Greg Justice, Program Manager of the Center for Field Studies at George Mason University, has organized field study courses onboard Blackbeard's boats since 2005.

"The experiential learning aspects of a Blackbeard's science trip allowed marine science concepts to become more tangible for the students."

"Blackbeard's boats make excellent floating classrooms. There are protected gathering areas for lectures, and plenty of storage space for all of our diving and scientific research gear. Best of all, conducting a field experience from a boat allows you to cover more marine habitats than with a traditional land-based program."

"Being on a liveaboard allowed the professors to integrate scuba diving seamlessly into their research and teaching activities. Students gained more confidence in their underwater skills, and were able to see a variety of marine habitats up close."

"The Blackbeard's crew understood the unique objectives of college groups, and was helpful in accomplishing the goals of the class, from finding great dive sites for research or teaching students how to drive the boat and throw the anchor."