Written by Shaun Swartz
Whether it’s your first or your fifth summer, there’s a lot to learn about a voyage with ActionQuest!
Consider this your one-stop-shop for learning the ropes on our international adventure camps.
Adventure! Whether it’s learning to helm a 50-foot sailing vessel, how to safely explore the depths of the ocean while scuba diving, or dancing with your new best friends during a beach barbecue, our international adventure camps are the experience of a lifetime!
British Virgin Islands – Nature’s little secret! One of the most beautiful places on the planet (in our unbiased opinion, of course).
Community Service– Give back to the community we love! Earn up to 100 hours of community service with our Rebuilding Island Life or Preserving Paradise journeys.
Diving – From learning the basics of breathing underwater to earning the Professional Divemaster certification on our Divemaster Adventure, you’re bound to discover new skills at AQ. No prior experience diving or sailing? No worries! Check out our Vega Voyage.
Everyone’s invited – We value diversity within our student and staff population and endeavor to create an environment of respect, acceptance, and tolerance on all of our international adventure camps. We encourage all students to attend our leadership camps irrespective of their race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity or sexual orientation.
Financial Aid – Every summer, we award summer adventure program scholarships between 10 – 65% of the tuition cost based on financial need, merit-based consideration, and the promise of success on one of our international adventure camps.
Great Barrier Reef – Our programs span the globe and are guaranteed to make your wanderlust soar. Great Barrier Reef on your bucket list? We’ve got you covered.
History – We have been offering top-notch experiential education programs in the British Virgin Islands since 1985. Before that, we started as a sailing camp for teens in Sarasota, Fl., where our headquarters is currently located. Stop by and see us some time!
IYT (International Yacht Training) Certifications – The IYT International Crew course is designed for students with limited previous experience, who are looking to become an active and competent crew member aboard a power or sailing yacht. During the class, you will learn sailing vessel handling skills, deck seamanship, passage planning, rope work, basic rules of the road and sail handling.
Job Wheel – The rotating Job Wheel distributes daily responsibilities during your voyage and helps keep us accountable. From rolling up your sleeves and chopping vegetables in the galley to cleaning the boat decks or skippering the vessel, you will quickly learn that there are no passengers on our vessels, only crew members.
Kool Kids (Ok, that one was a stretch) But seriously – our summer staff are top notch and definitely the coolest people we know. The average age of our staff is 28, bringing years of experience as professional sailors, divers, and summer camp staff to AQ.
Life Lessons– From the tangible sailing and diving certifications you will earn to the intangible skills like self-confidence and self-empowerment, you’re bound to walk away from our international summer camps a changed person. Just ask our alumni and their families!
Marine Biology – The Dolphin Tropical Marine Biology voyage, run by our staff marine biologists, offers an up-close opportunity to explore wonders of the underwater world. The qualifications and certifications you earn can even be applied toward your high school transcript, as many schools award credit for this marine biology summer camp. During the voyage, you conduct research on the reefs while furthering your diving certifications and learning to sail.
New Friends – Living aboard a 50-foot sailing vessel creates a supportive environment in which education, progression, and self-empowerment are among the main goals. Just ask anyone who has sailed an AQ voyage, the best part is the people!
Omar’s D’Best Cup Café – Omar’s cozy little coffee shop in West End, Tortola has been the unofficial sponsor of AQ for as long as we can remember. Any time we are on the dock, you can be sure Omar’s will have a line out the door for mango smoothies and breakfast sandwiches.
PADI – Short for Professional Association of Diving Instructors – All of our instruction is completed in accordance with PADI’s world standard for diving certification. The PADI System of diver education is based on progressive training that introduces skills, safety-related information and local environmental knowledge to student divers in stages. PADI courses are student-centered and provide maximum practice and realistic application.
Qualifications– In addition to the core PADI diving certifications, we offer 15 PADI specialties as part of our core diving curriculum – search and recovery, night diver, research diver, and wreck diver, to name a few.
Regattas– (The fancy word for a sailing race) You will put your new sailing skills and abilities to use as you navigate the BVI in pursuit of racing glory during our annual Pringle Cup and AQ Dehydrator regattas.
Safety First– We are a “5 star Gold Palm Facility” – the highest rating a dive operator can receive from PADI. This award is based on our steadfast experience, safety standards, and commitment to continuing education. Our staff is Red Cross First Aid, CPR, and Emergency First Responder certified at a minimum, with many staff members holding advanced medical training such as EMT or Wilderness First Aid.
Tortillas– From breakfast burritos to Mexican night, no AQ voyage would be complete without a few packs of those beautiful golden circles of flour that fill our sails, our hearts, and our bellies.
Unforgettable experiences and skills – 98% of alumni surveyed report making lifelong friends and developing skills on our international summer camps that they still use today.
VHF Radio Operator Certification– The IYT VHF Radio Communications Course is designed to ensure a thorough understanding of the entire spectrum of maritime radio communications for recreational and professional boating. It is intended for all marine environments and follows international standards. Students will learn how onboard radios and handheld radios, EPIRBs, SARTs, AIS and DSC-enabled radios, are used effectively in marine communications.
Watersports– Nearly every voyage has time specifically devoted to learning wake-boarding, water skiing, small boat sailing, and windsurfing! Our staff team will build your confidence in, on, and around the water, no matter your level of experience.
“X-periences” – Let’s be honest, there are simply no great words to use here that start with “X”, just the same as there are no words that rhyme with the word “orange.” Sorry, folks. But if we’re talking experiences, we firmly believe in our motto, “You are your experiences,” and in the impacts, our program has had on thousands of people.
You, the student. You and your shipmates are what this whole experience is about.
Zest – Our favorite form of sailing, small boat sailing! Hop in one of our Zest sailboats and refine your skills as you read the wind and tighten your sails.
Featured Adventures
View All AdventuresVega
British Virgin Islands
Intro to Sailing, Scuba* & Marine Biology with Watersports
Requirements
- No experience necessary
- Applicable for all ages
Certifications
- PADI Open Water Scuba Diver
- + 1 PADI Specialty
- IYT Introductory Sailing Skills
Sessions
21 Days | 6/15/25 - 7/5/25 | $7,570 |
21 Days | 7/7/25 - 7/27/25 | $7,570 |
17 Days | 7/29/25 - 8/14/25 | $6,870 |
Reef to Rainforest
Australia
Australian Travel, Sailing & Scuba Adventure
Requirements
- Ages 14 and up*
Certifications
- 20hrs. of Community Service
- Sailing Experience
Sessions
21 Days | 7/7/25 - 7/27/25 | $8,270 |
Preserving Paradise
British Virgin Islands
Community Service: Environmental Conservation & Infrastructure Development with Sailing
Requirements
- Ages 14 and up
Certifications
- 40-60 hrs. Community Service
- Sailing Experience
Sessions
21 Days | 6/15/25 - 7/5/25 | $7,370 |
21 Days | 7/7/25 - 7/27/25 | $7,370 |
17 Days | 7/29/25 - 8/14/25 | $6,670 |