2015 Caribbean Spring 80-Day Planning Packet Dear SM Student, Welcome! Your Sea|mester course is now right around the corner and before you know it, you will be sitting on a plane en route to an exciting new part of the world, where a new set of experiences await you. During your voyage you will have an amazing opportunity to sail, dive and explore a range of islands, cities and countries. When your trip is finished however, these are probably not the things that you will remember the most about your time spent with Sea|mester. What you will walk away with is the profound experience you helped create within your group aboard. It is the teamwork, leadership, work ethic and interpersonal growth experiences, along with personal relationships you develop, which will stick with you for the remainder of your life. So we ask that you take a moment now, to re-confirm your commitment to the experience that awaits you. Sea|mester is designed to challenge students to realize that, in many ways, it is the journey that matters most, not the destination. We are thrilled to have you sail with us! Please Read All Enclosed Information Carefully Enclosed you will find: 1. Clothing and Equipment Lists 2. About Flights and Travel 3. About Money 4. Communications for Family & Friends 5. Communications for Students During Voyage 6. Immunizations 7. Tentative Itinerary 8. Day of Travel Procedures and Contacts 9. Immigrations and Visa Letter (Please print and bring with you when you travel) Prepare to ship out! Pack your gear in ONLY one (1) soft collapsible, non-rolling duffel or unframed backpack, which can be folded and stored after arrival. Your scuba gear you may be packed in an additional dive gear bag, this too should be non-rolling. You’ll have some locker space but it’s no fun to share your bunk with a suitcase. You will also need a small daypack (back pack type) that can be used on day trips and hikes. Bring no more than the following items! Any extra gear may need to be stored under your mattress and that could get lumpy! There will be opportunities to wash clothes and buy replacement toiletries along the way 1. Clothing and Equipment List Clothing List • Any underwear quantity desired (6-8 minimum recommended) • 5 pr sports socks, 1 pr thick warm socks • 1 pr Flip Flops, Teva, Reef, or Keen • 1 pr trail running or light hiking shoes with good support for shore exploration & hikes • 2-3 pr non-swim shorts (cotton/woven all-around shorts) • 5-9 swimsuits or board shorts • 2 long sleeve sun protected shirts (surfing style rash guards or synthetic, quick dry long sleeve shirts) • 2 long sleeve shirts • 1 sun hat or baseball cap (essential) • 2 dresses for girls (and/or a sarong) • 2 pr jeans or warmer pants • 1 pr sweat pants or athletic pants (to wear at night or under foul weather gear) • 7-10 “T” shirts (or tank tops) • 1 fleece (not cotton) • 1 towel plus an absorbent sports chamois • 1 warm wooly ski-type hat Foul Weather Gear For all our voyages it is important to have a set of waterproof foul weather gear to keep you dry while on deck. At the bare minimum you need to have a fully waterproof rain jacket along with a pair of waterproof rain pants. That being said, many of our past students found that having good technical foul weather gear from www.westmarine.com kept them perfectly dry, in all weather, while looking like a true seasoned yachtsman. Page 2 of 11 Scuba Gear • All students must bring their own mask, snorkel and fins (open heeled fins require booties) should they wish to scuba or snorkel. These do not have to be expensive but do need to be made for scuba diving and should be purchased from a scuba shop. Please feel free to call or email the office for additional information on this. • Wetsuit – students should bring at least an inexpensive full wetsuit (3-4 mm thick) For those who get cold easily, consider bringing a thicker wetsuit. • Waterproof watch (required for scuba diving). We recommend an inexpensive digital watch (water resistant to depth of 100m/300ft), such as a Timex Ironman, Casio G-shock or Freestyle brand. • Certified scuba divers must bring their certification cards and log books (the ones we have sent you) • Do not bring: dive knifes, dive gloves, spear guns (or any other underwater hunting equipment) Toiletries List Please pack all of the below in zip-lock freezer bags. • 1 Mesh laundry bag • Shampoo, face wash, and deodorant *please look for eco-friendly brands to help reduce our impact on the environment we are living and sailing in. Do not bring Dr. Bronners. • Liquid body wash *again, eco-friendly brand if possible • REQUIRED Antiseptic antimicrobial skin cleanser, such as Hibiclens (1 small bottle) • #30 or higher