The Arc Caribbean Leadership Voyage is a fast paced adventure run aboard our 90-ft schooner, S/Y Ocean Star and offers the possibility of 3-credits through the Florida Keys Community College for the Student Leadership Development course. Starting in the British Virgin Islands you'll pilot the vessel south to the island of Antigua visiting more than 8 other islands along the way. You'll have the opportunity to learn to scuba dive and, when ashore, we'll explore the towns, hike to the top of the tallest mountain and cook out on the white sand beaches.

During the program you will complete a college level 3-credit leadership course and your grade will be reflected on both an Arc transcript and a transcript from the FKCC should you select additional credit from that institution (please note that additional credits costs apply that vary with you home state of residency). You will also gain a lot of sailing experience aboard our modern schooner. Through International Yachtmaster Training (IYT) you'll earn the International Crew Certificate and your sea time and miles will also become officially logged for future use should you decide to build on your certifications. Scuba is also included and, depending on your previous experience, you could earn your PADI Open Water or PADI Advanced Open Water certification.

A maximum of 14 students and 4 staff that will sail aboard for this voyage, split between both males and females.

This voyage is run aboard our 88-foot sail training schooner S/Y Ocean Star. Originally launched in 1991 as a school ship for Ocean Navigator Magazine. Over the years, she sailed the waters between Canada and the Caribbean, enabling adult students to learn navigation and nautical skills. After an extensive refit in 1999 Ocean Star began a new life with us, serving to train students and young adults on the waters she knows so well.

From the moment you arrive, you'll move aboard and live on board full-time. If you've never lived aboard a yacht before, you'll find that there are a lot of differences to living on land! What's the head? Where's the lazarette? How do you pump the bilge? Ocean Star has 4 dedicated sleeping areas so there's enough room for us all to sleep down below in our own bunk.

Four professional staff members live aboard full-time. There will be the Skipper, the First Mate and a Scuba Instructor (who is typically a Marine Biologist) and a fourth staff member who could also be a scuba instructor, EMT, Marine Biologist or someone with other special skills.

The short answer to this question is, GORGEOUS! Well, usually anyway! In the Caribbean the trade winds blow a steady 8-14 knots and the average summer temperature is 83°F with 76% humidity and 81°F water temperature (South Florida by comparison averages 89°F with humidity of 87%.) What's great about the Caribbean weather is that there is always a breeze, so it feels very comfortable almost all the time. Yes, it does rain now and then, but it is more of a tropical shower, lasting only a few minutes, rather than a complete day of rain.

The easiest way is for students to place a quick call home to let Mom and Dad in on what's going on! Sometimes this doesn't happen though so we developed a trip update system in which, at the end of each day, the student leader writes a few remarks in the log. At various times (typically once every 3 or 4 days) this is typed up and posted on the Arc Academic Expeditions website. This way, Mom and Dad can vicariously live aboard too!

No special immunizations are required to these Caribbean Islands. We do ask that all students check that their Tetanus and Hepatitis B inoculations are up-to-date.

Students come from all points of the compass! (typically, around 11 countries and 35 states are represented), so coordinated air travel is of vital importance.

For this reason, we highly recommend that students flying to the Caribbean book through Leah Hernandez at Reservation Services International as she regularly obtain the best fares available, arranges group seating and provides close monitoring on travel days in case of flight difficulties. As airlines often change their schedules, Arc Academic Expeditions cannot be responsible for the coordination of air flights that were not booked through Leah.

For more information on flight itineraries and travel information, please contact...

Leah Hernandez
Reservation Services International
Tel. 800.329.9000
(Texas 281.528.7727)
Email. leahctn68@hotmail.com

All students traveling to the Caribbean need to have a passport which is valid for a minimum of six months after the date of departure from the British Virgin Islands. Visitors from certain countries other than the US, UK and Canada may require visas. To confirm whether or not a visa is required, please call us or contact the Chief Immigration Officer, Government of the British Virgin Islands, the nearest British Consulate or the nearest BVI Tourist Board Office.