Aeolus

Aeolus (ee-uh-lus) is so excited to welcome her second group of summer 2017 students! After a fantastic first session, the staff has been spending the last couple days preparing and are eagerly awaiting the arrival of our twelve shipmates. We have stocked the boat with dry food, fresh food, PADI open water diving manuals, sailing books, water ski gear, medical supplies, cleaning supplies and everything else necessary to run an awesome trip- now we just need the crew! Our shipmates are from DC, South Carolina, Texas, Mexico, Iowa, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Ohio, 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 other 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 the 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 the 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- EMT/Mate

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. In 2004 Anna graduated from the University of Vermont with degrees in psychology and sociology, where she spent four years volunteering as an EMT on a local ambulance. Since then she has worked on tall ships, at a toy store, and at several desk jobs, but always finds herself returning each summer to the BVI to manage one of the ActionQuest fleets. During the rest of the year, Anna lives in Washington, DC, where she spends her free time volunteering with a local dog rescue organization, hanging out with her niece and nephews, and attempting to become someone who enjoys running.