Second Wind

Just a little update and introductions from the staff here on Second Wind. Skipper Nat, Instructor Nat, and Gene (who wishes he were also called Nat) have been busy getting the vessel ready for students to arrive later today and begin our three-week adventure.
The weather has been fine and sunny these past few days with a light breeze to keep us cool, and the water has been crystal clear, perfect for diving!

Now here’s a little about the crew aboard Second Wind:

SKIPPER
​​Nat has been an avid sailor and ocean enthusiast since her first sailing trip to the BVIs at age 3. Since then, the call of the ocean has been inescapable! She spent her formative years sailing the frigid waters of the San Francisco Bay and the nonexistent seas of Park City, Utah. Nat holds an IYT 200-ton Offshore license and PADI Divemaster certification, and is currently at a university in Claremont, CA. Her free time is spent shredding Utah and SoCal’s slopes, watercolor painting, and bird-watching. Nat can’t wait to bring her passion for teaching and waterproof sense of humor to the ActionQuest Team for her second year! Holy Cannoli! This summer is going to be so epic!

DIVE INSTRUCTOR/MEDICAL
Natalie grew up in central Illinois, developing a love for the outdoors at an early age. This interest led her to pursue a degree in environmental sciences at the University of Wyoming, where she spent most of her free time backpacking and climbing around the Intermountain West. While in college, Natalie discovered her love of sailing and diving when she joined Seamester as a student in 2021, sailing from Antigua to Fiji.
After finishing her degree, Natalie worked in outdoor education, sailed on various tall ships in California, and traveled through Southeast Asia. Most recently, she completed her PADI OWSI and several specialty instructor certifications. Aside from diving, you’ll find her reading, cooking, or walking her dog, Ella. Natalie is excited to join ActionQuest this summer and looks forward to sharing her love of the marine environment!

DIVE INSTRUCTOR
Gene loves the ocean so much that he can often be seen gazing longingly at it on the horizon. He grew up in New Zealand and travels the world for adventure. Gene teaches scuba diving to anyone within earshot and considers himself a liaison between humans and sea life. He’s a strong advocate for shark conservation and will strike up a conservation conversation with just about anybody. He can’t wait to return to the Caribbean this summer and live out his lifelong dream of being a pirate.

Well, that’s all for now. The last thing we need is a crew! Welcome, Alex, Bodin, Daisy, Dasha, Dylan, Emily, Juliet, Logan, Luke, Mateo, Matthew, and Talia. Proof of life included in the blog photos and some pictures of the staff :)