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British Virgin Islands - 2015, Session 2

Staff Update Day 1

Location: West End, Tortola

Calypso's shipmates have begun to arrive! After two days of hard work from the staff, the S/V Calypso has been picked up from Road Town and packed with food, fuel, and water in preparation for the exciting weeks ahead. Over the course of three weeks, Emelia & I are hoping to IYT certify all of our shipmates. For those new to sailing, IYT's International Competent Crew certificate can open new doorways into the yachting industry or simply provide better access to pleasurable experiences onboard charter vessels. For those advanced sailors, IYT's Basic Flotilla Skipper & VHF Operator courses will teach them the skills they need to become well-rounded mariners with a deeper understanding of concepts like night navigation and International Collision Regulations. But of course, sailing is only half the program! Alex & Emelia also plan to PADI open water certify those who have never dived before and aggregate advanced open water diver plus six specializations to those with prior SCUBA experience. Courses aside, our goal as staff is to provide a fun, supportive, and safe environment that gives our students the opportunity to discover their ability to learn and overcome challenges. We hope the build these surroundings not only from our daily activities such as water skiing, dinghy sailing, snorkeling, hiking but with responsibility and team building the next three weeks will be fruitful ones for all those living aboard Calypso and ActionQuest vessels in general. Bring on the Calypsans!
Here is an introduction to the crew of Calypso:
David: Skipper/Sail Instructor
David grew up on California coasts, and when he wasn't invested in his schooling, he was either involved in an aquatic summer program or traveling around the Middle East, Europe, and Central America. Forever indebted to his parents, David was fortunate enough to learn sailing at the age of 8, scuba diving at 13, and various other aquatic sports in the times in between. In 2013 David's life dramatically shifted after Sea|Mester when his eyes were opened to the vast world of yachting. Thanks to his incredible experiences onboard S/Y Argo, David dedicated his free time to receiving his certificate as a Master of Yachts 200 gross ton Offshore through the Royal Yachting Association and used this license to work in the Adriatic and other parts of the Mediterranean.
Emelia: Dive & Sail Instructor/Mate
Originally from Washington, DC, Emelia started with ActionQuest in 2008 as a shipmate, having never been sailing or scuba diving before. She continued as a student for six summers, in 2013 earning her Divemaster certification and entering the AQ staff team. Emelia now holds her PADI Open Water SCUBA Instructor license, as well as her 200ton Master of Yachts certification. Outside the AQ world, Emelia is a full-time student at the University of San Diego, where she studies marine science and anthropology and trains with a local circus as an aerial acrobat.
Alex: Dive Instructor/Mate
Alex is a travel and scuba enthusiast from Charleston, South Carolina. He is currently enrolled at Clemson University, seeking a Finance major and a Spanish minor. Diving has been an influential part of his life since the age of ten. Alex enjoys diving recreationally for dinosaur remains and other artifacts with his family while in Charleston. While he isn't diving, Alex is out on the water fishing or wakeboarding.