Staff Update Day 1
Location: West End, Tortola
Sambamba was delivered from Road Town yesterday by myself, where her beautiful clean lines cut briskly through the water as dusk began to draw in. Emelia, Kelli and I are extremely excited to welcome aboard our eleven fine gentlemen and finally get the program underway. The majority of the AQ 2014 staff have been in West End for one week now, where after launching all the dinghies, arranging inventory and taking part in some well thought out staff training, we are all raring to go and be a part of the best summer ever for our students.
Here is an introduction to the staff of Sambamba:
Smudge- skipper
Martin, more commonly know as Smudge to friends and colleagues, recently became an RYA/MCA Yachtmaster (offshore) while also graduating as a Master of Science in Sports Coaching back home in the UK. Formerly a British Army mechanic and university lecturer, Smudge coaches and plays rugby union when he's not on the water. His most recent adventure was with Rubicon3.co.uk, sailing from London, England to St. Petersburg, Russia onboard a Clipper 60 round the world racing yacht. Summer camp experience comes from two seasons with Camp Winaukee in New Hampshire and one season with over 60 different nationalities at Millfield English Language School. Completely sporting mad, he also teaches himself to surf and plays golf in his spare time. This is Smudges first season with AQ but the second time in the BVIs, after participating in a British Army race crew at the 2009 Spring Regatta.
Kelli- mate/dive instructor
Kelli was born and raised on a remote island in southeast Alaska. For many summers, she crewed on commercial fishing vessels for Alaskan salmon. Yes, it was exactly like the TV show, The Deadliest Catch. In high school, Kelli instantly fell in love with sailing and scuba diving while vacationing in the BVIs. Since then, she sailed across the Atlantic Ocean with Seamester. She also spent six months in Thailand, completing her diving internship with Mermaids Dive Center. She has her USCG Master 100 Ton Inland certification and is a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor. Kelli likes wreck diving, Chai tea, her dog Penny and sailing around on her 25ft sailboat back home in Alaska.
Emelia- mate/dive instructor
Emelia started ActionQuest as a student in 2008, never having sailed or dived before. She immediately fell in love with the program and continued as an AQ shipmate for six years, and this is her 2nd summer working as staff. Emelia is an Open Water SCUBA Instructor and is excited to spread the stoke for diving, sailing, and the ocean to all her students. Outside the AQ universe, Emelia studies marine science and anthropology at the University of San Diego and spends her free time surfing, rock climbing competitively, and attempting tricks on the slack-line.