waterproof sun cream (no oils or sprays) – we like those recommended by dermatologists • Chapstick or similar sunblock lip cream • Bug spray • 1 small bottle (or decanted travel bottle) of Woolite or other liquid detergent for hand washing laundry. • 1 bottle of Swim Ear (pharmacy, non prescription) • Any sanitary items needed • Shaving cream, razors and travel sized mirror • Any preferred pain relief medication (Advil, Tylenol, Aleve) • Band-aids (travel box of small sizes) General Items • 1 laptop computer (iPad will not suffice) Our vessels have standard US style 110v outlets. Please be sure to have a bag for your computer that offers protection from moisture and the occasional bump and jostle. You may consider, as an additional precaution, having a large Zip-Loc bag that your computer can sit within when it is stored inside your bag or case. • Small day pack (back pack type) that can be used on day trips and hikes • 2 pairs of good sunglasses (UV protected/polarized) • Small camera • 1 headlamp, preferably with a red light feature (not for scuba diving, simply for getting around your bunk in the dark) • Water bottle (Nalgene type), having a carabineer clip of some sort on top will help you keep track of it! • Extra batteries for any electronics you choose to bring • Extra pair of prescription glasses or contacts • Small travel alarm clock, or watch that also has an alarm Page 3 of 11 Educational Supplies • Thumb drive, flash drive or external hard drive to help transfer class assignments and personal files (4gb or higher). • 1 spiral notebook – space for all courses (purchase notebook that has dividers with folders/pockets) • 1 pencil case including pens, highlighter, mechanical pencils, ruler, eraser and a small calculator Academic Materials Sea|mester provides all required textbooks, lab equipment and exam materials for each student aboard. The only academic materials that students are required to bring with them are the appropriate copies of the course notes for the Introduction to Oceanography and Introduction to Marine Biology courses. These notes are written by the specific instructors who will be teaching aboard and are updated on a regular basis. Students will find these notes very helpful during lectures and will most likely find themselves highlighting information and jotting notes in the margins. The current versions required for each course are available for download at the links listed below. The PDF files available online are full color versions, STUDENTS DO NOT NEED TO PRINT THEIR PERSONAL COPIES IN COLOR. Most students choose to have these files printed double sided, in black and white, and either spiral bound or simply three-hole-punched and placed in a small three ring binder. Please contact the Sea|mester office if you are having troubles downloading or printing the necessary files. Link to page containing course note files: http://www.seamester.com/academic-materials Please note... • No hair dryers – ships’ power and lights are on battery. • Bed linens are provided aboard. • Salt air is hard on cameras and electronics, so protect all equipment in heavy-duty Zip-Loc freezer bags. Bring extra bags to protect your paperwork, clothes, etc. • Please label any medication with a note advising why it is administered and at what intervals. Double up all medications and store in two separate places so as to protect against any possible damage or loss. Please pack this in your carry on along with a bathing suit and other toiletries in case your bag arrives later than you! • Although the vessel does have a stereo aboard, you may bring your own MP3 or media player. Please keep in mind, electronics may be ruined in the salt air and should be brought at your own risk. Page 4 of 11 2. About Flights and Travel We ask that you make your travel arrangements as soon as possible as space is limited when flying into the British Virgin or US Islands at certain times of the year. Additionally, you will also need to make sure your passport is valid for 6 months AFTER the end of your voyage. If it will not be valid, please renew your passport. The airport code for the Tortola Beef Island (Airport is EIS). It is also possible to fly into St. Thomas (airport code STT) and take the ferry to West End, Tortola. If you are flying to STT make sure you land no later then 3PM so you will have time to catch the last ferry from Charlotte Amalie to West End, Tortola. If you land after the last ferry you will have to overnight in St. Thomas. Getting Your Flight Details to Sea|mester: Once you have booked your flights you will need to ensure all of the information is accurately recorded in the Sea|mester Participant Portal at http://www.seamester.com/portal.