Vela Spring 2026 Cape Town to Antigua

My Sea|mester experience this past spring (Cape Town to Antigua, 90 days) was absolutely incredible, teaching me so much about teamwork, traveling, myself, and giving me such a love for being on the ocean. So many once-in-a-lifetime moments were packed into those three months, and the experience is truly life-changing. The semester was by no means easy - I struggled a lot with the adjustment, feeling a lot of homesickness, stress, and overwhelm. This program does not offer much time to get school work done, and between boat responsibilities and seasickness, classes can be really hard. I am an environmental science major, and the marine biology and oceanography courses were so fun and were great classes to take for someone who loves the environment and conservation. The classes often correlated with what we were doing outside of class, such as the locations we were going to and the types of wildlife we would potentially see on dives. It was very hands on, and while difficult at times to find time to study or finish a paper, I learned a lot. Additionally, I struggled a lot being a vegetarian on board. Running out of fresh produce/eggs/dairy is a common reality on board, and I often found it hard to eat very healthy or get enough protein (lots of crackers and ramen). This is all part of the experience, but I would not recommend this program to someone who has very very strict dietary restrictions. However, despite the less "glamorous" side of this program, it teaches you how to overcome these discomforts and accomplish more than you think you could and learn to place the wellbeing of your crew above everything. My favorite moments were seeing whale sharks, bioluminescence, the milkyway over the Atlantic, and sailing in the Antigua Classics. The small moments are the things I remember most, such as being able to slow down and live disconnected from the rest of the world, the beautiful sunsets and sunrises, baking for everyone on board, and the feeling of fulfillment and pride that you feel when you reach day 90 having accomplished and changed so much. I would definitely recommend this program to anyone who loves adventure, being outside, wants to learn more about themselves, loves to be goofy, and just loves the sea. Thank you Sea|mester for such an incredible experience, I will remember it forever!