Location:

Avarua, Cook Islands; Ha, Tonga; Papeete, French Polynesia; Iles Tuamotu-Gambier, French Polynesia; Multi-Country Programs, Multi-Country Programs; Programs at Sea, Programs at Sea; Cairns, Australia; Whitsundays, Australia; Port-Vila, Vanuatu; Nadi, Fiji

Program Type:

Study Abroad

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Term:

Summer

Program Overview

Program Description:

4,000 Nautical Miles via French Polynesia, Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu

Sailing from Tahiti to Australia, known as “The Coconut Milk Run,” is one of the world’s most amazing trade wind sails. It begins when you cast off your stern line from the dock in Papeete and 80 days, 4000 nautical miles and 12 credits later, the voyage ends as you tuck your bow behind the Great Barrier Reef into the protected waters of Queensland, Australia. In between, you get to hoist and lower the sails of a beautiful schooner, anchor in secluded lagoons, catch fish straight from the Pacific Ocean, study the plankton with your resident Marine Biologists, anchor off the reefs of Raratonga, climb and hike with natives of the Tonga Archipelago and participate in a Kava ceremony with the chief of a Fijian village. Are we missing something here? Not likely – but YOU will be missing something to tell your grandkids someday if you don’t sign up early enough to be among those fortunate enough to remember every day along the way.

Setting Description:

This voyage is typically run aboard either S/Y Argo or S/Y Vela. Argo and Vela are expertly designed 112-ft two-masted staysail schooners with room for 26 students and 7 staff. Argo was completed in 2006, and her sister, Vela in 2020. Both Argo and Vela were designed and built to circumnavigate the world. This means that every 90-day trip she embarks upon, a fresh batch of students faces the challenge of spending many days or weeks at sea while crossing one of the world’s oceans. For those looking for a genuine blue water experience, then voyages run aboard these vessels are perfect for you. When we designed the vessels, we did so with safety, dependability and ‘trainability’ in mind. We often refer to them as a “Big, Little Boats” meaning that we designed their systems in such a way that they are easy for students to understand and operate. Since our goal is to have students quickly reach the point where they are running the vessel, trainability is an important factor.

Cost:

Voyage costs vary by trip duration and location, please visit our website for detailed tuition information.

Additional Program Information

Requirements:

No previous experience necessary is necessary to join any of our programs, yet all students are required to have reached the age of matriculation from high school, be on a gap year or enrolled in / recently graduated from college.

Scholarships:

Yes

Scholarships Description:

Please visit the Scholarship and Financial Aid page on our website for detailed information. This is located under the Admissions section.