Broadreach Summer Adventures Reviews

My trip to Fiji set off my love of traveling and future adventures. This course was perfect to ‘jump start’ my career in scuba diving and learn about marine conservation. My skills as a scuba diver increased exponentially because of our small group size and personal relationships with our course instructors and staff at Beqa Adventure Divers. I never felt like my safety was at risk, even when I struggled with some of the diving skills. Our instructor was extremely patient, especially when I had trouble equalizing on two dives and helped me work through the skills I struggled with. I would recommend bringing good rain gear and warm layers for the boat. During the months of June and July it is winter in Fiji, therefore the water was very cold, and it rained almost every day. However, the weather did not impact any of our activities and the amount of fun we had! Each day, I learned something new about marine conservation and built lasting relationships with instructors and peers alike. The locals who I met and am still friends today, are some of the most welcoming and genuine people I have had the pleasure knowing. I cannot wait until I am able to return to Fiji and visit all the friends I made. Overall, I am extremely grateful for the experience and would recommend this program to any aspiring divers and conservationist. Not only do you gain the educational experience but also create memories and friendships that last a lifetime!

I have so many positive things to say about this trip! I was nervous before the trip because it was my first time doing an abroad program for an extended period of time but everyone was so friendly and welcoming. I felt right at home! I was one of the younger members of the group but I never felt left out from any discussions or activities. All of the lessons were interesting and engaging and I was never bored! I enjoyed participating in all of the bonding and trust exercises we did over the course of the trip. My favorite part of the trip by far was working in the clinic and getting to play with the children in the waiting room. Everyone at the FIMRC clinic was so kind and dedicated to their work. The clinic made such a profound impact on my life that I decided to start a club dedicated to helping FIMRC in my hometown! I always felt safe and felt that my personal needs were being met (food, sleep, etc). My leaders were such strong role models and I am so grateful for everything that they taught me. I have formed friendships that I will carry with me throughout my life!

My experience at Broadreach has been life changing. One of my favorite parts of the program is that we were constantly exploring outdoors. I had the opportunity to immerse myself in so many unique environments through different perspectives. While snorkeling I saw an array of vibrant sea stars slowly inching down into the low tide. On kayaking trips we got to paddle over kelp beds, do open water crossings, and watch pods of orcas porpoising by us. While we were camping off the grid I watched beautiful sunsets with the group. While whale watching, we saw bait balls, Steller Sea Lions, bald eagles, river otters and sea otters. At one of the field stations I went swimming in bioluminescence at midnight and while floating on my back looked up at the stars. This trip was life changing because I want to do it again, and because it inspired an overwhelming and profound appreciation for nature within the whole group that I hadn’t been exposed to before.
Having a small group of students on the expedition allowed for an amazing community to develop. We all had a lot of fun together doing group activities and cooking meals, and were also there to support each other if someone was feeling homesick, or when exams were coming up. The instructors were also a huge factor in everyone being so supported. Our group learned a lot about marine mammals and conservation through field work, lessons, projects, and interacting with researchers at different field stations. Overall, the expedition maintained a great balance between having fun and learning about marine ecosystems.

This was my first trip out of the country, which was especially scary for me because I was going to meet up with a group of people who I didn't know and live with them for three weeks on a sailboat. Deciding to go on this trip with broadreach was easily one of the greatest decisions I have ever made. I learned so much about myself and became way more confident than I was at the beginning of the trip. I learned great leadership and life skills all while having the most fun of my entire life with friends that I will stay in touch with forever. I learned to scuba dive on this trip which is now one of my greatest passions. The people at broadreach have been nothing but helpful and nice. This trip has given me more life experience and fun than I could have ever imagined possible in such a short amount of time and I would highly recommend it to everyone!

My trip could not have been better. It was the most amazing way to learn immersed in the environment. I could not have asked for a better summer. My summer of Broadreach I made friends I will never lose and memories I will never forget. From breathing in this new underwater world to skippering our catamaran. The bond you form with the instructors and your friends is like no other. The instructors we had were amazing, some of the best teachers I have ever had. We eventually became a family. This program opened up a world of new possibility and new knowledge for me. If you have the opportunity to take this trip- do it. I promise you won't regret it.

