Seamester

This trip brings new experience and friendships that you just can't find anywhere else. I grew a lot as a person while I was learning tons of new things about sailing, diving, and science. The staff are wonderful and inspiring and ready to help with anything you could need. We went on crazy adventures like swimming with whale sharks and hiking to boiling lakes; and the time in between the adventures was filled with new knowledge and fun we made for ourselves (we threw a boat prom that involved trash bags full of popcorn and a potato someone's date). I recommend this experience to everyone I talk to, but it's especially great for people who want adventures that you can't find anywhere else.

I was one of Argo's maiden voyage shipmates in the summer of 2006 when she launched in Thailand! Even though it was about 13 years ago, I still have very vivid memories of many different experiences on board.

It was an unforgettable experience completing night watches with my watch team, seeing pods of hundreds of dolphins riding our bow wake, navigating under the stars at night, watching the incredible sunrises... life at sea really teaches you a unique lesson of living in the moment. If you have any doubts, know that you grow so much by doing something you are unfamiliar with... and you'll also come home with some crazy stories!!

I did this trip in 2014 and I had an incredible time. I learned a lot about myself as a person, became a more proficient sailor, learned how to use my leadership style to my advantage, and became a good member of a team. There are so many soft skills you learn while living in this environment with this many people it's difficult to quantify. You learn plenty of hard skills around the boat that will follow you after the trip as well. You get to run the boat as a team while becoming very close with your mentors as well. The simplicity of life underway was one of my favorite parts. You're surrounded by a huge family on an incredible adventure, seeing beautiful countries and make memories that last a lifetime. I have nothing but the most positive things to say about this program and the impact it's had on my life.

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!