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British Virgin Islands - 2019, Session 1

Staff Update: Day 1

Location: West End, Tortola

Setup is quickly winding down, and the crew of Orka Tew is getting super excited for the arrival of our students. Onboard with us, this session are Dolphin students, who will be learning to expand their marine biology knowledge, plus we have our Neptune group who will be working on advancing their scuba skills to the next level. With both returning shipmates and newcomers, Orka Tew is sure to be a phenomenal group that could not make us, the staff, more thrilled. From sailing to hiking, water-skiing to beach barbecues, and of course a lot of diving; we are ready to make it happen! Stay tuned for more to come from the wonderful crew of Orka Tew; ‘fun-bathing’ in the BVI.

Here is an introduction to the crew on Orka Tew:

Jon- Skipper/Divemaster

Growing up on the ocean with his three brothers in Australia, Jon’s father taught his boys to swim by throwing them off the back of the boat! This jump in and learn attitude gave Jon a love for the ocean and an appreciation for everything in it and led to him becoming a Divemaster and boat captain. Jon spends his days in the Whitsunday Islands, taking people spearfishing, diving, and sailing. He is escaping the Australian winter to join the ActionQuest team this summer and is looking forward to teaching diving and sailing on the other side of the world.

Sydnei- Dive Instructor/Mate

Despite being born and raised in the cold city of Chicago, the warm beaches and ocean have always called Sydnei’s name. Now a sophomore studying graphic design at the University of Miami, Sydnei spends as much time as she can in the sun and near the water, diving year round. During the school year, she teaches scuba classes at a local dive shop and goes out for fun dives when she has the time. She is a longtime alumnus of ActionQuest, starting in 2015. This will be her fifth summer back in the beautiful BVI. Out of the water, she enjoys reading, along with playing tennis and badminton.

Miranda (Mimi)- Dive Instructor/Marine Scientist

Growing up on the South coast of Norway, Miranda earned her PADI open water certification at the age of 12 and has been obsessed with the underwater world ever since. She graduated from the University of Southampton with an MSc in Marine Biology in 2018 and has recently completed her PADI Instructor certification. Miranda has taken part in marine and wildlife conservation projects in the Bahamas, Belize, and Indonesia, and spent time studying abroad in Australia and Bermuda. She’s excited to share her love for the underwater world with others and hopes to inspire them through education and knowledge to take care of our oceans and everything within them. Miranda enjoys scuba diving, windsurfing, sailing, underwater photography, skiing, and cooking.