Staff Update Day 1
Location: West End, Tortola
The staff of Elowyn Sage is so excited for all of the students to arrive! We have spent the past few days stocking the fleet with food and equipment in preparation for an amazing session! Skipper Annie, dive instructor Matt and mate Gwen, cannot wait to meet the shipmates and share their passions for sailing and scuba diving with them!
Here is an introduction to the staff of Elowyn Sage:
Annie- skipper/Wilderness First Responder
Annie is excited to return to the BVI for a second summer with AQ! Annie hails from the Eastern Shore of MD and since childhood has spent as much time on boats and in the water as possible. After working for four years as an outdoor educator and captain on the Chesapeake, she has been sailing for independent charter companies, working on oyster farms, and has most recently worked as crew for Sea|mester. Annie has her USCG 100 ton Masters and is a Wilderness First Responder.
Matt- dive instructor/mate
Matt was born and raised in sunny Sarasota, Florida. He is currently working on a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Biology and attends the University of Alabama. Matt pursued his professional certifications after being a shipmate from 2009 to 2013. He is certified as an Open Water Scuba Instructor but recently received specialty instructor certifications in Search and Recovery, Night Diving, Deep Diving, Underwater Navigation, and Enriched Air. He is in the process of pursuing the next level of professional diving and will soon be working towards his professional sailing certifications. Other than his interests in the ocean, Matt is also an accomplished musician in both the composition of piano music in the classical genre and productions of more modern dance records with both his own music and collaborations.
Gwen- mate/Wilderness First Responder
Raised on Massachusetts north shore, Gwen has never been far from the ocean. A water sports enthusiast and avid boater, surprisingly, Gwen was not introduced to the world of sailing until she spent the fall of 2013 on Sea|mesters Ocean Star. There she fell in love with the program and vowed to return. While she plans future adventures, such as earning her Yachtmaster, Gwen can be found on Maines coast at the University of New England, where she is pursuing a degree in Oceanography and Education, as well as rowing with the college's crew team. Gwen joins ActionQuest in 2014 for her first summer holding a Wilderness First Responder certification as well as basic sailing and SCUBA certifications.