Shamwari

Welcome to Shamwari! Over the next 21 days, we will be filling you in on all of our adventures, inside jokes, diving, sailing, and general fun-having through this blog. While we wait for our shipmates to arrive today for their very first day, we’d love to introduce you to the staff of Shamwari. After two FABULOUS weeks in setup, doing everything from building dinghies and dividing up a mountain of canned food that made us look like doomsday preppers to team building and water sports training, we cannot wait to kick off session 1! Today, we scrubbed the boat from top to bottom, filled every crevice with food, and planned out how we could cram the most excitement possible into 21 days that will surely fly by. We are SO thrilled to meet you all and see what this session holds - but before we do that, let’s tell you a little bit about us.

Allie(Skipper/Medic) - Growing up, Allie spent most of her time in the chilly waters of Cape Cod, spending summers working as a lifeguard and watersports instructor at Cape Cod Sea Camps. In the spring of 2020, she went on a Seamester voyage from South Africa to Antigua, where she had the time of her life. Upon graduating from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in Cognitive Science last spring, Allie spent the summer working as a mate at AQ. She loved being able to help others have as great of an experience at Action Quest as she did at Seamester. Allie got her Master of Yachts license this winter and is so excited to be back at AQ this summer and even more excited for dishy pit dance parties this summer. When she isn’t on the water (and sometimes when she is), she can be found dancing poorly, faking accents, and finding fun in unsuspecting places.

Aidan(Mate/Medic) - Aidan grew up a short drive away from the beautiful San Francisco Bay. He fell in love with nature and took every chance to be outside sailing, hiking, surfing, or backpacking. Aidan currently attends UC Santa Barbara, where he continues sailing, diving, and surfing! SHAKA!!!! Aidan was lucky enough to join Seamester last summer on their 20-day voyage, and he immediately fell even more in love with the ocean than before. He has previously worked as a landscaper and lifeguard for the past six years, but he wants to share and teach all he knows about our beautiful home while earning the skills he needs for a Yacht master and dive instructor. Aidan is also a college track athlete!

Beth(Scuba Instructor/Medic) - Beth grew up on the coast of southwest Florida and discovered her love for the ocean at a very young age. She seized every opportunity to be near, in, or on the water. Whether fishing, wakeboarding, sailing, or surfing, Beth and her siblings always found their way to the coast. Becoming scuba certified early was a natural fit for her lifestyle; she loved exploring the underwater world Florida offered. As a seventh grader, she attended her first summer camp, where a new world presented itself. This was her first taste of ActionQuest! Since 2015, Beth has spent every summer in the Virgin Islands, either as a student or working in the area. She also spent one semester aboard Seamester’s S/Y Argo. It’s clear she caught the bug, and she worked her way right up to scuba instructor. Thanks to AQ, Beth also realized her love for travel and experiencing the world for herself. Beth plans to conquer the land, sea, and air! When she isn’t in the water, she can be found skydiving, riding her horses, or hanging out with her dogs! She is a recent graduate as a registered nurse and also holds her EMT license, Wilderness EMT license, BLS certification, and Emergency First Response Instructor. She is excited to continue sharing her love of adventure and the ocean with her future students.