Seamester: Virgin Islands to Antigua - 20 Days

Seamester was such an incredible experience in so many ways. From breathing underwater for the first time to being fully under sail, I really fell in love with boat life. 20 days is a short amount of time for all of the plans packed in to the schedule; so if I were to do it again I would pick a longer trip because it takes a second to get into the groove of living on a boat. One of the greatest part of the trip is meeting your great crew mates. Since we are spending almost every second with these people you tend to get pretty close, which is really fun, overall it was definitely an experience to remember

Seamester has provided me with the best 3 weeks of my life! From the moment I stepped aboard I knew I had gained a new family. Together we sailed, dove, explored, sang, danced, and learned. This experience is unlike any other and is sure to leave you desperate for more. The places you go are incredible, but the people you meet and the things you learn are the most spectacular parts of the program. I promise you won't regret it! The most important thing I learned is that you have to trust yourself and the others around you. If you don't put yourself out there you never know what life could amount to. Take the leap of faith!

It was a really great program and I got to have so many new amazing experiences and everyone got along so well. I definitely think you have to be a specific type of person to go on this trip, you have to be very adaptable and open to new sometimes nerve racking experiences. The staff of the ocean star were amazing leaders, super interested in helping us and teaching all the new skills while also joining in on our shenanigans from time to time :) I will miss them all very much!! I think the friendships made were the most valuable aspect, everyone was so supportive and protective of one another and got along so incredibly well, we all loved each other a lot after only 20 days.

This experience was one of the most amazing things I have ever done. I wish that everyone would have the opportunity to do something like this, because it not only sparked my interest in pursuing a career at sea but it also gave me a sense of being able to face anything coming my way with confidence. The staff on my trip were amazing and made me feel safe and cared for. The friends I made on this trip are now some of my closest. Overall, this experience pushed me out of my comfort zone and I feel so much stronger and well prepared for all that life can throw my way!

If you have the chance to go aboard with Sea|Mester, take it! I promise you won’t regret it. Yes, you may be worried since the whole idea of sailing is new and you won’t know anyone going into it, but I promise it will be the best experience of your life. Hands down, Sea|Mester is probably the best thing I have ever done. Learning to sail was a blast. I saw so many cool things scuba diving. Exploring the beautiful islands was incredible. The staff were amazing. I made friends of a lifetime. Like I said, if you have the chance, take it! You wont regret it. I wish I could do this experience over again. Almost made me want to switch from being a doctor to working as staff on one of the boats. That’s how awesome it was!

Sea|Mester is an experience of a lifetime. I would do it 100+ times over. It was through this program that I discovered my passion. I cannot thank Sea|Mester enough for that. The staff on and off-board are beyond incredible. Each and everyone of the staff members invested all of their time into the students. I looked up to and still continue to look up to the staff on my voyage, Smash, Ash, Sam, and Marley. Their joyfulness, eagerness to teach, and down to earth personalities made Ocean Star home. If anybody is questioning signing up for a voyage, do it!!!! Do it, do it, do it. You'll create personal and professional connections, expand your mind, think in a different way, challenge yourself, and most importantly, grow.

In my final semester at USF I was required to take an international trip with classwork for at least 2 weeks. This 20 day sailing adventure from the BVI to Antigua and back was the perfect fit! My next step in schooling was a PhD in marine geology at the University of Miami, so having the ability to dive in this wide variety of locations was truly eye opening. In addition to the extensive dive training, learning how to properly sail was an amazing experience. As a kiteboarder, I have always loved the wind and water, but have never made any large passages at sea by sailing vessel. This allowed me to do that, and learn how to sail these complex tall ships. The food was great, from cooking together in teams in the ships galley, to going out in foreign countries for dinner, this is a great experience that you want to sign up for! The friends you make will be remembered forever!

Once I landed in Tortola, carried my duffel bag down the marina to Fire Bolt and Ocean Star, I knew I was in for an incredible 20 day voyage. An experience like no other, engages me and the fellow college students to step outside the confines of their standard classroom and live aboard a boat in the middle of the ocean. The lessons I learned were life changing because I was never exposed to diving with a regulator or understanding points of sail. When I jumped in the salty water, covered many nautical miles, watched the anchor at various late hours of the night, and made a second family with the staff and other students aboard, I could feel a new door open with joy and excitement. This was a new chapter in my life and I loved being at sea with people I now call my good friends!