Location: West End, Tortola
Hi everyone! We are super excited to welcome you on board, Yo Dawg! We have been prepping the boat over the past few days, getting the food on board, cleaning, and preparing program equipment, and cannot wait to meet you all! Let us introduce ourselves:
Elle: Skipper/Dive Instructor/Medic
Elle first joined the Action Quest team in 2017 as a dive instructor. Since then, she has also gained her RYA Yachtmaster Offshore and Medical Person in Charge certificate. She has been fortunate enough to teach diving in some amazing places, such as the Caribbean, Mauritius, Australia, and South Africa. Elle is a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer with eight instructor specialty qualifications. Elle joined the GXG team full-time in 2020, working for Seamester, teaching sailing and diving on both Argo and Vela. This will be Elle’s 4th summer with AQ, and she can’t wait to share her passion for diving and sailing with new people this summer. When not under the water, Elle enjoys long walks with her dogs, playing tennis, and taking ballet classes, having studied it since a young age.
Jayna: Dive Instructor
Jayna is a PADI OWSI and EFR Instructor and a Search and Recovery, Night, Deep, Emergency O2, Underwater Navigation, and Enriched Air specialty instructor. She has dived in the Philippines, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Mexico and has worked as a divemaster in the UK and Jamaica. She has previously worked at a summer camp as a lifeguard, swim teacher, and general counselor. This is her first summer at ActionQuest, and she is excited to share her passion for diving with the students. When she’s not under the water, Jayna enjoys playing the piano and going for runs.
Sam: Marine Scientist/Dive Instructor
Sam has loved the ocean for as long as she can remember. Though originally from Austin, Texas, she moved to coastal San Diego, California, when she was 18 and there obtained her bachelor’s degree in Marine Science. While in college, Sam started teaching marine science at summer camps and after-school programs, where she realized her passion for experiential education. She then led international summer programs for teens that focus on adventure, leadership, and community building. Sam also discovered her love of scuba-diving throughout this time and became a PADI Divemaster. An avid lover of adventure and exploration, she has lived or worked in Thailand, Mexico, Fiji, The Galapagos, Peru, and Germany. Most recently, she completed her master’s degree in Marine Tropical Ecology, focusing on small-scale fishery resilience in the face of climate change. Usually a program manager, marine science instructor, and dive instructor on our Sea/mester programs, Sam is very excited to be a part of the ActionQuest team and share her passion for experiential education and the marine world with all on board.