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British Virgin Islands - 2023, Session 3

Staff Introduction

Location: West End, Tortola

Welcome to the Meow or Never blog for session 3. The staff have been busy getting the boat ready for the students over the last couple of days and can’t wait for them to all arrive. Here’s a quick introduction to the Meow or Nevers staff

Matty P (skipper)
Matt Pidden (better known as Matty P to his shipmates) is one of our fastest skippers at Action Quest. He is excited to return for his second year and has his eyes set on the big prize of winning all three race days after missing out last summer and only securing two 1st place finishes. Matt had grown up by the water, surfing, and windsurfing from a young age and only took up sailing when he was 16. However, since then, he has gone on to race yachts worldwide, including a 36-day race from the Philippines to Seattle, 7200nm across the North Pacific, and more recently, just this April, from Hong Kong to the Philippines. Matt somehow also found the time to get his 200ton offshore Masters license and spend three months hanging out on Seamester’s own Argo. While Matt excels in the harsh offshore racing conditions, he is beyond excited to have a break from Bristol University, reunite with his ActionQuest friends, and enjoy a summer of chill cruising in the BVIs.

Annie (mate)
Annie grew up in the desert of Tucson, Arizona, where the closest body of water was the pool in her backyard. Her love for the ocean, craving for adventure, and desire to practice medicine have fueled many trips around the world. In undergrad, Annie obtained her EMT certification to work in the hospital as an ER tech and partake in medical missions in Ecuador and Tanzania. She also had the opportunity to join the S/Y Vela Seamester program in the summer of 2022 from the Caribbean through the Mediterranean, where sailing and scuba diving found a special place in her heart. After graduating from the University of Arizona with a BS in Health Sciences, majoring in Physiology and Medical Sciences and minoring in Marine Sciences, Annie hopes to attend medical school without missing any opportunity to explore the world. Currently living in the Arizona desert, Annie is excited to spend her summer back on the water with GXG!

Kaleigh (dive instructor)
Kaleigh is so excited to have the opportunity to share her love of living on a sailboat and exploring the underwater world this summer! A competitive swimmer from age 5 through high school, Kaleigh feels most at home on or in the water. At 13, she stepped onboard her first ActionQuest boat and earned her Advanced Diving certification with the goal of one day being a member of AQ Staff. Returning every summer, Kaleigh has built her diving and sailing quals culminating with a trans-Atlantic and Mediterranean crossing on Seamester’s S/Y Vela and the following summer earning her Divemaster certification. During winter break from New York University, where she’s majoring in Film and TV Production, Kaleigh traveled to Bay Islands College of Diving in Utila, Honduras, to become a SCUBA instructor.