British Virgin Islands
10-Day Sailing & Diving Adventure
Like the sudden spark of a star, Nova is designed to ignite your passion for adventure in just 10 unforgettable days. Perfect for students brand new to sailing and scuba — as well as those with prior experience who want a shorter program — this voyage blends seamanship, diving, and island exploration into one action-packed introduction to life at sea.
On board, you’ll learn the ropes of sailing: raising sails, steering the vessel, and navigating as part of a close-knit crew. Experienced sailors will find plenty of opportunities to sharpen their skills and take on leadership roles. Each day brings something new — from secluded anchorages and hidden coves to the unique rhythm of life aboard.
Underwater, new divers will take part in the PADI Discover Scuba Diving program, gaining confidence in basic skills while experiencing the wonder of the marine environment for the very first time. Those who are already certified will log a couple of sport dives, exploring coral reefs and marine life in the warm waters of the British Virgin Islands.
During your voyage, Nova sails alongside the wider ActionQuest fleet as they complete their full-length expeditions. Because we move with the fleet, the 10-day Sessions 1, 3, and 5 itineraries follow a slightly different route and sequence of anchorages than Sessions 2 and 4, aligning with fleet rendezvous points and special events. Either way, you’ll experience life on your own vessel while connecting with the larger community at signature moments—like our beach BBQs—where students from around the world come together to share stories, laughter, and new friendships.
Though shorter in length, Nova delivers a true AQ experience: a balance of hands-on learning, island exploration, and friendships forged through adventure. By the end of the voyage, students leave with new skills, lasting memories, and a spark for what’s possible when you push beyond the horizon.
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Appropriate Age
All ages
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Student Groups
Typically grouped aboard within +/- 24 months of age
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Students & Staff
12 students & 3 staff per vessel
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Vessel Type & Fleet Size
Monohull or Catamaran / 6-8 vessels
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Flotilla Grouping
Nova shares a basic itinerary with AQ's wider fleet
| Dates | Days | Availability | Tuition | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Session 1 | 6/15/26 - 6/24/26 | 10 | Open | $4,670 | ||
| Session 2 | 6/26/26 - 7/5/26 | 10 | Open | $4,670 | ||
| Session 3 | 7/7/26 - 7/16/26 | 10 | Open | $4,670 | ||
| Session 4 | 7/18/26 - 7/27/26 | 10 | Open | $4,670 | ||
| Session 5 | 7/29/26 - 8/7/26 | 10 | Open | $4,670 |
The Adventure
It all starts here
ARRIVING TO THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
Your journey begins the moment you set your sights on the islands. Whether you fly into St. Thomas (STT) and ride the ferry across to West End, Tortola, or arrive directly into Tortola’s EIS and transfer by taxi, an ActionQuest team member will be there to greet you and guide the way. And then it hits you: warm trade winds, turquoise water, and masts lining the harbor—this is real.
From the dock, excitement builds fast. You’ll meet your crew, step aboard your new floating home, and feel the gentle sway underfoot as bags thump down the companionway and names become familiar. Check-in is quick and friendly; lines are coiled, bunks are claimed, and someone’s already pointing out the galley and the best spot to watch sunset. The air is alive with possibility—first sail, first dive, first night at anchor—while laughter drifts between boats and you catch glimpses of the wider AQ fleet getting ready, too. By the time the sky turns gold, you’re settled in, part of the team, and counting the minutes until lines are cast and the adventure starts.
Skills in Action | Days 2-10
With the basics down, you’ll put your seamanship and diving into action. Expect more time on the helm, plotting courses, standing watch, and taking on bigger roles during maneuvers. Dives shift from “learning” to “exploring,” with certified students logging sport dives and new divers experiencing the reefs with fresh confidence. Exact stops vary with the fleet’s schedule, but the cadence is the same: active sailing, purposeful dives, and time ashore—all culminating in the feeling that you’ve gone from passenger to contributing crew.
