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This will be my second summer with Sail Caribbean. I first came to Sail Caribbean in 2008 and was Captain on the Bravo Program. I graduated from National College of Ireland, Dublin In 2005 with a degree in Accounting and Human Resource Management. In 2011 I was awarded a diploma in Volunteer Management. I am RYA Yachtmaster qualified. The sailing world has been part of my life for 12 years. I have worked as skipper, crew and sailing instructor with teenagers and adults on various vessels including Tall Ships, Catamarans, Monohulls and Dinghys. I have been lucky enough to sail in many beautiful and challenging locations including New Zealand, Tonga, Australia, The Arctic Circle, Europe and the Caribbean. I have crossed three oceans and logged over 20,000 nautical miles. I have also enjoyed working in many busy offices in boarding schools, charter companies and sailing charities around the world. Sail Caribbean has all the ingredients of a truly exceptional experience. For me it’s the mix of young people, the stunning location, experienced and motivated staff both in the BVI and in New York, all this combined with safe and reliable equipment makes Sail Caribbean the place I want to work. I am passionate about traveling, meeting new people and experiencing different cultures. Whenever possible I like to spend my time outdoors; sailing and walking. Something funny you should know about me…I am afraid of cauliflower!
I was born and grew up in a small village in Ireland. It is no where near the ocean and my house is surrounded by farmland, so growing up there were no boats in my life. My family bred horses and my siblings and I spent most of our free time riding. It was not until I was in a college Outdoor Education course that I started to sail. The first day on the water I hated it (the West Coast of Ireland can be very cold in November!). It didn’t take long for something to click – I soon felt comfortable in the boat and after that I was on the water every chance that I could get.
2013 will be my seventh summer with Sail Caribbean. I started out as a Captain on the Charlie program in 2006 and since then have worked as a Fleet Captain, Program Director, Office Manager and now Sailing Director. I have worked with almost all of the programs at this stage and struggle to pick my favorite. I love the goals of Sail Caribbean and I think that they offer great programs. What I really love is that this is accentuated by the people. There is a passion in Sail Caribbean that I have seen in very few other organizations and I am proud to be a part of it. This year, I continued working for Sail Caribbean during the winter. In the past I have worked in a horse racing yard and last winter I sailed across the Atlantic.
My favorite place in the Caribbean is Cooper Island Beach Club. It is so nice to leave the office and visit one of our fleets at Cooper Island. Within 30 minutes you can be sitting at the beach. Another reason that I like it is because it is one of the first places that our students and new staff see. It was the first place that I visited on my first program back in 2006 and so it has a special place in my heart.
My favorite land animals are horses. They have always been a part of my life and I love them for their strength and beauty. Turtles came into my life later, when I first came to the Caribbean. I love them because they look so wise. Plus they are super cute!! If I happened to win the lotto tomorrow, I would take my entire extended family (and that is a lot of people) on a family vacation. We always have so much fun when we get together and unfortunately it does not happen enough.
