Pure Joy Staff Update Day 1
Location: West End, Tortola
Our vessel name, Pure Joy, is an accurate description of the tangible atmosphere around the dock today! We could not be more excited for our shipmates to arrive! In the past 15 days of setup and staff training we have worked hard to prepare the boats, fine tune skills, and come together as a staff team. With Dolphin, Neptune, and Rescue students about to board, we are thrilled for program to start so we can facilitate the best summer ever!
Here is an introduction to the crew of Pure Joy:
Emelia- skipper/dive instructor
Born and raised in Washington, DC, Emelia started with ActionQuest in 2008 as a shipmate. She joined the AQ staff as a Divemaster in 2013 and is now a PADI Scuba Instructor and Yachtmaster 200ton captain. Emelia graduated from the University of San Diego in December 2016 and is moving to Los Angeles to work in film. When Emelia is not sailing or scuba diving, you can find her writing her next screenplay or flying through the air on a trapeze.
Sarah- dive instructor/mate
Sarah is incredibly excited to come back for a second summer at ActionQuest. She grew up in the landlocked state of Colorado, but has always been drawn to the ocean. She graduated from the University of Colorado in 2011 with a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. She took a job for National Marine Fisheries collecting catch data on commercial fishing vessels in the Bering Sea. The contract-based work allowed her the opportunity to travel and do other ocean research internships, like study great white sharks in South Africa 2012. In 2013, she moved to Florida to pursue diving and became a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor in early 2014. She has since been teaching, diving, and transitioning from the research field to the education field.
Mike- dive instructor/mate
Mike is from Newton, Massachusetts, and developed his love for the ocean during summer on Cape Cod as a kid. He became scuba certified in Gloucester, MA, where he realized exactly how cold the water in New England could get. He graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a B.S. in Marine Biology, during which he got his Rescue certification while studying abroad in Bonaire, and discovered the joy of warm water diving. Mike worked as a teacher's aide in his hometown of Newton for two years after graduating, after which he traveled to Utila, Honduras to get his divemaster and instructor certifications. When he is at home, he plays Ultimate Frisbee in his free time, as well as canoeing in the Charles River.