Staff Blog
Location: West End, Tortola
Heyo! Over the past two days, the AQ staff have been working hard to get everything ready in the fleet, and over here on
Moon Shadow, we can’t wait for the shipmates to arrive! All of the food, water, dive gear, fuel, and other program materials for the next three weeks have been prepped and stashed away aboard Moon Shadow. We are beyond stoked for the summer and can’t wait for everyone to arrive!
Meet the Staff!:
Robbie - Skipper:
Robbie was raised in a small town in New Hampshire and spent his summers sailing in Buzzard’s Bay, Massachusetts. He joined AQ as a student in 2018 and spent November 2020- February 2021 aboard S/Y Vela on the Indian Ocean voyage and South Africa to Antigua delivery. When Robbie’s not sailing, you’ll find Robbie playing guitar, snowboarding, biking, climbing, or skateboarding. He is studying Parks and Tourism Recreation Management at the University of Montana.
Mackenzie - Dive Director, Instructor, and Mate:
Mackenzie fell in love with scuba diving in Phuket, Thailand, and that short trip became three years spent traveling and diving around Southeast Asia. After graduating from Penn State University, she earned her Instructor certification in Gili Trawangan, Lombok, Indonesia, where she then taught for a year and dove with turtles every day! When she’s not teaching at ActionQuest, she works full-time for Global Expeditions Group as an Enrollment Advisor and prepares for the summer.
Jessie - Dive Instructor and Mate:
Jessie is an Open Water Scuba Instructor who hails from Australia but has most recently been exploring Utila, Honduras. She has dived her entire life and loves nothing more than sharing her passion for the ocean with students. Her qualifications include everything from Open water to Side Mount Diver to Underwater Photography. She enjoys swimming, hiking, and exploring and is always keen on an adventure. This is her first summer with ActionQuest, and she is excited to meet shipmates and share this adventure.