Our Team
Meet the
Quaystage Training Crew
We come from all different backgrounds – Skippers, Diving Instructors, Teachers, Marine Biologists and Activity Instructors. The Quaystage team share a desire for training young people and a love for the sea and the natural environment. We live for the personal journey that a collective experience working as a team can bring us.
We are here to teach, discover and evolve. That is why we have chosen Youth Adventure Training over a predictable 9-to-5 desk job. Deep down, everyone here wants to set their own course. Explore, sail and discover.
Ben Swain
Director of Operations
Ben Swain, is an established Sail Trainer within the UK of considerable reputation and over 25 years’ experience as both an instructor and coach. An MCA Master 3000gt and an RYA Yachtmaster Instructors qualification, he is professionally qualified to take command, teach, or act as designated person ashore for Quaystage Training.
Read more...
Ben has written a number of training handbooks, including those in use by MSSC Sea Cadets, Sail Training International and Adventure Under Sail. He also played a key role in the development of the German sailing school on a tall ship ‘Ocean College’.
Ben’s enthusiasm for sail training and water-based education and how it can change the lives of young people is the passion and ethos behind Quaystage Training.
Ben has been Station Manager at Kings Cross Station in London, and served as The Government Officer for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. He is currently on secondment to the SAWIRIS FOUNDATION FOR TRAINING AND QUALIFYING SEAMEN in Egypt, but will be returning to deliver our Sail Camp programme as one of our lead flotilla skippers in July 2023.
Instructor
Skipper
RYA Qualified
Miriam Frank
Director of Education
An experienced teacher and outdoor education project leader, Miriam leads all our education programmes and takes charge of our social media interactions. Qualified in Biology and Chemistry, she enjoys passing on her knowledge of all things ‘sciency’ into everyday language and life. As principal co-ordinator for our Education@Sea and Science@Sea programmes, she works with our partner schools across the UK and Europe to bring their curriculum to life. Miriam’s goal is to help her fellow teachers teach beyond the confines of a traditional classroom.
SCIENCE TEACHER
Instructor
“THE REAL BOSS”
Harriette Wade-West
Programme & Admissions Manager
Harriette is an experienced Sail Trainer and a qualified RYA Cruising Instructor and Shore-based Instructor. Harriette also has a background in education: she holds a PGCert in Outdoor Education and has lectured in marine subjects in both Further and Higher Education. She is Quaystage’s assistant principal for our RYA Training Centre, and also co-ordinates our administration and logistics.
Instructor
RYA Qualified
Office Pirate
Jethro Friggins
Lead Skipper
Jethro Friggins is one of our most popular sail training and lead flotilla skippers. He is a qualified RYA Ocean Yachtmaster and YMI (Yachtmaster Instructor). He has served as the Sailing Master and Commanding Officer of the TS Royalist (operated by the MSSC) and is currently “on loan” to the Dubai Sailing Club as their Chief Instructor.
Instructor
Skipper
RYA Qualified
Juley Simmonds
Mate extraordinaire
A French teacher by trade, Juley has made the seven seas her home and worked as cook and coxswain on various tall ships and other sail training vessels, amongst them those operated by MSSC Sea Cadets. It is well known amongst sailors that those who can cook on a rolling ship must possess superpowers, and with those at hand, Juley is a major asset to Quaystage Sail Camps, helping to keep everybody well fed and organised.
Instructor
RYA Qualified
Boat Bum
Sara G. Fleming
Lead Instructor (Diving)
IDC Staff Instructor Sara Fleming became a PADI professional diver in 2008 and has dedicated her career to exploring the oceans and sharing its underwater secrets with her students ever since. She is our Dive Activity Lead.
Sara has a passion for meeting new people, cultures and languages. Sara has sailed tall ships as a Watch Leader and Dive Officer since 2011. This took her to many different countries, across the Atlantic, and started her love of sailing. She has worked on various youth and teen diving and sailing programmes both in the UK and abroad, and plans to one day skipper her own yacht around the world!
Instructor
PADI Qualified
RYA Qualified
Marlen, Lizzy, Penelope, Juley and Laura
Mates of Honour
Marlen, Lizzy, Laura and Penelope are part of our vital onboard mates and support team. Experienced trans-Atlantic tall ship sailors, when working for us during their summer breaks from university, they work tirelessly supporting our skippers on our yacht flotillas and encouraging the young people they sail with to get up to mischief! They also assist and lead in delivering many aspects of our Sail Camp programme including our Ocean Classroom and Science@Sea marine biology sessions.