Learning the Ropes | Days 1-5
Settle into life aboard and learn the core skills that power the voyage. You’ll get comfortable with your boat, your bunk, and your crew while practicing the essentials: line handling, raising and trimming sails, steering, docking etiquette, and daily routines on deck. Underwater, new divers take part in Discover Scuba Diving to build confidence with basic skills, while certified divers refresh and fine-tune technique. Each day you’ll grow a little tighter as a team—finding your rhythm, learning communication on board, and discovering how it all comes together at sea.
Time to Say Goodbye
Ten days go fast when every one of them is full. On Nova, that’s the surprise: a short voyage that feels huge—first sails, first dives, first inside jokes with people who were strangers just a week and a half ago. Departure day brings a mix of pride and bittersweet goodbyes as the dock buzzes with crews packing bags, trading photos, and promising to keep in touch.
“Our son, Ari, absolutely loved the trip and now has a plan to return next summer. Thank you!! He found a passion for diving that he didn’t have before. He loved being on the boat with a small group of people who shared the same interests. It was an opportunity to get Ari out of his comfort zone, learn new things, and grow into a young man.”
Need More Information?
Certifications & Activities
On top of all the other fun adventure sports and activities during the Vega adventure, you’ll have the opportunity to earn these certifications:
Sailing Certifications
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IYT Try Sailing
The International Yacht Training (IYT) Try Sailing course is the perfect introduction for those looking to experience sailing for the first time…
Learn More >
Scuba Diving
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Novice Divers
Have you always wondered what it’s like to breathe underwater? If you want to try scuba diving but aren’t quite ready to take the plunge into a certification course, Discover Scuba Diving is for you. While not a scuba certification course, Discover Scuba Diving is a quick and easy introduction to what it takes to explore the underwater world, and no prior experience with scuba diving is necessary!
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Certified Divers
If you’re already certified, you’ll start with a quick refresher before heading out with our PADI instructors for a couple of exciting sport dives in the vibrant waters of the BVI.
Need to know
Is this adventure right for me?
Nova is a condensed adventure designed for students who want the ActionQuest experience in just 10 days. It’s perfect for those curious about sailing and scuba, or for certified divers and sailors who simply want a shorter voyage. Days are filled with hands-on seamanship, dives guided by our PADI instructors, and the chance to explore the British Virgin Islands both above and below the water.
Sailing as part of the larger ActionQuest fleet, Nova crews get to share in the community experience — from meeting new friends at the legendary beach BBQ to learning what life is like on longer expeditions. Short but unforgettable, Nova offers a powerful taste of what it means to live, learn, and adventure at sea.
How many people go on this adventure?
You’ll sail with up to eight boats in a flotilla, each with 10 to 12 students aboard. It’s a lot of fun sailing as part of a larger fleet, where you can interact with many other teens and staff from all over the world.
How do you split up the ages across the boats?
Given that we have a number of yachts sailing together, this allows us to berth teens aboard based on their age and grade. Typically you can expect to be aboard with other students within about a year or two of your own age (plus or minus). Please contact us if you have any specific considerations in this regard.
What type of boat will I be on?
The Nova summer adventure program typically runs exclusively aboard traditional double-hulled yachts (catamarans), but we also use monohulls (single-hull vessels) when available. We use only the finest charter yachts available, all of which are in the 50-foot range. Each vessel has 5 cabins, a large salon which converts to a 6th cabin, and 4 full bathrooms (heads). The world’s largest charter company, Moorings/Sunsail, maintains all of our yachts to the highest standard.
Where do we sleep?
From the moment you arrive, you’ll move aboard your yacht and live on board full-time. It’s true to say that living on a boat is A LOT tighter than living at home. With up to 12 students and 3 staff living together, it can feel cramped for those not used to it, yet this close community environment is where so much of the experience is created.
All of our vessels have 5 cabins and a large salon that converts to a 6th. While there’s just about enough room for everyone to sleep down below should it rain, on our typical clear and dry evenings many of us like to sleep out on deck, swinging in a hammock under the stars.
Who will be my staff?
