Broadreach: Bahamas Reef Explorer

Going on the Bahamas Marine Biology trip was one of the most influential and important things I have ever done in my life. It was such a great experience to go on, and it seriously was a life changing event. Not only did it teach me about marine science which is something that I have always been passionate about. It made me come out of my shell, and made me realize that I want to pursue marine science in college. My instructors were great and they made me feel safe and were professional, while also acting as members of our group with their friendship. The island was beautiful filled with the clearest water. On our trip we filled glass bottles with the water from the beach and they looked drinkable. A little tip to future trip goers, when you ride in the blue open air trucks, unless you are holding on to lose articles of clothing, they WILL fall off. Hopefully you can convince your instructor to turn around or a super nice local will pick it up and speed to catch up to you just to give it back. I think that my favorite part of the whole experience was sitting on the top of the boat every day after our dives and eating oranges as we became close. By the end of our trip there were so many tears because I think we all realized how special this was. I hope that you will take this trip into consideration because it was so important to me.

This trip was the absolute best thing I have ever done in my entire life. I was terrified to go because I had never been out of the country before and I was doing it alone but the second my plane landed I was immediately greeted by the entire group with smiles and lots of hugs. The instructors were so awesome at helping me get to know everyone and making me feel right at home thousands of miles from home. The program was awesome and learning to scuba dive in the Bahamas is something I will never forget.

This was my first trip overseas on my own, and I was naturally nervous about many things. However, from the moment I got off the plane, the staff and other kids made me feel supported and welcome. Everyone was very warm, and, in no time at all, I was feeling like part of the group even though I had arrived on the later plane and many kids were already there. We quickly hopped on another plane and flew to the tiny island of San Salvador, where the Gerace Research Center is located. The island was beautiful and right away we got down to business. We were split two groups, those who were already scuba certified and those who weren't. I was in the group who wasn't. Within a few days, however, we had gained enough skill in diving to merge the groups again. The diving instructors were very competent, clear and supportive and because of this we were able to speed through our instruction in no time. On the dives throughout this trip we saw many things including hawksbill sea turtles, grey reef sharks, rays, octopuses and more. Not only that, but the reefs themselves were healthy and amazing.
Besides the diving, there was also a heavy academic component to this trip. Every day you would have a lecture and homework to complete. If you are interested in marine biology as well as diving, than this is certainly the trip for you. You'll learn a ton and be able to actively observe what you're learning in the classroom during your dives. There are a couple tests and research projects that help determine your grade, however, if you love marine biology like I do, you will have an easy time with them because you've soaked up all the info during the lectures and homework. The academic instructor was a very intelligent and accomplished marine biologist who taught the material well and was eager to help everyone learn. She was very approachable and friendly and also very knowledgable and interesting.
If you're looking for great diving experiences and an expanded knowledge of marine biology, than you will absolutely love this trip!

This was my second Broadreach program (my first being the Costa Rica Sea Turtle Studies - I highly recommend that as well) and honestly the most amazing time of my life. I was nervous about scuba diving, since I've never been a very outdoorsy/athletic person, but since I already had experience with Broadreach I knew I'd feel super comfortable and also have a lot of fun. The office is so helpful and communicative and will answer any questions you have. The instructors are sooo friendly and really great at making everyone feel at ease and getting everyone to talk, since people are mostly a little shy at first. But you become such a family so quickly it's amazing. Gerace is absolutely beautiful, even though the rooms aren't that glamorous. The food is pretty simple "American" food, and there's always cake at dinner which is FABULOUS. The rooms don't have air-conditioning but the lab rooms where all the schoolwork/hanging out is done are so it's all good. The weather is the stereotypical sunny cloudless sky, so bring lots of sunscreen! The town on San Salvador is more conservative, so when driving to different places on the island you need to be fully clothed FYI (Tshirt and shorts). The instructors are really patient and if you don't understand something, either with diving or the academics, they'll go over it with you until you're confident about it. My summers with Broadreach have impacted me so much in my life and I can't rave about them enough. If you're looking for something fun, adventurous, and life-changing, a Broadreach trip is the exact thing.

Our typical day was having a lesson about marine biology, playing games like a family, scuba diving, and working on our homework. Even though this trip involved a lot of work, it still payed off by experiencing the most incredible dive sites and visiting the nicest beaches with soft white sand and crystal clear water. Having the opportunity to learn about something and then go out and see what it does or looks like with your own eyes, is definitely a better feeling than looking at it on a computer or in class. Some troubles that I faced were the bugs and trying to keep my grades where I liked them. The bugs were absolutely terrible, I couldn't stop itching and I would strongly recommend getting a bug spray that works. Also the rooms were a little hard to deal with, just because it was hot at night and the beds were a little uncomfortable. Besides that I had an amazing experience and all the good things triumphed the bad things. I couldn't have been more sad to leave the place, just like everyone else. The whole group bonded so well, it was like we have known each other for 5 years. Overall an amazing and educational trip!

This trip was incredible and life-changing! I was a little nervous to be without anyone that I knew in a foreign country, but the instructors and participants made me feel right at home. It was my first experience diving and it was amazing to see everything under water! The people were amazing, the trip was incredible and I learned so many things about marine biology and myself.

I experienced the Broadreach PADI program during the Marine Biology San Salvador, Bahamas trip. i was terrified the first day because i had never even gone snorkeling, but as soon as we went on our first dive i fell in love! the support was great and the learning experience was at the perfect comfortable pace. I may have just gotten lucky, but my group was AMAZING! we all had such a smooth time learning how to dive (especially since we were in San Sal), and because of our PADI experience, we all still talk everyday, 6 months later! the water was beautiful and i couldn't have had more fun!

The Marine Biology trip in the Bahamas was truly amazing! It opened my eyes to a whole new view of the Bahamas and its natural undersea life. I was able to experience the real Bahamas when I went from Nassau to San Salvador. The island's untouched beauty was amazing and everyone was so friendly and welcoming. We stayed at the Gerace Research Center, where all our needs were met by the wonderful staff. There was a perfect combination of fun, exploring, and learning about Marine Biology in both our indoor and outdoor classrooms. I met many great new people on this trip as well. It was definitely the opportunity of a lifetime!