Staff Blog
Location: West End, Tortola
Welcome to Shape Up! We are the only monohull in the fleet! We are part of sail side this session, so we will be doing lots of sailing, zesting (our dinghy sailboats), and even some diving. This blog is where you will be able to hear about all of our adventures! Here is a quick introduction to our staff as well. We are all super excited for this session!
Skipper-
Amelia grew up sailing dinghies in the Outer Banks and continued sailing in Connecticut at Mystic Seaport Museum. She has worked at Mystic Seaport as a sailing instructor and Waterfront Director for the past four years, but is excited to become an instructor with ActionQuest! Amelia will be going into her senior year at William and Mary, where she is studying biology. She was lucky to be a student on Vela for fall 2022, where she sailed across the Atlantic! Amelia looks forward to using the skills she learned on Seamester to be part of the ActionQuest staff.
Jake - Dive Instructor
Jake is excited to share his love of diving and the ocean this summer with ActionQuest! Jake grew up on a small diving island in Honduras, where he lives and works as a Scuba instructor. The son of Irish and Canadian ex-pat parents, he grew up experiencing a unique blend of cultures. Jake started scuba diving at the age of 7, started solo traveling at 15, and has been to many different countries but always came back to scuba and the ocean. He has spent the last few years traveling around Central America and Australia, surfing and diving.
Mate/Medic
Arden grew up in Boulder, Colorado, and has always had an affinity for spending time in the outdoors. Despite living in a land-locked state, she had always loved the ocean and dreamed of being a marine biologist as a kid. Arden discovered her love for sailing during a transatlantic Seamester voyage on S/Y Vela from Rome to the Caribbean. After receiving a rescue diver certification on this trip, Arden became interested in the medical component of this work and added a Wilderness First Responder certification to her skillset. She loves sailing, diving, collecting seashells, and water sports! Arden also enjoys working with kids. Previously, she worked as a mentor for students in middle and high school. She currently attends a university in London, pursuing her degree in international relations. Arden has traveled to over 20 countries and loves connecting with new people and cultures. She is excited to escape the London fog for some summer adventures.