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British Virgin Islands - 2015, Session 1

Staff Update Day 1

Location: West End, Tortola

The staff has been hard at work these past few weeks in West End, trying to get our boats ready for the coming session. The beds are made, the food put away, and all of our scuba, science, and watersports gear sorted. Second Wind is ship-shape and ready to go -- but we're still missing the most important part of our program: the students.

 Matt, Adam, and I have been looking forward to the fun and adventure that the coming session will bring and are thrilled to meet all of the students heading our way. As we circumnavigate Tortola, our crew will go from being strangers to friends to family, and the path we take to get there will be just as rewarding as the final destination. We can't wait to find out what the next three weeks have in store for us aboard Second Wind, our soon-to-be second home. 

Here's to twenty-one amazing days,

Matt, Tina & Adam

Here's an introduction to the crew of Second Wind:

Matt-skipper

Matt is a returning staff member as a skipper and medical staff member. He attends Eckerd University and is majoring in marine biology. In his off time, he likes to produce music and go on short walks to the refrigerator.

Tina-dive instructor/mate

After spending a semester abroad with Sea|Mester in 2008, Tina became absorbed with the marine world. She graduated from Bard College with a BA in Environmental Studies in 2010, after which she turned her attention to scuba diving. Tina has worked as a Divemaster and Instructor in Central America, Europe, and the US. She holds qualifications such as PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, US Coast Guard Medical Person in Charge, PADI Emergency First Response Instructor (including Care for Children), and eleven specialty instructor ratings. As of spring 2015, Tina has finished her graduate studies at New York University, receiving an MA in Environmental Conservation Education. She is thrilled to be returning for her fourth summer with Action Quest. When not underwater, Tina can be found playing her viola, trying out new recipes in the galley, and planning her next dive.

Adam-dive instructor/mate

Adam is from Scarsdale, NY, and started as an ActionQuest shipmate in 2011. He immediately fell in love with ActionQuest, diving, and sailing, and has been back every summer since. He worked his way up from Open Water diver through Divemaster, all with AQ. This is now his first summer as staff. Adam is an Open Water Scuba Instructor and holds numerous specialty instructor certifications. During the year, Adam is studying Biology and is pre-med at Washington University in St. Louis, where he is also on the sailing team.