About Jury
My specific sailing experience... In the summer months in 2014 I was a crew member on the 38" cutter rigged S/V from Tahiti to Tonga. Here was my first ocean crossing experience and the most time I have spent at sea, totaling three months and over 1500 nm. Before this I graduated from a course with the National Outdoor Leadership School, here myself and 10 other classmates spent three months exploring the New Zealand backcountry, 1 months sea kayaking, 1 month backpacking in the Southern Alps and the final section sailing on a 40" sloop in the Marlborough Sounds. This course provided sufficient training in route finding, map reading, backcountry meal prep, strong inter personal development (group setting), ocean navigation. During the sailing section of the course all students rotated roles, providing perspective on what skills and attitude are required for life onboard a S/V. I grew up on the East Coast of the US occasionally going for day sails in the the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland.
I am very hard on myself and critical of my skills, so I would still call myself a novice. Onboard Cygnus the 38" S/V in the South Pacific it was only myself and the captain. My main duties included, watch (4 hours rotations 3 times a day), retrieval and setting of the anchor/ moorings, cooking rotations, bi-monthly cleaning of the hull and daily deck clean. I became comfortable in all aspects of the boat but since it has been a number of years since having that much exposure at sea I am being honest when I say I am still a novice. I do no doubt that once on board any vessel, now, I'd quickly re-learn and gain back my competency.
My personal work experience, relevant to sailing...
I have held my Wilderness First Responder certification since 2015, an advanced first aid training required of all professional guides. I have worked as a Sea Kayaking guide in the San Juan islands of Washington; leading multi-day expeditions around the archipelago with group sizes ranging from 2-10. I have been a crew leader for high school students on conservation projects in the American Southwest. I currently hold a position working for a conservation Non-Profit conservation project in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana. www.mpgranch.com is a private restoration and conservation project where-in a once generation livestock ranch (15,000 acres) is being returned to native habitat ultimately resulting in a wildlife corridor of Montana flora and fauna.
A little more about myself....
I have been moving around the globe since October 2013; moving through Russia, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Turkey, French Polynesia, Cook Islands, Tonga & Australia. I travel on a budget, making my way as a volunteer, finding work in exchange for room and board. In Russia I worked as a volunteer for two different National Parks assisting biologist and law enforcement. In China I taught English to adult students in Yangshuo in the SE. Vietnam was an emotional experience volunteering for the Viet Nam Friendship Village; a school/ medical center for Vietnamese Veterans and Children with disabilities as a result to the chemical weapon Ditoxin (Agent Orange). Indonesia was for the surf... Turkey I worked on a goat farm helping establish gardens for the upcoming growing season. In Australia I had many jobs, landscaping, gardener & freelance photographer. So you can see my experience is very broad and diverse. I currently live in Missoula, Montana.
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