Volunteering in the Virgin Islands

Arrive in St. Thomas

Arrive at the airport in Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas, then take a taxi to the Red Hook ferry dock. Board the ferry to Cruz Bay on St. John, where you will meet your MT Sobek representative and transfer to your hotel. In the evening, gather with your group for a welcome dinner.

Snorkel & Kayak in the Caribbean

Start the day with kayaking instructions on the beach in Cruz Bay. Paddle to Honeymoon Beach and stop to snorkel the seagrass bed, looking for turtles and rays. Next, paddle to Henley Cay for some superb reef snorkeling. If you've never snorkeled in the Caribbean, you'll be amazed at the variety and vibrancy of colors. After resting and refueling with a hearty picnic lunch, paddle on to Lovango Cay for more snorkeling. Return to Cruz Bay in the late afternoon and relax a bit before meeting for dinner.

Clean-Up Day at Gifft Hill School

Visit Gifft Hill School for your first day of service on St. John. The two hurricanes that hit here in September of 2017 wreaked havoc on this island, destroying churches, schools, homes, and businesses. Spend the day helping with the clean-up and rebuilding process at Gifft Hill School, whose upper campus was badly damaged in the storm, so that students can return to classes. Dinner tonight is at Rhumblines in Cruz Bay.

Please note — The specific volunteer work planned on day 3 may vary depending on the progress of projects currently underway, and what is needed at the time of service.

Stand-Up Paddle Boarding at Haulover Bay

Spend the morning learning the basics of stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) in the calm, protected waters of Haulover Bay. After getting comfortable on the boards, go for a short paddle, then return to the beach for lunch. After lunch, take a short trail to the north side of Haulover Bay, where there is superb snorkeling. Then, get back on the paddle boards and paddle out to Pelican Rock, where you can snorkel the reef. Dinner tonight is at The Longboard.

Volunteer at Virgin Islands National Park

For your second day of service, visit Virgin Islands National Park, where trails were badly damaged in the hurricane. Clear the trails of debris and help rebuild trails that were eroded from the storm.

Please note — The specific volunteer work planned on day 5 may vary depending on the progress of projects currently underway, and what is needed at the time of service.

Kayak Coral Reef National Monument

Climb aboard for a kayak trip to the Coral Reef National Monument in Hurricane Hole. Kayak through the mangrove-lined bays of Water Creek, Otter Creek, and Princess Bay. Snorkel in the mangroves, where you'll see schools of juvenile snappers, barracuda, starfish, colorful sea anemone, and more. Enjoy a delicious picnic lunch near Turner Point, then take a short hike over the hill for a view of Round Bay. From here, paddle to Borck Creek and on to a small, white-sand beach for a nice reef snorkel.

Depart from St. John & Return to St. Thomas

Head back in to Cruz Bay for breakfast at the North Shore Deli, then enjoy a couple of hours of free time for shopping in town before boarding the ferry back to Red Hook. From there, head to the airport and then back home.