School Programs in the Canadian Gulf Islands

Learn about sailing, biology, team building, environmental conservation and sustainability. Explore the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve onboard our vessels and see the wonders of the Gulf Islands in a unique classroom setting. With a skipper, deck hand & naturalist - we deliver excellent school programs. If you have a special focus we may be able to accommodate your request.

 

First-Class School Sailing Programs in British Columbia

If you are already booked on our school trips, please fill out the required forms and email them back to us.

Overview

Typically 5 days long, these trips focus on sailing, wildlife, marine biology and team building. Daily shore excursions and kayaking opportunities add another element to the trip. We explore intertidal zones by zodiac&  kayak and learn a lot about the coastal underwater creatures. Students are involved in all aspects of the trip from navigation to helping prepare meals in the galley. In our school programs, we promote active participation in all areas by students and supervisors. Students assume leadership, practice group problem solving, communication skills and take responsibility for specific tasks on board. By bringing students in direct contact with the marine environment, they develop an appreciation for ecosystems, and our society’s interconnectedness with nature.

If you have any questions about these trips, please contact our office at 1.888.877.1770 or email: explore@bluewateradventures.ca

Schedule

Our Program, which usually runs 5 days, is intentionally left flexible to allow for whale, porpoise or other wildlife sightings. We schedule our school programs in March-April and mid-late October.

Both boats are available to use at the same time, or you can hire one of the vessels. Space is limited so contact our office for details on availability. Currently, we are taking requests for the 2022 Spring and Fall Programs.

Our vessels

Our sailing vessels are the Island Roamer and the Island Odyssey, two similar, 68-foot sailing ketches, which are Ministry of Transport Ship Safety approved. We can accommodate school groups of up to 33 students, plus teachers, in private cabins using both vessels, or smaller groups of 15 - 18 students, plus teachers/ group leaders.

Educational Sailing Programs

We believe that in educating the youth of today about the importance of keeping the environment clean and minimizing our impact on the earth, it will enable them to make ethical decisions in their daily lives and in their communities. On our trips we have activities and situations which encourage the students to come up with creative and innovative solutions to problem situations.

We are proud to say we have been offering school programs for well over 45 years. It is not uncommon to have teachers come aboard to lead a trip, after having been a participant in a school program when they were kids! Educating upcoming generations is very important to our company and we will continue to operate these trips for years to come.

Our Philosophy

On our school trips, we take the time to appreciate and connect with the wilderness environments we visit and respect the wildlife we encounter while on our adventures. To prevent causing unnecessary stress on the wildlife while we are travelling on the water or land we ensure that we keep a minimum of a 100 metre distance to admire the amazing wildlife (400 metres from southern resident orca and 200 metres from other orca - northern resident or Bigg's) . We believe the best way to teach the kids about the local fauna we encounter is when we spot the species is in its natural habitat therefore; we do our best to take all measures possible to not disturb the species as they carry out their daily lives.

Respecting the Environment & Culture

While aboard we have a recycling/organic material program in place to teach the kids how to responsibly manage the waste we create throughout the trip. We respect First Nations land and obey the rules and regulations in the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. Every year we strive to continue to tread softly in these fragile coastal environments and decrease our ecological impact on the environment where ever and whenever possible. With the current status of the Southern Resident Killer Whales, Bluewater Adventures will not pursue the viewing of these particular orca.

For more information email explore@bluewateradventures.

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School Forms

Please complete the following forms:
You can scan and email, complete on your computer, or mail a hardy copy back to us at the address below by February 1st.

Program Request Form - Please share your program expectations with us
Participant list (Please complete all forms that apply to your charter agreement)

for Island Roamer

for Island Odyssey

Medical & Standard Waiver Form

Individual contracts (fill out one per person)

Teacher/ Chaperone

Student

Cabin Assignments (If you booked 2 vessels, please complete both forms)

for Island Roamer

for Island Odyssey

Watch Roster (one form per vessel)

Packing List - Important!Please print out packing list for each individual

Email: explore@bluewateradventures.ca Mailing address: Bluewater Adventures #3 - 252 East First Street North Vancouver, BC V7L 1B3