Staff Update- Day One
Location: West End, Tortola
To an outsider, a summer at ActionQuest may seem too good to be true a summer spent working in the BVI sounds like the perfect job. The crew of The Prosecutor has decided it is not too good to be true, and it most certainly is the most perfect job. Over the past couple of weeks, there has been a team on the ground here preparing to have and share a safe and unforgettable summer. On top of getting to know all the new faces, we as staff have been familiarizing ourselves with the equipment we are using, the syllabi we will be teaching, and the state of mind we'll be occupying. As with any good mental preparation, this one came with some good old fashioned hard labor. Loading a boat that will sustain 15 souls for three weeks is no easy task, and what's, even more, is finding ways to fit it all. As the beginning of program approaches, I'm amazed to see how quickly everything comes together. Yesterday I was assigned to deliver a boat from Road Town, and in the three hours I was off the dock, skipper Aaron and dive instructor Leah had loaded all our dive gear, learning materials, bed linens, food, and all other equipment (I got back in time to help some). Other than that, most of our time has been used sitting with Mike, the program director, going over guidelines and responsibilities expected of us as AQ employees. The Prosecutor couldn't be more excited about the arrival day to get the summer started.
Here is an introduction to the Prosecutor crew:
Aaron- skipper
Raised in New England, Aaron has spent much of his time on the water, both in its liquid and frozen state. He spends winters working as a ski patroller at Okemo mountain in Vermont, and his summers with the AQ team in the BVI. Starting as a shipmate in 2005, Aaron joined our staff in 2009 as our compression boat skipper and EMT and runs as a skipper in the sail side fleet. Aaron's professional credentials include MCA Master of Yachts 200 Ton Offshore, EMT equivalency certificate, and PADI Divemaster Certification. Always the handyman, Aaron can be found spending his free time keeping busy with multiple carpentry projects.
Leah- dive instructor/mate
Leah is from the suburbs of Philadelphia and is a sophomore at Tulane University studying biomedical engineering and marine biology. This will be her 4th year with ActionQuest and her first year on the staff as a dive instructor. She's looking forward to teaching and giving her students the same amazing experience she had as a shipmate.
Eli-
Eli entered the world of AQ as a Lifeworks BVI student in 2007 and 2008. In Spring 2011 he hopped aboard Seamester's Argo to complete a 90-day voyage with extra time in the Caribbean to earn additional certifications, that summer he came on as staff for the Lifeworks program in Ecuador/Galapagos. Eli will start his fourth year at New College of Florida this fall and wishes to express how thrilled he is to be back in the BVI and for the opportunity to have and share an unforgettable summer.