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British Virgin Islands - 2014, Session 1
June 17th, 2014

Staff Update Day 1

Location: West End, Tortola

Shipmate arrival is imminent, and the rest of the staff on board Second Wind and I could not be more excited to welcome our students aboard. We have finished the preparations for our beautiful catamaran and Gus, our supporting dinghy. We are loaded with all the food, snacks, equipment, and dive gear that we need for our trip and can't wait to get going. Our skipper Ben (aka Nigel Thornberry), is very familiar with the BVI's and is itching to get the sails filled. Lisa, our SCUBA instructor, is raring to go and ready to teach the Neptune shipmates all about the different kinds of diving on offer and help them develop their diving skills. I can't wait to get underway and start working with the Dolphin shipmates on their marine biology classes, diving skills, and start to develop exciting research projects. There is certainly a lot we can learn from the marine life in the BVI's.

Our voyage will take us all over the British Virgin Islands, and we will get to see, dive, and explore some great locations. Not to mention the hikes, BBQs, sandcastle building competitions, and all the great dance parties we are going to have!

Try not to miss us too much world, we are going to be having a fantastic adventure, and we will see you back on land in three weeks. Be sure to keep up to date with our blog, to hear all the fun that our shipmates are having!

Here is an introduction to the staff of Second Wind:
Ben- skipper
Jess- dive instructor
Jess was born in London, UK, with a love of the sea right from the start. She started diving at 15 and has traveled the world since, teaching SCUBA and conducting marine research. Jess holds a degree in Marine Biology and Coastal Ecology and a Master's degree in Biodiversity and Conservation. When not working for ActionQuest, Jess is also working towards a Ph.D. in Environmental Management, working with local developing communities in South East Asia to improve the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas. Jess is a PADI MSDT and HSE Commercial SCUBA diver with experience in designing and running marine monitoring and survey programs and media experience, including working on a BBC documentary.
Lisa- dive instructor
Even as a child, Lisa could be found adventuring on the lakes and rivers of Wisconsin. After completing a B.S. in Zoology & Biological Aspects of Conservation in 2004, she immediately set out to quench her wanderlust. Being passionate about human-powered travel, Lisa has traversed many countries on foot and pedal bikes. Wanting to get back to the water, she pursued her first professional dive rating in Honduras in 2011 and has not dried out since. Lisa is now a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer and is planning to advance her sailing and teaching skills as an educator with ActionQuest.
- Jess