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For many, jumping from a boat into crystal clear water is a new sensation. While at anchor students kayak, paddle board and swim to the beach. There are daily reef snorkeling opportunities where they witness the marine habitat with its endless variety of sea life – from sea turtles to fish to colorful coral creatures.
The Fowl Cay National Park, for instance, offers several biologically rich coral reefs to explore – and hides a special surprise in an underwater cave in one of the reefs.
Tailored to Your Group’s Goals
The trip is an experiential learning adventure that can be tailored to meet specific goals. While each trip has a basic itinerary, the Sailing Adventures in the Bahamas program can accommodate courses that offer academic credit. We are happy to coordinate with professors or study abroad coordinators in advance. The trip lends itself very well to the study of topics such as marine biology, astronomy, film and media, photography, cultural studies, art and ecotourism.
A Meaningful Water-Based Experience
There are few opportunities to experience tropical waters on a boat in a foreign country. Lori Gudmundson and Ellen Sokol, along with their husbands, started this program in 2015. Both couples had been hosting youth groups on their sailboats in the Bahamas. When their own children reached college age, they wanted to make this unique seagoing experience available to college students.
Sailing Adventures in the Bahamas works closely with group organizers to provide a deeply meaningful water-based experience. We also impart a strong appreciation for the rich diversity and delicacy of our marine environment.
Living and working in close quarters, attaining new skills, sharing the more mundane daily chores, and absorbing the beauty of the Abaco islands make the sailing adventure a transformative experience for our students. One student from Florida summed it up well:
"We came on the trip as mostly strangers, but grew as a team and became friends."
Kevin B.