AQ is proud to attract and recruit the best in our field. Our summer staff includes professional maritime captains, PADI dive instructors, and medical professionals. Above all, we hire responsible and experienced facilitators and educators. All members of our team are dynamic, multi-talented, and passionate individuals with a devotion and commitment to the safety and experience of our students.
Two or three staff members live with you aboard your vessel full-time. Your staff will consist of a Skipper, Scuba instructor, and typically a third staff member from a variety of different roles (SCUBA instructor, Medic, Marine Biologist, etc.).
What's the food like?
At AQ, we strive to provide meals that meet the fundamental needs of all members of our team, yet when considering our experience, it is important to remember that there are natural limitations when provisioning in remote places and cooking for a large group on board a small yacht.
We understand that each individual has personal preferences and that some students have specific dietary restrictions or limitations. While we strive to accommodate these as best we can, our meals maybe a little different from what you are used to at home. We design our menu around meals that are simple to prepare, quick to clean up, suit the majority of teenager’s palates, and deliver the calories needed for long, busy days on the water.
Mealtime is often a highlight of each day! Students prepare all of the meals with help from the staff using a combination of packaged and canned goods we import from the US and fresh produce we pick up locally about every four days. While we mostly eat all meals onboard the vessel, occasionally, students have the option to eat at a restaurant during shore time.
After enrollment, we ask families to inform us of all dietary restrictions and allergies. We can accommodate vegetarians, and vegans, as well as those with various food allergies. However, if you have a severe allergy or specific dietary expectations, please call our office before enrolling.
What do I need to bring?
Given that all students will be living aboard a sailboat for the duration of their adventure, we recommend that you keep things simple and avoid over packing. Students will be able to hand-wash some laundry during the trip.
Our hope is that families will have minimal purchases prior to the trip, so we’ve compiled our packing lists in a way that you’ll find most of what you need in your closet at home. Around mid to late March, we make available our Pre-Trip Packet to enrolled students, which contains a detailed packing list for this year’s adventures. If you’d like to see a sample packing list, you can download it here.
Nitty Gritty
Are flights included in the tuition?
Since students join us from all over the world, the cost of transportation to and from the British Virgin Islands is not included in the program tuition.
Who should we contact to book travel?
Helping to coordinate our students’ travel is of vital importance – and a mammoth task! For this reason, we strongly suggest that all families start by contacting our travel coordinator:
Leah Hernandez – AQ Travel Coordinator
Tel: +1.281.528.7727
Toll-Free: 800.329.9000
Email: [email protected]
Even if you are not originating in the U.S., Leah will be able to provide options and guidance.
How do we get there?
Students can fly into either St. Thomas (STT) in the USVI or Beef Island, Tortola (EIS) in the BVI.
Does AQ provide support on travel days?
Yes. We understand that travel days can be stressful for both parents and students, so no matter what time of the day or night, our office team actively monitors and supports our participants during travel. We require students to travel with a mobile phone with domestic data capability so we can monitor their progress and communicate directly if necessary.
For students flying via St. Thomas, ActionQuest arranges for staff members to assist with the transfer to Tortola via taxi and ferry. After arrival in Tortola, students will be met at the ferry dock by more of ActionQuest’s professional staff. For students flying via Beef Island, AQ arranges for a staff member to assist with transfer to our dock in West End via taxi and students will be met upon arrival at our dock by more AQ staff members.
Looking for more detailed information on travel?
AQ Tuition Covers the following:
- All accommodation and group meals once the adventure is underway
- Vessel charter and related government fees
- Staff, local guides, and tips
- The use of all sailing, scuba and water sports equipment (except for mask, snorkel and wetsuits, if needed)
- Sailing and scuba diving certification costs
Not included in the AQ tuition:
- Travel expenses from home to the program start location in the British Virgin Islands – flights PLUS ferry, taxi, baggage, taxes, visas, etc. (est. add’l $280)
- Required emergency evacuation insurance & International SOS and MedAire Membership (est. $95) LEARN MORE >
- Medical insurance, and optional trip cancellation insurance
- Spending money for souvenirs, drinks/meals ashore – We recommend $200 – $250.
