TEEN ADVENTURE IN THE FLORIDA KEYS

August 10-14, 2009

Welcome aboard for a magical voyage of discovery, adventure, learning - and fun! While sailing, snorkeling and exploring in the sparkling clear waters surrounding the Florida Keys, you'll be challenged to higher levels of teamwork, leadership, communication, and trust as you and your fellow sailors navigate, crew and captain our boat.  You'll learn, you'll grow, and you'll have the time of your life!

Why to Come

The name Captains Courageous comes from Old French, and it means Leaders of Heart.   Everything we do during the Captains Courageous Adventure - including sailing the boat - is designed to help you learn to lead your life with more heart.  You’ll discover more about what makes you happy, what makes you successful, what brings you peace, and how you can create more of what you want in your life. Throughout the adventure, you and 5 fellow sailors will have the opportunity to learn the basics of sailing – or hone the skills you already have. You’ll share in every aspect of running the sailboat: steering, handling, anchoring, navigating, as well as the care and feeding of the crew (that's you!). There’ll be opportunities for snorkeling, beachcombing, and other activities. You'll also have time to explore the some of the small islets that make up the upper Florida Keys. You’ll make new friends that will last a lifetime.

Your personal growth is woven seamlessly into an awesome tropical adventure, sometimes through structured experiential activities, sometimes through facilitated conversations and coaching, and always through mindful attunement to individual and group dynamics. You’ll learn through how you steer the boat, how you communicate with your crew, how you respond to changes in wind and weather, how you participate in problem-solving and decision-making.  You’ll learn to listen, speak and act from the heart.  You’ll learn how to recognize and make the best choices for you.  You’ll learn how your thoughts, words, actions and even attitudes impact you and those around you. You’ll discover that the sea and sailboat do not mince words – they provide instantaneous feedback for just about everything you say, do or think! You’ll track and expand your learning throughout the adventure, and you’ll develop an action plan for how to apply and integrate the experience and learning in everyday life when you’re back on land.

You'll return home confident, expanded and energized.  Later on, you'll find that your memories, awareness and skills as a Courageous Captain will serve you well in every aspect of your life.  And if that weren't enough, you'll have had an outrageously great time with a great group of people!

Where We Go & What We Do

Our adventure will begin at in Coconut Grove, Florida, a quaint and trendy village on the Biscayne Bay, in the heart of Miami.  From there we’ll set sail and make our way around the upper Florida Keys, sailing sometimes in the Bay, sometimes in the Atlantic Ocean, and perhaps ending our trip with a madcap dash through the Gulf Stream.  We’ll explore several of the Keys.  We’ll snorkel on the reefs and in the bay, where some amazing discoveries await you. Along the way, there’ll be laughter and play, singing and dancing, problems to be solved, challenges to be mastered.  As the adventure unfolds, you’ll find yourself taking on more and more responsibility, until finally you discover that you are indeed the captain of your own ship.

Your Vessel & Staff

You’ll be sailing and living aboard Lightheart, a beautiful Hanse 400e performance cruising sloop.  She is quick and surefooted, as well as providing a safe, comfortable, airy home for our adventure.  She is skippered by Captain Peter Branning, a US Coast Guard-licensed captain and a world champion sailboat racer.  Peter is a retired lawyer and mediator, a life coach with a master’s degree in counseling, a cancer survivor, and the father of two college-aged sons.  Martha Boston is lead facilitator.  She is the founder of Captains Courageous and has been designing and leading personal growth and professional development trainings for teens, adults and businesses throughout the world since 1979. She is a soon-to-be licensed captain.

Time & Travel

Your adventure begins at noon on Monday, August 10, and ends at 4pm on Friday,

August 14. Plan to arrive at Miami International Airport by 10 am Monday, and depart after 6 pm Friday, August 14.  Transportation to and from the airport will be provided. 

How to Come Aboard

First:  Decide to commit yourself to learning, growing, friendship and fun. 

Second:  Click HERE to register, and include a note telling us why you want to participate.

Once your registration has been confirmed, we will send you a link to download your information packet including trip details, a packing list, and forms for you to complete and send back to us. Prior sailing experience is not required, but you do need to be able to swim.

What It Costs

The price for this adventure is $1495, which includes everything from your arrival at Miami International Airport to your departure:  onboard accommodations; all meals, snacks & beverages; the Captains Courageous seminar, facilitators, & course materials; permits & fees; transfers & gratuities.  Your travel expenses to and from Miami are not included. 

Registration, Cancellations & Refunds

Space is limited to six participants.  You can reserve your place with a $500 deposit, with the balance due by July 10. If you have not paid in full by that date, your name will go to the bottom of the wait list. Your deposit is refundable until July 10, less a $200 administration fee. After July 10, all payments are final and nonrefundable unless your space can be filled, in which case a $200 administration fee will be deducted. No refunds will be made for delays or cancellations due to airline delays, weather or other acts of God, war, terrorism, or the end of time.  Captains Courageous will cancel or postpone the adventure should weather forecasts indicate unsafe sailing conditions. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you secure travel insurance with a "cancel for any reason" provision to cover both your adventure costs and your travel expenses in such eventuality. In the unlikely event Captains Courageous LLC should cancel the trip for reasons other than those listed above, or if your name should not clear the wait list, your payments will be refunded in full. However, in no event will Captains Courageous be responsible for any direct or indirect costs that you incur related to planned or actual travel to or from the adventure.

If you or your parents would like to discuss any aspect of this adventure, please use the "contact us" button above and let us know a good time and phone number to contact you.

We look forward to welcoming you aboard!

Download pdf trifold brochure here.