Expeditions
Travel with purposeExplore extraordinary marine environments, experience conservation science firsthand, and travel with the scientists and conservation professionals of Ocean First Institute.
FEATURED EXPEDITION · SOLD OUT
Galápagos Islands Expedition 2027
Quito, Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal & Isabela
February 7–18, 2027 · 12 days
A wildlife-rich journey through the Galápagos with expert interpretation, island exploration and snorkeling.
More expeditions coming soon
Discover future opportunities to travel with scientists, experience marine conservation firsthand and explore extraordinary wildlife and places.
PAST EXPEDITION · COMPLETED
Belize 2026
Caye Caulker & Belize City
May 8–13, 2026 · 6 days
Marine research, reef exploration, wildlife and hands-on field experience with OFI and the Katie Adamson Conservation Fund.
Photo: OFI Belize expedition archive
Expeditions Around the World
From student-led field science to international shark research, our scientific leadership has worked alongside students, universities and conservation partners worldwide. These selected highlights include OFI programs and collaborative expeditions.
Cocos Island, Costa Rica
2026
Shark and manta ray tagging during a research expedition in the eastern Pacific.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
2024–2025
Four documented research outings with SeaKeepers, including a day of shark tagging aboard the Jaws-inspired Orca.
Florida Keys Shark Field Courses
2023–2025
Students worked alongside OFI scientists in Key Largo, learning how shark surveys, measurements and field records support conservation.
Key Largo, Florida
February 2024
Guests joined OFI researchers for a day on the water. A drone survey recorded sharks and a green sea turtle in the shallows.
Cape Town, South Africa
2022
Great white shark satellite tagging and baited remote underwater video surveys (BRUVS).
Mediterranean Sea
2022
Research vessel fieldwork combining BRUVS with microplastics monitoring.
Atlantic Canada & U.S. East Coast
2019–2021
White shark research using baited cameras, environmental DNA and acoustic tagging across multiple expeditions.
Yap & Palau
2020
Shark research led by Mikki McComb-Kobza with 16 expedition participants.
Belize — TIDES
2019
Ten Kent Denver students studied sharks with laser photogrammetry, baited cameras and plankton identification.
Guanacaste, Costa Rica
2017–2018
Student-supported shark and ray tagging, receiver deployments and bull shark photogrammetry with research partners.
Exumas & Nassau, Bahamas
2017–2018
Youth researchers used shark identification, twin-laser photogrammetry and baited cameras on field expeditions.
Guadalupe Island, Mexico
2016
A live underwater great white shark broadcast connected thousands of students with marine science.
Belize
2016
Sixteen students from Colorado, Montana and Pennsylvania investigated marine wildlife, including manatees, dolphins, sea turtles and conch.
Grand Cayman & Bonaire
2015–2016
Students earned junior open-water scuba certifications in Grand Cayman and practiced reef fish surveys and underwater photography in Bonaire.
Read the 2015 Grand Cayman expedition report
Read the 2016 Bonaire expedition report
Guanacaste, Costa Rica
2015
Seventeen students took part in a Source to Sea expedition connecting watersheds with coastal conservation.
Explore more of the science behind our expeditions in Florida Keys Shark Research.
Travel with a purpose
Science
Connect with the people doing marine conservation research.
Wildlife
Experience extraordinary animals and their habitats.
Conservation
Learn how protecting ecosystems connects people and places.
Community
Share discoveries with fellow travelers and conservation professionals.