Staff Update Day One
Location: West End, Tortola
Laurasia can't wait to start the last session of the season. Jake, Julie, and I have spent the last two days cleaning, organizing, and planning for the amazing trip to come. The crew is from many parts of the world and USA, such as Mexico, Florida, and New York. Also, they range in skills and passions, as our yacht is full of new divers, advanced divers, and non- divers participating in the community service program Quest. I can't wait to put my all into making this the best session ever.
Here is an introduction to the crew of Laurasia:
Liam- skipper
Liam has always loved being on the water! As a very young teenager, he started to sail and race single-handed dinghies, and went on to compete on an 18? Catamaran. Liam found himself coming to the completion of his formal education (A levels in England) and a whole bucket of possibilities to consider. He chose FdSc Yacht Operations, that leads to the BSc (Hons) Navigation and Maritime Science at Plymouth University. With a huge amount of sea time on college yachts, Liam worked through the RYA tickets and was recently awarded the RYA Yachtmaster Off-shore qualification. Being qualified as a dinghy and powerboat instructor he finds it very fulfilling to see others gain in confidence and competence, Liam can also scuba dive and has his PADI license to 18m.
Julie- dive instructor/mate
Originally from the Midwest, Julie joined ActionQuest as a student in 2004 and quickly developed a passion for all things aquatic. Seeking a new avenue to study marine life, Julie spent a semester abroad in college at a field school in Baja California Sur studying marine mammals and biodiversity conservation. She graduated from Wellesley this past May with a degree in Anthropology and Biological Sciences and will be moving to New York City at the end of the summer to start graduate school. A former member of the sailing staff at ActionQuest, Julie is now an Open Water Scuba Instructor and is excited to teach Open Water diving this summer.
Jake- dive instructor/mate
Born and raised in Ann Arbor, MI, Jake started diving in the Great Lakes region at age 12. In 2006 Jake moved to Winter Park, FL to attend Rollins College, where he worked as a divemaster and dive instructor and earned an A.B. in international relations. A previous shipmate in 2005 and 2006, Jake started working for ActionQuest in 2011.