Staff Update Day 1
Location: West End, Tortola
Today the staff of Lifeworks welcomed their third and final crew of shipmates for the summer of 2014! After two days without shipmates perusing the dock and entertaining us, we were anxiously awaiting the arrival of this small but eccentric group of individuals in West End. Now that they are here, the staff cannot wait to begin our circumnavigation of the British Virgin Islands tomorrow so we can continue to do amazing things in this beautiful community that we have the opportunity to work in!
Here is an introduction to the staff of Catalinaville:
Elliot- Skipper
Elliot joined the team in 2010, playing a supportive role for the international programs and has since worked for Lifeworks and ActionQuest each summer between Ecuador, the Galapagos, and the British Virgin Islands. Since acquiring a bachelor's degree in music, he has decided to pursue a passion for outdoor and service education with an emphasis on marine/maritime environments. Elliot spends a fair amount of the year sailing competitively and holds an IYT Master of Yachts certificate. He has recently completed training in wilderness medicine and aims to continue learning from students in experiential settings.
Gwen- EMT/Mate
Raised on Massachusett's 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|mester's 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 Maine's 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.
David- Mate
David was born in Louisiana but spent most of his life in New Jersey, where he currently attends Princeton University. David has loved sailing since he was nine and has been an avid diver since the age of 10. He was introduced to ActionQuest when he was 13. Since then, he has spent several summers as a shipmate with AQ in the BVIs, one on the S/Y Argo in the Mediterranean, and one with Lifeworks in Ecuador. David is currently taking a year off from school and just finished a 12,000 km bike race across Africa. He loves being outside, playing sports, and eating large amounts of food.