Florida Keys Sailing & Snorkeling - Women Only

This course is a one week sailing expedition in the waters of the Florida Keys designed for and instructed by women. It is an ideal course for those interested in adventure, challenge and being a part of a close knit team.

The Florida Keys may be the most beautiful classroom you ever see. While you’re learning the science of sailing and the art of forming a finely-tuned crew, you’ll be immersed in a living marine life exhibition. Sail the warm waters and steady breezes of the Florida Keys. The shallow blue-green waters present endless wildlife-watching opportunities and technical sailing and navigational challenges. Explore saltwater flats and snorkel on pristine coral reefs teeming with tropical fish of every color imaginable. Emphasis is placed on technical skills training, leadership skills, teamwork, and environmental awareness.

The Keys and Everglades were home to the Calusa and Seminole Indians and eventually pioneers looking to make their fortunes. The natural history of the Keys is abundant everywhere—under the water’s surface, on the mangrove keys and in the air. Marine life ranges from the smallest of the colorful reef fish to the bottlenose dolphin, the rare key deer, and an unparalleled variety of birds.

Women Only
Outward Bound knows that there are lessons to be learned from being in a group with folks different from yourself, there is also tremendous value in exploring challenge and team work with a group that is starting from a common perspective. Take on challenge in an all female group and do both the heavy work and camp chores. Make the decisions, push your envelopes in a way that you might not do in a mixed gender group and feel the sense of accomplishment from doing at all and going further than you thought you could.

The Outward Bound Difference
Your sailing expedition will be demanding. Sailing windward takes teamwork and skill, navigation is complex at night, and picking a route through shallow flats can be very challenging (and rewarding!). You will cruise under sail or oars (if there is no wind) all day. Alumni and instructors agree that arriving physically fit will enhance your experience and ability to do well on the course and ultimately allow you to take full advantage of every aspect of a your expedition. Successful completion of your course demands mastery of skills, trust, fitness, confidence, tenacity, leadership, initiative and compassion. The promotion of these qualities, and the discovery of what’s in you, is the purpose of Outward Bound.

Course Description
Your course begins and ends at our sailing base of operations in Key Largo, Florida. The course area is predominantly a wildlife refuge, home to numerous birds, abundant marine life and the tiny white tail key deer. The waters are shallow and clear, providing an exciting cruising area for our open sprit-rigged ketches.

Sailing courses cruise in three general areas. The backcountry offers challenging shoal draft navigation and the opportunity to explore mangrove keys, tidal flats and coral "patch" reefs. The Atlantic side offers excellent snorkeling at the outer reefs and open water sailing. The Everglades has beautiful sand beaches and a maze of rivers and bays to explore. Throughout the region, the turquoise waters, warm temperatures and prevailing easterly winds provide exceptional sailing, both day and night! Actual itineraries are based on weather, currents and length of course.

All courses are “expedition-based,” which means that you will leave the Key Largo base on the first day of your course and not return to it until the end of your course. You will travel with all of the food and equipment you need to conduct your expedition: stoves, tarps, snorkel gear, etc. You will row or sail nearly every day, developing skills as you travel along your planned route. The instructors’ goal is to teach you the skills you need to become self-sufficient on the water. The instructors will spend the early days of the course coaching you in sailing expedition skills. As you grow more competent and confident with your skills, the instructors will ask that you take more responsibility for the leadership of the expedition. Neither guides nor counselors, the instructors are teachers and mentors whose goal it is to train you to travel independently on the coastal waters.

What is a pulling boat? Pulling boats are 30 foot open boats. Groups live, cook and sleep on board. Travel is either under sail or using oars. Groups spend some nights on shore but the majority of the nights are spent aboard under a tarp pitched between the masts.

To enroll in this course click the enroll button next to the course dates that work for you. To shop comparatively on line visit our Advanced Course Finder or better yet call one of our expert Admission Advisers at 866-467-7651. Course tuitions listed below do not include our Application Fee or Transportation Fee.

Region: Florida

Activities: Sailing, seamanship, snorkeling, solo, service

Additional Information:
Application Fee
Transportation Fee

Sorry, there are no current offerings for this course.