Aeolus Staff Update Day 1
Location: West End, Tortola
Aeolus is excited to welcome her first group of summer 2017 students! The staff has been spending the last couple weeks preparing for this moment, and is eagerly awaiting the arrival of our twelve shipmates. We have stocked the boat with dry food, fresh food, PADI open water diving manuals, IYT sailing books, waterski gear, medical supplies, cleaning supplies and everything else necessary to run an awesome trip- now we just need the crew! Our shipmates are from New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Delaware, Vermont, Canada, Colorado, Missouri, France, and Arizona, and are all part of the Vega (intro to sailing and diving) program. We can't wait to go on our first sail and snorkel tomorrow, and for all the adventures to come! For additional updates during the trip, follow ActionQuest on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat!
Here is an introduction to the crew of Aeolus:
Ian- skipper/EMT
Ian has been a member of the GXG team since his first summer program in 2013. He studied Ocean Engineering at the University of Rhode Island and volunteered as an EMT on campus. Following his lovely graduation ceremony, he made his way down to the British Virgin Islands and had one of the greatest summers of his life. From there, he returned home to Newton, Massachusetts and began working as an EMT for an ambulance service operating in the New England area. Over the next two years, Ian would return to the BVI for the summer program and then return home to work on ferries or as an EMT. In October of 2015, Ian began working for Team GXG full time and has spent the last 2 years working on Argo, Ocean Star and AQ programs. He recently earned his offshore Master of Yachts 200 ton license and will be putting it to good use this season. Ian is most excited for the months to come: it's going to be a great summer!
Jay- dive instructor/mate
Jay was born and raised in Athens, GA where he grew up miles from the sea. Throughout his childhood, he was frightened of the ocean & what lay beneath the surface. That all changed in 2007 when he had the opportunity to get scuba certified. In 2012, he became a scuba instructor and has led trips to places like the Bahamas, Cozumel and Cayman Islands. He was a summer camp counselor for 6 years at the YMCA, where he had fun painting himself green for the kids. Jay graduated from University of North Georgia with a Management degree, hoping to one day open a dive shop in the Caribbean. In his spare time, you'll find Jay hiking, camping, mincing garlic and playing the didgeridoo. He is excited to get back on the water and share his passion for the underwater world with all the shipmates!
Anna- mate/EMT
Anna grew up in landlocked Western Massachusetts and discovered her love for the sea when she became an ActionQuest shipmate at age 16. After two summers as a shipmate and a year of high school onboard S/Y Ocean Star, she joined the ActionQuest staff in 2000. Anna graduated in 2004 from the University of Vermont with degrees in psychology and sociology and spent four years volunteering as an EMT on a local ambulance. During the year Anna lives in Washington, DC and spends her free time volunteering with a local dog rescue organization.