Who is who and new?

So, last March we introduced you to all of our crew. However, as time changes so does our crew. No need to worry as it has only changed  for the best and we did not lose any of our amazing crew members. It is mainly time to introduce you to our newest members of the team and let you know what our crew has been up to over the summer. We are of course still headed by the owner Mike, who lets Ben and Kay run the place for him. Our now senior Divemasters Shon and Shane are ready for another amazing season after a well deserved break this past summer. On top of that we have Devin and Michael joining our already awesome team for the next season :). Devin Kilbride (can you believe that last name, same as the late Bert Kilbride) was born in California in 1989. Ben and Kay met him in Costa Rica while he was on vacation and he ended up going back to do his Divemaster Course with them. When Ben and Kay moved down here in the BVI they couldn’t wait to get Devin to come and help them out over the busy periods and so it began. During the summer months Devin is a wild land fire fighter and paramedic in California. So in the summer he plays with fire and in the winter he can’t wait to get down here to be in the water. As a PADI Divemaster he will be guiding you guys on your dives here in the BVI. On his days off you will find him on the dive boat with his underwater camera, shooting photos of  the underwater world and our divers. The newest addition to our team is a brand new PADI instructor Michael Shronk. A professional photographer from New Jersey, 25 summers old, making him and Devin our youngest team members. You guys might recognize him as he used to work at Yachtshots here at BEYC for the past 2 years. During his time off he did his Divemaster course here with us. After doing his instructor course last August, we decided that we would love him as the final addition to our team. Being a professional photographer means of course that on his days off you will also find him on the dive boat capturing the underwater world! What is new with the rest of the crew? Well, Mike turned 67 last year and is enjoying more time off, letting the crew do the hard work. About 2 times a year he heads back to the States to ride his beloved bike. He has been everywhere in the USA, from Alaska down to Baja Mexico. He is also starting to venture to parts of Europe trying to capture the world around him. Ben and Kay enjoyed an amazing summer spent diving in the Caribbean, mainly Bonaire, St Lucia and of course, the BVI. Year after year they keep saying that they will stay one more year, but we think they might have finally realized themselves that it is better to just say for the foreseeable future. You can’t say forever, as that sounds scary, but they won’t be going anywhere soon. Shon spend the past summer working on Necker Island and enjoying his two kids. Even though he enjoyed his time with the rich and famous on Necker Island, he couldn’t wait to get back with us. Diving and being in the water is what he wants, but entertaining guest over at Necker Islands pays the bills while we are closed over the summer. Shane went back home to California to enjoy his friends, family, mountains and Mexican food. He also took a dive trip to Bonaire. As you know by now, he is an amazing artist who keeps on being put to work to pretty up our shop and dive boats. Originally he painted a mural of the RMS Rhone in our office, which we have made him extend it up to the roof to cover up the attic. He extended it down to the floor rolling into a beach like scene. He will be painting our new logo signs for the front of new equipment room. He also sews, so we put him to work even more and he made amazing raft and life ring covers and tis currently completing curtains for the office. You will all be sad to hear that our amazing fish curtains have been put into retirement. Even our boats deserved a well earned vacation in the boat yard, where they got pampered! Sunchaser, our largest dive boat got waxed and buffed and looks as if she had a new paint job! With a deck painting to come after Thanksgiving she will be shinier than ever. Miss Lavelle got treated with a brand new Cummings 450hp engine. Cruising speed has now gone up to 27 knots and top speed has been clocked at 37 knots in high winds. Last but not least, little Ramming Speed; after getting ignored for most of the time it was time for a massive treat for this one. Ramming Speed got the helm converted and a complete inside and outside paint job. So now with all of our crew and boats returned, pampered and well rested we can’t wait to see you guys here in the British Virgin Islands. We look forward to sharing our passion with you guys and showing you the best the BVI has to offer.