Make an Impact with Fathom Travel — Volunteer and Explore Abroad

With great pride I present this piece written by my 16-year-old son, Aidan, in response to our April trip to the Dominican Republic with Fathom Travel. Fathom hosted our family on their inaugural service cruise to the DR. All opinions and photos in this article are Aidan’s. He is a talented nature and travel photographer; you can view more of his work on his site, AidanLindamood.com.

In April 2016 I had the chance to join Fathom’s inaugural voyage to the Dominican Republic. Unlike most cruises, the primary purpose—though entirely optional—is to participate in service projects called impact activities. These activities are designed to create positive environmental, social, and economic effects for local communities. Projects range from assembling water filters and reforesting to teaching English and other community-focused efforts. When the trip ended I felt I had made a meaningful contribution. It may not have been a large change, but small acts can create ripple effects. I would definitely sail with Fathom again and highly recommend the experience.

The launch party aboard the Adonia as the ship left Miami.

The lido deck at nightfall.

A few more shots I took while waiting to sail to the DR.

On the second night they hosted a superhero party where guests could create their own personas. There was a supersuit creation station and all the props. Being a bit of a man-child, I made a mask and a cape. I took the mask to the top deck for a cinematic self-portrait, but it blew away—so there’s no masked-caped photo to show.