Underwater Discoveries Explorer is a
14-day version of Underwater Discoveries and Underwater
Discoveries Advanced. This trip is appropriate for both
certified divers and participants with no prior experience.
Day 1–3
Our yacht's home port is Anse Marcel on the French side of
St. Martin. These first days are busy as you meet the crew,
are assigned your dive gear for the trip and make last
minute preparations for the voyage. Settle into your yacht
and get accustomed to the pace of life aboard. Our 46-foot
specially equipped catamaran provides an ideal platform
for diving, sailing and adventure. Days start early, around 7am!
We share all of the responsibilities, from sailing to keeping our
home "ship-shape".
Over the next two weeks you will be the skipper, first
mate, navigator, Divemaster and chef for this journey.
Learn the language of the sea as our yacht slices through wind and
wave on our first sail to Grand Case. Adventure awaits! Whether
it's your first time diving, or you are already certified, the knack
for scuba will come to you in no time and soon you'll be blowing
bubbles and checking out the stunning reefs and cool fish. Try your
hand at wakeboarding or waterskiing in the calm waters that surround
your yacht.
Day 4–6
St. Barts feels like the French Riviera, très français. Perfect
beaches, turquoise waters and shallow reefs teeming with life.
Whether you are working on your Open Water or your Advanced
certification, the diverse and accessible dive sites in the St. Bart's
Marine Reserve are ideal. A short hike takes us to the bodysurfing beach
at Anse Flamands on the windward side of the island. Spend an afternoon
practicing small boat handling, feeling the wind and trimming the sails
as we learn to sail lasers at the St. Barts Yacht Club. The town of
Gustavia is perhaps the nicest in the entire Caribbean with cools shops,
yummy burgers and homemade mango ice cream. Back on the yacht, as you
watch the sunset over les Saintes with your new friends and reflect
on all you've done, its hard to imagine that you have only been here
for a few days.
Day 7–8
Practice your seamanship and navigation skills as we sail to
St. Kitts. The island boasts rolling hills, lush rainforests,
beautiful coastlines and reef walls that drop off into the
abyss. Step back into colonial history by hiking up to Brimstone Hill
Fort. Cannons, pirates and the rum trade are just part of the story
here. Now that everyone on board is certified, we plunge below to explore
Paradise Reef where the spur and groove formations make you feel like
you are swimming through an underwater maze. After dinner, discover
the abundance of lobsters, crabs, shrimp and eels that emerge from the
cracks on your first night dive. Raise the main and sail to Statia,
also known as St. Eustatius. There are almost no hotels or tourism here
and that's part of what makes it so special and unspoiled. The Statia
Marine Park works to preserve the island's thriving reefs, and we dive
its awe-inspiring jewel, the 327-foot C/V Charles L. Brown, one of the
best and largest wreck dives in the Caribbean.
Day 9–12
Saba is a magical place that will capture your imagination.
The island majestically rises out of the ocean and disappears
into the clouds. Its world-famous marine park protects some
of the best diving in the Caribbean. The sheer walls and towering pinnacles
of Babylon, Man-of-War Shoals and Twilight Zone are phenomenal and perfect
for finishing your PADI Underwater Naturalist certification.
Spend a day ashore, making your way up to a town called "The Bottom" to
explore the picturesque village of tiny cottages and artisan shops.
Then hike into the mist of the elfin rainforest to the top of Mt. Scenery.
Day 13–14
Still time for more diving, exploring and watersports! Sail
on to the picture perfect, deserted island of Tintemarre just
off the coast of St Martin. The white sand and crystal clear
water provide the ideal setting for your final day in the Caribbean.
Do one last dive on the wreck of the Remorquer. After nightfall,
head to the beach for a campfire with your shipmates. As you toast marshmallows
under the starry sky you reflect on your adventure. Twelve
people who were strangers have become a team; working together,
learning from each other and building lifelong friendships.