Day 1 Anticipation

Location: West End, Tortola

Today has been crazy busy and full of anticipation awaiting the student’s arrival.  Staff spent the last two days preparing the boat for students.  We fooded both lifeworks boats, restocked all of the gear, and cleaned from head to toe and bow to stern.  This session is going to be full of awesome projects and so much of learning to sail.  We are visiting a school, helping VISAR paint, turtle tagging, monitoring mangroves, snorkeling for Lionfish and cleaning up as many beaches as possible.  Shaunzy and I are so excited to meet all of the new students and get to know them while having a blast on board and at all of the projects.  Its going to be a great session!

Introducing Snowcat’s staff:::

Anna – Program Director

Shaun – Mate/Marine Biologist

Anna is from Siler City, North Carolina but currently lives in sunny Key Largo! Anna discovered her passion for the environment and sailing as a student on ActionQuest and Seamester. She then joined the Lifeworks and ActionQuest field staff as a skipper in 2013 and will be a director in the BVI this summer. Anna has her 200-ton Master of Yachts captain’s license and is a rescue diver. When she is not working the summers with Lifeworks, she is a Fisheries Biologist with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. She can also be found volunteering with REEF and their Invasive Lionfish program and Coral Restoration Foundation to help restore the reefs throughout the Florida Keys. Her favorite part about Lifeworks is getting the chance to see students discover their interests and passions while inspiring students to think more about their impact on the environment around them. Anna is an avid fan of pizza, dogs, adventures, and new experiences and anything and all things science and conservation.

Shaun’s passions for adventure and exploration were sparked at a young age through frequent camping trips in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains and surfing trips in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Through a variety of jobs in the realms of education, marine science, and adventure guiding, Shaun has sought to broaden not only his horizons but also the horizons of his students through immersive and experiential education. Currently, Shaun aims to inspire environmental awareness, conservation, and stewardship in the marine ecosystem by combining his interests in photography, journalism, and media and can often be found behind the lens of his camera.