends from around the country, and memories that can never be repeated. I am still seeing myself apply things I learned on the catamaran to things at school or at home. All in all, the Caribbean Grenadines Advanced Scuba Voyage is the way to go. Take it from somebody who has gone, and loved it!

Costa Rica & Panama Primate Studies was an experience I would not be the same without. The academic course was incredibly interesting and not only taught me a great deal about primates and rainforest ecology, but also about my own desire to learn. I loved the community service activities we did, and I truly feel like I made a difference. The leader of the day program was an amazing opportunity to test out a leadership position and learn how to make decisions to benefit the whole group. The work we did at the wildlife sanctuary was my favorite part because it was so hands on. This experience has helped me to realize what I want to do with my life, which is to be a zoologist.

The trip was a life changing experience. Diving exposes you to a whole new world. You and your crew mates will become great friends. Everyone had a great time and got along perfectly. If you have the opportunity to participate in a program definitely go.

I have been on two Broadreach trips in the past two years. I can honestly say that my Broadreach experiences have been the most amazing and life changing experience of my life. From spending the day at a hidden beach to become EFR and Rescue Diver certified Broadreach knows how to make a trip amazing. Needless to say that the day is filled from 5am to 11pm most days and since you're on a boat you never know the date. Don't be nervous though, you never feel tired because you are having too much fun! The people that are constantly around you become more then friends, but a family. After the awkward first day of not knowing anyone everyone starts to open up and bond. Even after leaving Broadreach you stay in touch and find times to video chat even though some people live on the West coast and the others on the East. The friendship that you make never goes away because you share so many great memories with people that it is physically impossible to forget. Even your group leaders keep in touch with you! Broadreach is an experience that has made me who I am, a girl who loves to spend her time learning about the ocean and blowing bubbles. I highly recommend Broadreach to any teenager who is looking for a fun, educational way to spend their summer, especially if they have a love for something. My experiences on Broadreach adventures have been so great that I wouldn't give anything in the world to exchange them. Not a day goes by where I don't think about some memory from one of my trips or dream of the next exotic location that I will travel to.

Over this past summer I had a unique experience traveling through the Caribbean on a “live aboard yacht” for 3 weeks. On this trip of a lifetime, I got my advanced open water scuba certification and my International Yacht Training certification. I also learned so much about the history of the islands we visited and their various cultures. I really enjoyed visiting new places and getting to do community service on one of the islands. I did community service in St. Eustatius. The service I did was “scrub-mooring balls.” This process entailed diving while scrubbing the mooring line with a wire brush. Cleaning these items helps them last longer and keeps the surrounding waters cleaner. I thought it was a cool and really exciting experience because while bettering the St. Eustatius Ocean, it allowed me to give back to the island, especially after having such a rewarding experience. Another part of this trip that was quite unique was that I lived in very small quarters with 12 other students from all over the United States, and I made 12 great friends that I will have for the rest of my life. I really enjoy meeting new people and I felt that going on this trip I would make some great new friends. Making new friends is a skill that I felt that I have always been good at. I think this skill is very important because it gives me the opportunity to go anywhere and always feel comfortable. This trip also strengthened my love for travel. I truly enjoyed traveling around the Caribbean and I hope to travel all around the world and experience what the world has to offer. Another amazing part of this trip was the staff. They were the most caring, loving and interesting people I have ever met. While having fun they did an amazing job of being safe and teaching us things in a fun environment. The staff far pasted my expectations and I couldn’t have asked for better instructors. On a day to day basic the program entailed one major thing, which was DIVING. The whole group learned together, worked together and failed together. I believe that working together was the one thing that made our group a family. I would definitely recommend this program for anyone who wants to learn, grow and have an unforgettable adventure. GO BROADREACH