Seamester: Transatlantic, Mediterranean to Caribbean - 90 Days

I went abroad for my Fall sophomore semester aboard Argo and I have to say, it was one of the best experiences of my life. We started off in France and sailed our way down the southern coast to Italy. Throughout the beginning of the trip our instructors quickly brought all of us closer together with actives as well as a deep level of integration in our new environment. They quickly became our friends and their participation was a key in how enjoyable and educational this experience was for me. 90 days and an ocean later, I have to say I have absolutely no regrets. This experience was truly one of a kind and I believe everyone should engage with it. This trip brought me countless exotic experiences, a far deeper application for the ocean and environment as well as lifelong friends. Thank you!

Do yourself a favor and come aboard this trip. My life aboard S/Y Argo in the Fall 2016 is one I will never forget and treasure to this day. I use the skills I learned from the trip everyday and I skyrocketed as a person. Coming back from the trip, I had a whole new outlook on life. I am not going to lie, it is hard work, but it is SO worth it and there are so many positive and fun aspects to being aboard. I improved vastly as a person on this trip. I also had never sailed prior and was 17 but that is not a problem with Seamester. You all will not regret this as I can assure you it will change your life forever in so many amazing ways. If you want to learn more about it I made three parts about it at my website a while ago: www.carolinewilbur.com

Not only was seamester a trip and experience of a lifetime that left me with wonderful memories and bonded friendships, but it also expanded my perspective on the world. I have felt a deepened desire to health the earth since doing seamester. Not to mention it’s a great time visiting various countries and having adventures only a lucky few are able to have. I got to experience everything from seeing the most beautiful sunsets in the world to seeing whale pods in the middle of the ocean. No day is ever the same and you get to experience all of it with a crew that truly does become ur family. It’s not an experience for the weak of mind, it’s challenging. However it is an experience for anyone wanting an adventure that is unique and beautiful and leaves you feeling accomplished, experienced and just straight up grateful to live in the world we do

From the start the staff made sure that everyone was known and welcomed. With every night watch under the endless stars and every day in the kitchen with your sous chefs, we got to know each other a bit better. Even when we were sleep deprived, nauseous, and hangry, everyone took care of each other and we became fast friends. By the time Thanksgiving rolled around (in the middle of the Atlantic no less), it didn't feel like we were away from home. We all had good food, and we felt like family anyway.
The diving was my favourite part, as we got to dive in some of the most beautiful locations and see incredible creatures. Each location was different with a million colours, edges, and textures. Our instructors were highly skilled and taught us to recognize and care for the creatures we saw.
Academics were challenging and interesting, but I learned the most outside of the classroom. I can now negotiate underwater shipwrecks, barter with Moroccan vendors, and lead a sail raise.
I'll never forget the starry nights, endless ocean, and my boat family. It was unequivocally the trip of a lifetime and I would go again in a heartbeat.

Sea|Mester not only provided me with amazing experiences and memories, but after the 90 days were over I had a solid group of close friends I will have for a lifetime. I have visited many of my crew-mates, from California, to Colorado, and Switzerland even, after the program ended! It was definitely character building and flung me out of my comfort zones many times. However, there are no rewards without a little risk! I remember waking up in the middle of the Atlantic on my 19th birthday to my friend Andrew yelling that there was a pod of dolphin jumping at the bow! This trip was a beautiful blessing in my life, truly. The staff genuinely care and in my opinion is what really made the experience an enjoyable one.

This was easily the best decision I ever made. There are obvious reason why this was an incredible experience, the diving, sailing, culture, and sailing were all amazing. But what I found to be the most remarkable and life changing was the new perspective it gave me. Being away from home and learning things in this environment created so much growth. You become so connected to nature and the ocean and develop a new understanding of the environment. Diving with animals was incredible and swimming in truly open water was euphoric. Waking up for night watch to stars that almost touched the water is something You would never see anywhere else. It helps you to appreciate what you have and show you a lifestyle you would never experience otherwise. The people we met along the way were wildly diverse and interesting. I’ve come home with so many stories that my freinds and family hardly believe. This program is definitely a get out what you put in and an amazing way to face your fears. I would recommend it to anyone!

Seamester and life aboard Argo was easily one of the best decisions I have ever made. It can be a big leap of faith for anyone to go abroad, especially with a program like Seamester. I had never been on a sail boat and had never been SCUBA diving before the program, but I felt fully comfortable and couldn't have been happier with my experience and what I had learned. Every day was special and unique. You're never ever bored and there's always something to do. It was an incredible challenge that enriched my life daily. I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. You're living on a boat in the middle of the ocean. You and your crew only have each other. It is a nerve-racking, but liberating feeling when the only thing in the world that matters is that moment.

I had an amazing time sailing around the Caribbean. I would not have been able to complete all of my certifications at home or without the support of the amazing, encouraging, and patient staff. I was able to meet people from all over the United States that I would never have met without this program. Even though I initially struggled with scuba diving, the staff was willing to work extra with me so that I could conquer my initial fear until I was able to enjoy diving and eventually looked forward to. I got open water and advanced scuba certification, sailing certification, and first aid certification. I appreciate my time on the boat and have definitely learned a lot from it. After traveling to the various islands, I got a strong desire to help with pollution and have started looking for ways to help protect the islands from home.

