community service summer camp

Sail Caribbean works under the guidance of CoralWatch, an Australian research project that uses simple, non-invasive methods to monitor coral bleaching, and assessment of coral health. We also participate in REEF, a grass-roots organization that seeks to conserve marine ecosystems by educating, enlisting and enabling divers to scientifically monitor, restore and maintain coral reefs. Finally, we work closely with the local college in the Marine Science department to collect data for their conservation efforts. Using scientific protocols from these two organizations, we’ll show you how to perform a coral reef “health check-up”. You’ll document fish counts and record data on three endangered reefs in the British Virgin Islands.

Only 1 in 1,500 hatchlings reaches egg-laying maturity. As a result, the sea turtle population has plummeted 90% worldwide in the last 10 years. On Foxtrot and Sierra programs, you’ll learn techniques from the BVI Association of Reek Keepers to safely tag sea turtles as a means of monitoring their population and movements.

On all of Sail Caribbean programs, you’ll do your part to restore coastal areas and parklands to pristine condition through our beach, trail and underwater sweeps.

The Foxtrot & Sierra adventures will put your diving and snorkeling skills to the test by taking part in Project AWARE’s Dive Against Debris led by Sail Caribbean Divers. On the Delta program, you’ll help create and maintain ecological and historically significant trails in the rainforest on Saba.

By participating in outdoor team-building and leadership activities, you’ll get to meet and make friends with the local youth and work together to collaborate, problem-solve, and just have fun! It’s all about connecting with each other and learning about what it’s like to be a teenager in another part of the world. Find out what interests you have in common and get introduced to some new food, music, culture and activities. Learn to cook some local flavor or teach someone how to play lacrosse or throw a football. Share some stories from your Sail Caribbean experience and hear about some of the adventures they have had. Some things Foxtrot & Sierra students have done in the past include teaching local youth about boat safety on our 45′ Catamarans and working with local empowerment programs in cultural exchange activities.

The goal of composting is to reduce the waste that we put in the ocean and the landfills. It will teach the students and staff about the importance and helpfulness of composting, as well as reducing our carbon footprints and contributing to the local community.  When organic waste is put in landfills, it can create toxic air and harmful bacteria. Rather than that waste being put in the trash, it can be used as a fertilizer for gardens and farms around the islands. So, by keeping a compost bin of organic waste on the boats, the SC fleets positively impact the sustainability and health of the islands. 

The excursions at the Tortola and Virgin Gorda EcoParks educate students on initiatives like composting, recycling, separating plastics, gardening, and the negative impact of mosquitoes. It lasts about 2-3 hours and includes an educational tour and activities.

SC staff and students will participate in the local H. Lavity Stoutt  Community College (HLSCC) project on Restoration at Long Bay Beach. Led by college staff and interns, our students help clean up harmful plants that are on the beach and even inject the harmful trees with toxins. This project has made considerable progress thanks to the help from both SC and the community. Students learn about different types of plants and their benefits/negative impacts. 

The Mangroves excursion is geared towards the Sierra and Foxtrot students. Alex Dick-Reed, a local naturalist, takes our students on a kayak trip through the Mangroves on Beef Island. He explains the importance of this unique environment, its history, and the external factors that negatively affect it. The Sierra students learn about marine biology, like the juvenile species that dwell there, and why the Mangrove trees are important. For the Foxtrot students, Alex delves into the history of the area. They learn about how people have wanted to put resorts and a golf course there, and what the unique environment does for the island and the country. 

The Beach Cleanup is an activity that the whole fleet participates in. For 1-2 hours, the students walk along the beach and pick up trash. Over the years, we have done this on Anegada before visiting the shark pools. The Foxtrot and Sierra students lead a lesson for the rest of the fleet about human impact and marine litter on beaches that hold a lot of waste from tourists and fishing boats. 

KATS is a local non-profit organization with the mission of teaching local students about safety on the water. We work with their advanced program, which has a curriculum geared towards potential careers in the marine industry, elevated boat safety and knots, and specifically sailing techniques. Our Foxtrot students and staff take the KATS participants on catamarans where they get exposure to working on a charter boat and important safety techniques. This program gives KATS students further awareness of opportunities for a career in the marine industry, one of the most prevalent sectors in the BVI.