MARITIME MEDICAL RESPONDER: EXPEDITION SERIES
Expedition-based maritime medical training for cruisers, racers, and anyone hoping to spend meaningful time on the water.
Train for medical emergencies at sea.
Learn underway. Build confidence that carries beyond the shoreline.
This is not the classic dockside classroom course.
Participants join a single continuous expedition voyage departing and returning to Bellingham — sailing through the Salish Sea while training in real maritime environments.
Sail by day. Train underway. Explore and camp ashore.
You will develop practical skills and sound judgment for situations where help is not immediate — and you will do it as part of a capable crew. An inspiring week that is open to all abilities from offshore racers, coastal cruisers, to novice boaters.
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May 17-22, 2026- San Juan Islands, WA
July 26-31, 2026- San Juan Islands, WA
September 14-19, 2026 - San Juan Islands, WA
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The Vessel: S/V Swiftsure
S/V Swiftsure is a 58’ Frers-designed sailing yacht with true ocean-racing pedigree and enduring character.
Built in aluminum by Carl Eichenbach and designed by German Frers, she represents an era when offshore boats were deliberately over-engineered — built strong, built fast, and built to come home. Her hull is powerful and purposeful, balancing performance with the steadiness required for extended coastal and open-water passages.
A wide beam and flush deck create exceptional working space for sail handling, instruction, and realistic scenario training. She is large enough to move confidently in open water, yet her systems and sail plan remain practical and transferable to smaller cruising vessels.
Below deck, Swiftsure is comfortable without excess. A generous galley includes a four-burner stove with oven, full refrigeration and freezer capacity, filtered water, and hot showers. Accommodations include seven single berths, two doubles, and two heads (manual and electric) with substantial holding capacity.
Warm teak joinery in the salon provides a welcoming space to review the day, share a meal, and prepare for the next passage.
2026 Program Overview: Expedition San Juan Islands
This program embarks from Bellingham, WA on a multi-day tour of the San Juan Islands. Students sail to various islands throughout the region while practicing medical skills and decision making underway, at anchor, between shore (think dinghy), and onshore. Each night, students stretch out to camp on the islands with day hikes and shore excursions planned between delicious meals.
Your tuition includes:
Six-day skippered sailing expedition aboard S/V Swiftsure
All onboard and on-island meals
Instruction from emergency and maritime medical professionals
Scenario equipment and supplies
Wilderness First Responder certification
CPR / First Aid / AED/ Epinephrine Auto Injector certification
Accreditations meet or exceed:
World Sailing medical requirements
U.S. Sailing safety standards
U.S. Coast Guard recognition for STCW First Aid componentsWA/CA Epinephrine Auto Injector certification
How This Is Different
Most medical training happens in controlled settings. Maritime emergencies do not.
Our expedition-based training model integrates medical decision-making with real sailing conditions — where movement, weather, limited resources, and delayed outside support shape every choice.
Training extends beyond patient care to include:
Vessel operations and damage control awareness
Practical seamanship and risk management
Maritime communications and rescue coordination
Leadership and crew decision-making at sea
After this course, you will be able to:
Plan and prepare for coastal and offshore voyages
Prevent and manage onboards emergencies with limited resources
Understand when to stabilize, when to divert, and when to call for evacuation
Communicate effectively with rescue authorities, and telemedicine
Lead your crew in medical crisis
Want to take the first step into maritime medicine?
Begin learning today with our Maritime Medicine Online curriculum, which provides full access to the lecture videos assigned in preparation for all of our programs. This is a great place to start or refresh your skills, as the online program gives you 24/7 access to our instructional video series and resources that can help you stay safe on the water. Additionally, you can apply the cost of this course as a credit toward any of our in-person programs.
With more than 100 named islands sandwiched between the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Strait of Georgia, The San Juan Archipelago is the perfect setting for our Maritime Medical Responder Program. Learn wilderness first responder skills specific to the marine environment on a multi-day sailing and camping expedition.
May 17-22, 2026
July 26-31, 2026
September 14-19, 2026