Instructor
RYA Qualified
Chiefs of Mischief
Ben Swain
Director of Operations
Ben Swain, is an established Sail Trainer within the UK of considerable reputation and over 25 years’ experience as both an instructor and coach. An MCA Master 3000gt and an RYA Yachtmaster Instructors qualification, he is professionally qualified to take command, teach, or act as designated person ashore for Quaystage Training.
Read more...
Ben has written a number of training handbooks, including those in use by MSSC Sea Cadets, Sail Training International and Adventure Under Sail. He also played a key role in the development of the German sailing school on a tall ship ‘Ocean College’.
Ben’s enthusiasm for sail training and water-based education and how it can change the lives of young people is the passion and ethos behind Quaystage Training.
Ben has been Station Manager at Kings Cross Station in London, and served as The Government Officer for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. He is currently on secondment to the SAWIRIS FOUNDATION FOR TRAINING AND QUALIFYING SEAMEN in Egypt, but will be returning to deliver our Sail Camp programme as one of our lead flotilla skippers in July 2023.
Instructor
Skipper
RYA Qualified
Miriam Frank
Director of Education
An experienced teacher and outdoor education project leader, Miriam leads all our education programmes and takes charge of our social media interactions. Qualified in Biology and Chemistry, she enjoys passing on her knowledge of all things ‘sciency’ into everyday language and life. As principal co-ordinator for our Education@Sea and Science@Sea programmes, she works with our partner schools across the UK and Europe to bring their curriculum to life. Miriam’s goal is to help her fellow teachers teach beyond the confines of a traditional classroom.
SCIENCE TEACHER
Instructor
“THE REAL BOSS”
Harriette Wade-West
Programme & Admissions Manager
Harri is a qualified RYA Yachtmaster Cruising and Shore-based Instructor and is Quaystage’s assistant principal for our RYA Training Centre. She also co-ordinates our administration and logistics. If you are booking one of our Sail Camps, enquiring about a youth RYA sail course or wanting help planning your Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition, Harri is the person who will invariably have all the answers!
Instructor
RYA Qualified
Office Pirate
Jethro Friggins
Lead Skipper
Jethro Friggins is one of our most popular sail training and lead flotilla skippers. He is a qualified RYA Ocean Yachtmaster and YMI (Yachtmaster Instructor). He has served as the Sailing Master and Commanding Officer of the TS Royalist (operated by the MSSC) and is currently “on loan” to the Dubai Sailing Club as their Chief Instructor.
Instructor
Skipper
RYA Qualified
Juley Simmonds
Mate extraordinaire
A French teacher by trade, Juley has made the seven seas her home and worked as cook and coxswain on various tall ships and other sail training vessels, amongst them those operated by MSSC Sea Cadets. It is well known amongst sailors that those who can cook on a rolling ship must possess superpowers, and with those at hand, Juley is a major asset to Quaystage Sail Camps, helping to keep everybody well fed and organised.
Instructor
RYA Qualified
Boat Bum
Sara G. Fleming
Lead Instructor (Diving)
IDC Staff Instructor Sara Fleming became a PADI professional diver in 2008 and has dedicated her career to exploring the oceans and sharing its underwater secrets with her students ever since. She is our Dive Activity Lead.
Sara has a passion for meeting new people, cultures and languages. Sara has sailed tall ships as a Watch Leader and Dive Officer since 2011. This took her to many different countries, across the Atlantic, and started her love of sailing. She has worked on various youth and teen diving and sailing programmes both in the UK and abroad, and plans to one day skipper her own yacht around the world!
Instructor
PADI Qualified
RYA Qualified
Marlen, Lizzy, Penelope, Juley and Laura
Mates of Honour
Marlen, Lizzy, Laura and Penelope are part of our vital onboard mates and support team. Experienced trans-Atlantic tall ship sailors, when working for us during their summer breaks from university, they work tirelessly supporting our skippers on our yacht flotillas and encouraging the young people they sail with to get up to mischief! They also assist and lead in delivering many aspects of our Sail Camp programme including our Ocean Classroom and Science@Sea marine biology sessions.
Instructor
RYA Qualified
Chiefs of Mischief
QUICK LINKS
CONTACT US
Telephone +44(0)2380173843
info@quaystage.com
Southampton
UK
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