Going on the Bahamas Marine Biology trip was one of the most influential and important things I have ever done in my life. It was such a great experience to go on, and it seriously was a life changing event. Not only did it teach me about marine science which is something that I have always been passionate about. It made me come out of my shell, and made me realize that I want to pursue marine science in college. My instructors were great and they made me feel safe and were professional, while also acting as members of our group with their friendship. The island was beautiful filled with the clearest water. On our trip we filled glass bottles with the water from the beach and they looked drinkable. A little tip to future trip goers, when you ride in the blue open air trucks, unless you are holding on to lose articles of clothing, they WILL fall off. Hopefully you can convince your instructor to turn around or a super nice local will pick it up and speed to catch up to you just to give it back. I think that my favorite part of the whole experience was sitting on the top of the boat every day after our dives and eating oranges as we became close. By the end of our trip there were so many tears because I think we all realized how special this was. I hope that you will take this trip into consideration because it was so important to me.

I am going to start by saying how amazing of a program Broadreach is. They are one of a kind, mainly because of the qualities they obtain that other traveling programs do not. Broadreach has the close knit relationships between instructors and students that are present, non-stop activities that keep your days 100% glum free, accommodations like no other, and so much more. I could go on forever about the life changing program. Going into the trip, I was worried and overthinking everything. My flight was canceled out to St. Maarten and I had to fly out a day late. The instructors were so nice about it and welcomed me at the airport and even bought me Ting, a sparkling grapefruit drink in some of the islands. We rode the “Mega Dinghy” out to the boat in Grand Case. All of my friends were super excited to see me and I was beyond thrilled to finally meet them. This just goes to show the positive attitudes and openness that everyone has around you. Overall, I went home to a whole new perspective on how your life is your story and you can write it how you want. You have to live life to the fullest and never waste a day of learning and loving. Thank you, Broadreach, for exceeding my expectations and for helping me have the best experience of my life.

This course was absolutely life changing, through the mindfulness excercises it provided me with a door to my inner self and also a time to reflect on prior and future actions. Besides that and the amazing food, housing, and tent life, the occasional whale sighting and intense scenery truly put this trip over the top. The highlight of the trip for me though was being able to spend time at the research station and present our science projects to true marine biologists. I highly recommend this trip to anyone with an interest in Marine Biology, a want to learn about an amazing native culture, or just want to see some amazing vistas.

Incredible! A group of very different teens coming together in paradise on gorgeous boats learning to accept each other's differences and work together! Every activity is well thought out, executed perfectly, and so fun and memorable, from diving at night with sharks to building trails atop Mount Scenery in Saba! The staff are all well educated, fun, and understanding. They cultivate the perfect balance of leadership - allowing the crew to find our own way but stepping in when we need support. The close, shared living quarters allow you to become so close with the other students and create friendships that last way beyond the trip! Everyone accepts each other for who they are and encourage one another to be themselves. You come away from the trip with so many new skills, experiences, and a more understanding outlook on life.

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I decided to enroll on this trip. I read the itinerary and the course syllabus, but nothing on the website or in the informational brochures could give justice to the indescribable experience I had on this trip. The students I along with our adult leaders began a family in those three weeks. On day three our bond was secured with a track into dark, spectacular Mayan caves where we first began to work as a team and trust each other after we blindly guided each other around stalagmite and stalactite structures just waiting there to inpale one of us. This trust and friendship was there throughout this trip and really helped us succeed in our WFR course which was the most intense part of the trip. Spending hours at night studying and practicing our skills was worth it when collectively we all passed the practical and received all As on the written portion. I have never had so much fun taking vitals, playing unconius or "spine safe" carrying a guy almost twice my weight. This course was challenging but to this day I still get excited to share my certifications and demonstrate my skills. Following our course volunteering in the hospital, nursing home and vitals clinic was unforgettable. We truly made a change in someone else lives. But most of all this experience changed mine. Not only were these 3 weeks fun, but they were unforgettable.