- Emergency money for unanticipated events such as doctors visits etc. – We ask that all students bring $300, which is held by staff and returned at the end of the program.
Discounts and Savings
- A one-time total tuition fee deduction of 5% is granted for any two adventures or for two or more students from the same family.
- Any two consecutive programs may be joined to form one extended course. In the interim between programs, students stay with staff. The total cost is determined by combining the cost of each program and subtracting the 5% extended course discount. (This discount also applies toward any trips adjoining our sister program GoBeyond.) ActionQuest and/or GoBeyond enrollment for any two programs in the same summer will be considered as a single extended program in the event of withdrawal or dismissal from the trip at any time.
Travel Docs & Visas
All students traveling to the BVI need to have a passport which is valid for a minimum of three months after the date of departure from the BVI. Visitors from certain countries other than the US, UK, and Canada may require visas.
For the most up-to-date and thorough information, please visit travel.state.gov. Students traveling on non-U.S. passports should verify passport and visa requirements for your nationality by contacting your local British Embassy or consulate or the nearest BVI Tourist Board Office.
One important point to mention is that most students joining us in the BVI do so by flying via St. Thomas, which is part of the US Virgin Islands. This means that those students not flying on a US or Canadian passport need to consider whether they need to apply for a U.S. visa or ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). Please call us with any questions.
Other Immunizations
For visiting the BVI, the CDC recommends that all travelers are up-to-date on routine vaccinations that most of us had as children (measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine.
That said, we understand that families have varying opinions on vaccinations. Some greatly desire the precaution; others prefer to avoid possible side effects of certain medications. Coupled with the fact that each student has unique medical considerations known best by his or her doctor, AQ does not supply medical advice. For this reason, we recommend that all families refer back to the expertise of the CDC from time to time (wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel), their health care providers, and/or a travel clinic to gain the most up to date information.
Flotilla Sailing
Beyond the strong friendships that naturally form while living aboard a sailing vessel, one of the truly great and unique parts of AQ is the experience of sailing as part of a larger fleet, or ‘flotilla’ of boats.
A flotilla is defined as a group of yachts that voyage together and there are many reasons why sailing this way may be preferable for both a novice and more seasoned sailor. While 90% of all activities are done with your tight-knit team of 10 to 14 aboard, being part of a larger group is a ton of fun when we are ashore to explore, for a beach BBQ or party night! Plus, we’ll get some friendly competition going between all the boats on our race days! Flotilla sailing also offers the big advantage of having backup support if necessary. It allows us to have our advanced medical staff travel with the group full-time. It also allows our directors to interact with all of our students and staff, ensuring our high level of professionalism, instruction, and safety standards are being met.
Living in the moment
Though the fundamentals of our adventures don’t change, specific logistics evolve as we get closer to the summer and then day by day based on weather. The animated map along with the adventure overview portions on this page should give all families a basic understanding of the kinds of activities we do on the voyage. We also suggest looking through last summer’s Trip Logs for a more detailed travel log created by the students.
With this in mind, we encourage all participants to “live in the moment”. Traveling by boat requires flexibility and a willingness to accept adversity and change. We hope you’ll take any bumps in your stride, and enjoy the adventure!
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Requirements
- No experience necessary
- Applicable for all ages
Certifications
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Sessions
| 21 Days | 6/15/26 - 7/5/26 | $7,670 |
| 21 Days | 7/7/26 - 7/27/26 | $7,670 |
| 17 Days | 7/29/26 - 8/14/26 | $6,970 |
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Requirements
- PADI Open Water (or equivalent) or PADI referral
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Certifications
- Most scuba intensive Adventure we offer
- PADI Advanced Open Water
- + 5 PADI Specialities
Sessions
| 21 Days | 6/15/26 - 7/5/26 | $7,970 |
| 21 Days | 7/7/26 - 7/27/26 | $7,970 |
| 17 Days | 7/29/26 - 8/14/26 | $7,270 |
