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British Virgin Islands - 2018, Session 1

Staff Update Day 1

Location: West End, Tortola

After a few weeks of staff training, the staff has spent the last few days getting the nitty-gritty details ready. We’ve got the boat cleaned up and fooded for program as well as got the program equipment all on board. The cabins are all made up and ready for our shipmates to settle into their new home. Over the next three weeks of sailing and becoming rescue divers, we will grow from a group of strangers to a tight-knit crew and family.

Here is an introduction to the crew of Half A Bubble Off:

Matt- Skipper/Dive Instructor/MedPIC

Matt was born and raised in sunny Sarasota, Florida. He is an ActionQuest alumnus, and instantly knew he wanted to join the GXG team. He became a PADI SCUBA Instructor when he was 18 and joined the ActionQuest team later that year as a dive instructor. Matt also holds the IYT 200 Ton Master of Yachts and MCA Medical Person in Charge licenses. He is currently finishing a Computer Science & Criminal Justice degree at Florida Gulf Coast University while working at the Florida Department of Children and Families during the year.

Elle- Dive Instructor/Mate

Participating in an ActionQuest program in 2012 inspired Elle to pursue her passion for diving and a determination to share her enthusiasm for the marine environment with others. During her gap year, she moved to Thailand and then Mauritius qualifying as a PADI Master Scuba Diver Instructor with eight specialty instructor qualifications, and is now also qualified as an Emergency First Responder Instructor. Elle is currently studying a BSc in International Business Management at Cardiff University and has continued her passion for diving joining the ActionQuest team as a diving instructor during the summer of 2017. When not under the water, Elle is a keen netball player captaining the University 1st team and has a love of dance having studied ballet to an advanced level since an early age.

Dan- Dive Instructor/Mate

Dan grew up in the south of England and graduated University with a degree in Sports Psychology and Coaching. After spending most of his 20's working in corporate London, he wanted to pursue his passion for travel and the Ocean. Dan started diving in Fiji in 2015 and instantly fell in love with the underwater world when he saw his first shark and manta ray. He is now a PADI IDC Staff Instructor with experience working in Indonesia and the Cayman Islands. He especially enjoys seeing how excited new divers get when they see their first turtle up close! When not diving, Dan enjoys trying new watersports, reading his Kindle, and visiting as many new cities and beaches as possible!