What do you do with 15 teenage girls for a week in the Virgin Islands aboard two cats? Hear from the girls themselves and remember what it was like to experience the BVI for your first time. I was 14 on my first trip and wish I had kept a trip log!

June 14

Karen P.

Our first day on this trip has so far been everything I expected: Amazing! All the girls are fun and although it’s only been one day there has yet to be a dull moment. The islands are beautiful and the ocean’s gorgeous shades of blue have allowed me to actually feel relaxed. Our boat ride from St. Thomas to St. Johns was quite an adventure. We saw a giant sea turtle and at one point we all had to work together to retrieved a beach ball that had flown off the boat. When we got to St. John we all went swimming in the ocean and we saw dolphins that were swimming only ten feet away from us. It has only been one day and already we have bonded, seen and tried many things. I can’t wait to see what the next few days has in store for us!



June 15

Sophie G.

This morning, after waking up, there were two remoras at the back of the boat. Anna fed one, and he ate the food right out of her hand! It was really fun to learn about them and other fish. We then set sail and stopped at a harbor for Customs. Some people went to shore to look at the shops. I stayed on the boat and read. We then started sailing again to Sandy Spit. The island looked like it came straight out of a postcard with its white sand and bright blue water. There was also a mini jungle in the middle of the island and it was really fun to walk around it. There was also a coral reef where many people went snorkeling. There were so many pretty fish! It was a beautiful day and such a great sail; I had so much fun!



June 16

Anna S.


Today, those who wanted to learn to scuba dive woke up early, eager to learn. We all suited up in our scuba gear and hopped in the water. Breathing under water is a very strange experience, and we had to get over the fact that we sounded like Darth Vader. In the comfort of the shore of Jost Van Dyke we learned all the basics of scuba diving (and saw a sting ray!). We got back on the boats and we traveled back to Tortola to fill up the oxygen tanks, get ice, and get fuel. On the way, we had a ton of fun jumping on the trapeze as the boat went over the waves, causing us to get a ton of air. Natalie and I even accomplished an aerial high five! At Tortola, most of us went to shore and went shopping for food or souvenirs. It started to pour so we all danced in the rain or took cover in the shops and on our boats. We traveled to the Indians (a small reef and rock formation), where we all snorkeled or scuba dived. It was our first real dive and it was amazing. You never realize how much is going on near the ocean floor until you truly experience it with scuba diving. While diving we saw huge schools of fish, barracuda, a baby shark, angel fish, yellowtail snapper, groupers, parrot fish (one of which was licking a rock!), and tons and tons of other colorful and adorable fish. We saw tons of different kinds of coral and I got to invent the sign for “This is REALLY cool” for scuba communication purposes. We got back on the boats and traveled to Cooper Island. When we arrived we showered and enjoyed a meal of hamburgers and mashed potatoes. Today was a fantastic day and I can’t wait to go to the ship wreck tomorrow!!!


June 17

Megan P.

Today we got to snorkel the shipwreck, it was really cool. We then went to the baths where me and some of the other girls got to explore the caves and devils bay. We discovered that fish like my feet, and that snails named gary are adorable. I then made mac and cheese for dinner and everyone thought the sauce was messed up because I mixed it separately, but it was perfect. We saw lots of tarpon, they are huge and shiny. We also saw lots of schools of fish, some had stripes on them and they kind of looked like little fish zebras. It was an awesome day.



Caroline K.

Today, we got to endure “the experience of a lifetime” when swimming with dolphins. It was so much fun to interact with them and have them give us rides through the “foot push” and dorsal fin rides. Personally, I have had this experience twice before but I must admit that this was by far the best one I’ve experienced. In addition to swimming with dolphins, we stopped for ice cream and then set sail to our next location, the caves. The caves were interesting to explore and it was fun to see all the fish swimming below. Throughout the trip, I, along with two other girls, experienced scuba diving coral reefs and an old shipwreck. The best experiences throughout the trip were definitely swimming with the dolphins, scuba diving, swimming, and eating the amazing meals. All in all, it’s going to be extremely hard to leave tomorrow!