I can’t thank Seamester and their staff enough for providing the best summer of my life. Countless jokes and amazing experiences with the other crew members are something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Everything was amazing , from small boat sailing, to scuba diving, to exploring every island! I also can’t thank Steve, Tom, Amy, and Alex for always keeping us on our feet every hour of every day ! Some of my favorite memories include drinking seamoss, scuba diving in Saba, exploring the boujiness of Saint Barths, meeting all my new crew members/friends in the airports as we all flew to S/Y Ocean Star, the squeeze every night after dinner, sunrise watches sailing from port to port, Tom for always having a smile on his face, and the steel drums in Antigua !

This experience changed my outlook on life and helped me find out who I really am, and I got to do it all at sea! I made lifelong friends who I keep in contact with everyday. The adventures we had were like nothing else. There is so much more to this world than just laying on beaches and suntanning and this trip showed me that. It showed me the back alleys that I didn't know existed. It showed me the lives of people I would never meet otherwise. I got to see how pottery was made FROM SCRATCH. I was shown to shops that many people didn't know were there, but sold great things. I tasted foods that I wouldn't dream of in a million years. It also showed me the messier sides of life. I learned how to do my laundry by hand. I learned how to clean a bathroom. I learned how to cook. I learned how to stay organized in a small space. These are valuable life skills that I will use until the day I die. This was the best three months of my life. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

I applied for this trip because I love sailing and I wanted an abroad experience that would allow myself to see as many beautiful places as possible. What I did not realize is that my fellow crew members would become my second family. From the very first time we were underway to the last, everyone was always looking out for one another to ensure their safety and to make sure we all had the best experience possible. Learning outside of a typical classroom was one of the best aspects about this program, while underwater learning was absolutely incredible. For me, I didn't think I was going to love SCUBA diving as much as I did, and now I can go diving whenever I want. Sailing under the stars, through beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and rainstorms were all what made this adventure so much fun. Waking up in a new country with a sense of adventure and excitement almost every day is something I am truly going to miss. Letting go of the rest of society, only worrying about yourself and shipmates, and living on the little island of Argo is an unforgettable experience.

Seamester gave me the opportunity to travel all over the world, learn to sail and scuba dive, and be apart of a community that truly changed my life. This program not only allows people to travel to more than one location in the world, but also fosters personal growth and creates lasting friendships that turn into family. I would recommend this trip to everyone and feel that is a great opportunity for fun, adventure, as well as a great learning opportunity both educationally and about oneself.
In addition to the overall experience, tangibly it is very advantageous to earn all the certificates that Seamester offers. Not only does it allow you to get scuba certificates, but also your ICC, VHF and CPR. These certs not only open doors of opportunity, but they also required me to learn skills that I can use in a variety of situations. Overall Seamester creates a well rounded person and inspires the minds of many.

If you are considering Sea|mester: do it. I could not recommend this program enough—they offer so much, and you finish the program having grown and feeling accomplished. Not only do you get to stop in multiple countries and go abroad, you also take classes and get college credit, learn to scuba dive, sail, make life-long friendships that are genuine, meet new people and make honest connections, challenge yourself in many ways, and more. I knew I would like it, but I never knew how much I would grow to love life living and learning on a boat. The staff is amazing and supportive, and all of your fellow crew make you feel at ease and at home. Meals are excellent and fun to cook. Overall, it is a one-in-a-lifetime experience that you don't want to pass up.

The Sea|Mester program is truly a one of a kind experience. Students sail to a variety of destinations getting to explore each location with some of your new found best friends. From day one, everyone, students and staff alike, are so kind and energized for the voyage ahead. Everyone becomes friends with each other so fast and the relationships only strengthen as you explore, live, sleep and learn with each other for the duration of the semester. Sea|mester could not be more correct when they claim that “there is no room for passengers on our vessels, only crew members.” This is what I loved about the program because each and every student is vital to the success of the crew and plays an active role in operating the vessel. On the first passage students were already trusted with the helm. By day 30 students were completely self dependent and capable of leading a sail raise. The level of trust granted by the staff was more than I could have ever expected. I would strongly recommend this program to anyone who might be interested. There is truly no experience required as everything taught onboard starts with the basics so anyone, of any background, can be just as involved as the rest.

I did this trip because I love sailing and I have always wanted to travel internationally. This trip provided a perfect opportunity to do both of those things. The staff was amazing and I really enjoyed having them aboard, not just as staff members but also as friends. The close quarters necessitated by life on a ship at sea, as well as the challenges presented by sailing and working in such an environment, created a strong sense of comradery among everyone aborad and by the end of the trip, we felt like a family. The places that we visited together, from the beaches of southern France to the mountains of Morocco and the open waters of the Atlantic were all beautiful and magical, each in their own way. I was always excited waking up in a new place, to see what the day would offer and what new adventure we would have.