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FAQsWhat is safety like on the program?
Will I be with similar people, from similar backgrounds of a similar age?Maybe, maybe not! Age and background is not an important criteria in the selection of suitable crew. Instead we focus on signing up individuals who share a common goal in pushing themselves out of their personal comfort zones and expanding their horizons, both as seamen as well as influential leaders of industries. One commonality that all the crew will share, however, is there positions as senior entrepreneurial executives. What if I've never been sailing or diving before?No problem! Our staff are here to guide you through all aspects of instruction, whether a novice or expert offshore sailor. For those who are keen to explore the undersea world of diving, we ask that you possess a minimum certification of Open Water Diver. Through our international network of accredited PADI training facilities, we will be more than happy to arrange formal SCUBA diver training prior to departure, and then further advanced instruction on board during the program. Is Seabbatical like a holiday camp at sea or a formal 10 day program of leadership training?
What's the food like?That depends on who's cooking! Seabbatical employ the knowledge and expertise of our professional in-house nutritionist, Lucy Osborne, who has developed a comprehensive menu for each meal, along with full preparation and cooking instructions. (Download a sample menu HERE if you like.) Whilst the instructions are very simple on our seagoing meals so that anyone can easily prepare them, the quality ultimately comes down to who is the chef for the day! What's the weather like?The weather is, of course, unpredictable at the best of times, and will vary according to our destinations in the islands. (Review forecasts and weather HERE). However, throughout the program we routinely monitor the weather and stay in touch with the yacht base so that, in the unlikely event of a storm passing through, we will have two or three days' notice and will be in absolute shelter. When "island hopping" in the BVI we are never out of sight of, or more than a few miles from land. What do I have to buy to participate?Seabbatical provides absolutely all equipment necessary for our activities. This includes all scuba diving equipment (except for wetsuits, if needed). We will send a clothing list of general items you are required to bring with you prior to departure. Can I bring my mobile phone or laptop to keep me in touch with the office?
What about seasickness?If you are prone to motion sickness, there is a chance that you may feel a little seasick in the first day or so of the voyage. However, most of our cruising areas, especially the BVI, are very calm and in all but a very few cases, crew get their sea legs and never experience it again. If you are concerned about motion sickness, there are a number of over the counter and prescription medications available in addition to natural remedies noted for reducing or eliminating seasickness. Feel free to call our office for more information. What about sunburn?During our programs, we spend a lot of time outdoors and, for the most part, the weather is warm and sunny. There are awnings (biminis) on all of our vessels, yet sunburn is still a concern, and something that we take very seriously. We strongly recommend that all shipmates take precautions to protect themselves from the sun and this includes the following:
Does the price of the program include my airfare?We work directly with Carolyn Lodge Travel, our preferred travel co-ordinator, to assist crew in obtaining the most cost and time effective flights to and from our program locations. |
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Safety is paramount and comes first in everything that we do. Our programs are adventurous, so there is an element of risk in some of the activities that we do. However, when you are aware of the risk, you can better control it and, in many cases, use it in your favor as many learn best when they are slightly outside of their comfort zone. Risk management is a key part of operating our programs at Seabbatical.
Seabbatical is not a traditional activity holiday on a boat, nor a holiday camp for managers. We are a training program first and foremost, and our programs have always been grounded in experiential education.
We offer programs specializing in innovative leadership development and business commercial creativity, encompassed with sailing and scuba diving, as well as informal training in marine science, tropical marine biology and oceanography.
In many of the locations that we voyage, especially the BVI, mobile phones will either not work or calls are very expensive indeed. More importantly, when sailing with us, a lot is learned through total immersion in the program and group activities. Personal phone calls can be disruptive to this process and, for this reason, we ask that mobile phones are only used at designated times during the program.