Location: West End, Tortola

Skipper: Nick
Nick grew up powerboating on the Chesapeake Bay, where he occasionally sailed with his grandfather. He eventually fell in love with sailing and decided to enroll as a student with Seamester. Nick sailed aboard S/Y Argo on the 2018 South Africa to Antigua voyage, where he completed his Yachtmaster theory and eventually completed his practical. After his practical, Nick worked for multiple Tall Ship Schooner Operations, various Global Expeditions Group Summer Programs in the BVI, and as a freelance captain for multiple offshore private yacht deliveries. Nick was also formerly an EMT and is currently a
certified MCA MEDPIC. Nick prides himself in providing professional emergency medical care in the ocean environment.
Nick usually works aboard Seamester programs but is excited to share his passion and knowledge of sailing with all of us at ActionQuest this summer.

Mate: Missy
Missy is super excited to join Minerva for a fantastic session down the island! Missy grew up hearing about her parent’s love for sailing and wanted to see what the hype was herself. Sailing on small lakes at summer camp did not cut it, but a sailing trip in the West Indies with family sold her. She was able to join S/Y Argo sailing from South Africa to the Caribbean in 2020 and then retook the same route with S/Y Vela on a delivery. Both trips helped her finish an independent study on water quality and graduate from Miami University with a Business, Economics, and Sustainability degree.

Mate/Medic: Benazir
Benazir grew up in De Pere, Wisconsin, a small town near Green Bay. As a child, she spent a lot of time on and near Lake Michigan but has since upgraded to the ocean. Benazir became interested in sailing when she was a Seamester student on the S/Y Argo during the 2020 transatlantic voyage from South Africa to the Caribbean. Since her ocean passage, Benazir has worked on other sailing vessels in the United States, as well as obtained her Master of Yachts Offshore in St. Martin. Benazir also has her Medical Person in Charge certification, making her a member of the medical staff for ActionQuest this summer. Outside of sailing, Benazir is a recent graduate of Harvard University, where she concentrated in Linguistics, Psychology, and Biology. During college, Benazir worked in a variety of labs related to child development, ecology, and language. She also studied abroad three times—once on the S/Y Argo and twice in France. Since graduating, Benazir has spent her time sailing and traveling, as well as teaching English as a foreign language and helping students with their college and graduate school applications. Benazir is looking forward to this session on Minerva, which she hopes will be a fun, exciting, and transformative experience for all of the students!