How Teen Sailors Can Make a Difference

SeaTrek BVI is an ASA school that introduces teens to the ocean environment through sailing and scuba diving. Each summer their voyages delve into marine science, adventure, and hands-on learning in the Caribbean. Students participate in these programs while living aboard one of their 48-foot catamarans. SeaTrek BVI is lending its voice to the ASA website to help promote teen sailors and environmental awareness.

How Teens Can Make A Difference in the Ocean Environment

Teenagers can save the world, and they can start today! Whether you reside on the coast or in a landlocked state, your everyday activities impact the ocean. And believe it or not, the ocean impacts you! From economics to the air we breathe, the ocean is a vital part of life. The ocean boosts the economy by almost 300 billion dollars. It provides protein to more than half the planet’s population, and as if that is not enough, the ocean’s phytoplankton is responsible for at least 50% of the air we breathe. However, the ocean is fighting to survive against pollution, overexploitation, and climate change, all because of human impact on our planet. That’s where you come in! The ocean is worth saving, and if you follow the steps below, you can minimize those impacts and help create a positive change.

Get Your Teenager Involved

Here are five ways for you to get involved in supporting and ensuring the health of the world’s oceans, right now:

Get educated. You can’t save what you don’t understand. At SeaTrek BVI, students learn about the marine environment through hands-on education. Each day is filled with new adventures that allow students to become familiar with their “ocean classroom” – these activities include snorkeling tours, sailing, science presentations, and scuba dives. But don’t limit your learning to the summer! Here are some of our favorite places to learn all year long, and a simple online search will lead to many, many more. 

• www.unenvironment.org/explore-topics/oceans-seas
• www.nationalgeographic.org/education/programs/oceans-education/
• oceanservice.noaa.gov/welcome.html 
• oceanconservancy.org

Visit the ocean and share your experience. Some individuals may never have the opportunity to see the beauty of the ocean from a sailboat or underwater while diving. Those people can grow to love it by experiencing it through others, like a SeaTrek student who visits, or you!. If you visit the ocean, bring back stories and pictures for those who cannot make the journey in person. You can enjoy the ocean more in-depth by getting certified as a scuba diver or a sailor. Find out more at https://www.seatrekbvi.com. 

Participate in real science. You can be a scientist even without a degree; it’s called citizen science. At SeaTrek BVI, we do citizen science in many ways – and receive community service or academic credit for our efforts. Students can log animal sightings, complete coral reef surveys, and participate in sea turtle conservation with the British Virgin Islands Association of Reef Keepers. All of the data goes to real organizations, who use it to make decisions that save the ocean and its creatures. Check out some of our citizen science projects at www.seatrekbvi.com/activities/marine-science/. 

Try to live sustainably. Though it may seem hard, try out a few little things and build your way up to bigger actions. Things like switching to reef-safe sunscreen, a reusable water bottle and grocery bags, or biking instead of driving all have a significant impact and count as planet-saving actions! And who knows, they may lead you to more and bigger changes like meatless Mondays, taking the bus more often, or finding a career as a marine conservationist. 

Be a steward of the ocean. Educate others on the importance of the ocean, participate in beach clean-ups, or pick up trash when you see it tumbling by. Anchor only in the sand, and not on coral reefs. Be mindful of your actions, and try to reduce, reuse, and recycle as often as you can. Enjoy all the good the ocean has to offer in a respectful way. At SeaTrek we follow the mantra, “take only pictures, leave only bubbles, and kill only time,” to maximize our ocean experience without burdening any of the creatures who call it home.

Request a Brochure

About SeaTrek BVI

SeaTrek BVI voyages revolve around hands-on sailing, learning to scuba dive, and instruction in marine science.  SeaTrek offers tropical adventure summer camp programs for junior high through college-aged students while sailing around the British Virgin Islands and other islands throughout the Caribbean. All SeaTrek BVI educational experiences are geared toward adventure, leadership, growth and fun. Previous sailing and scuba diving experience is not required. SeaTrek students (of similar ages) live and play onboard one of several 48-foot catamaran sailing yachts. The yachts are equipped with the latest safety equipment and on-board technology. Our staff of scuba and sailing instructors is the best in the industry. They have years of experience teaching and guiding students all over the world.