Meet the Team | Tom Sylvester
Water Sports Wonder
He’s fit and fearless, a water baby, an adventure junkie, a water sports toy amasser and (according to “his girlfriend”) handsome to boot. Meet Tom Sylvester, our fun and fabulous, eye-on-the-eye water sports guy! Tom is stirring things up on Oil Nut Bay’s beach, offering professional instruction in all things aquatic.
Q: So Tom, what’s new down on the beach?
A: Water sports, water sports, water sports! I am really excited to be able to offer in-house kitesurfing and wing surfing lessons right here in the resort’s bay. Kitesurfing has grown so much and is now something everyone should try, no matter your age or stage. Wing surfing or wing foiling is a relatively new sport that is taking the world by storm. The smooth learning curve and complete safety of it again means it is a sport for absolutely everyone. It’s a huge amount of fun, and also a workout without you really realizing it. It’s great for your core, balance and stability.
Q: Tell us a little about where you are from.
A: I’m from Cornwall, a water sports Mecca in the very Southwest of the U.K. where the water can be nearly as clear as the BVI but nowhere near as warm!
Q: What brought you to the BVI?
A: The opportunity to work on Necker Island! Hahaha! The opportunity to live an endless summer with welcoming people and a diverse range of guests.
Q: Where did your love for water sports begin?
A: Sailing in Cornwall with my parents aged 5 and snorkeling in Egypt on family holidays. The experience of being able to see such a range of marine life.
Q: On a typical day at Oil Nut Bay, where can we find you?
A: In the mornings you’ll tend to find me around the Wellness Centre before heading to the beach around 11AM to get people on and in the water.
Q: How do you unwind after a long day?
A: Flying through a gym session before heading home for the sofa via Leverick to catch up with friends.
Q: Most embarrassing moment on the water?
A: Getting rescued by the RNLI back in the UK after the wind died during a kite wave session. I was towed back to shore through a crowd of surfers…
Q: Three songs that would be included in the soundtrack to your life?
A: Tricky one, I tend to just throw on a playlist and let it run. I’m more of a Podcast kinda guy. “The James Smith podcast” is something that I’m really into right now, straight talking professionals and debunking fitness myths with good banter thrown in on top.
Q: What three words would your girlfriend use to describe you?
A: Hungry, determined, handsome.
Q: What book do you think everyone should read, and why?
A: I’m currently reading the 5am Club, which is an insightful read about improving your life by getting up and on top of your life before the rest of the world has woken. It’s always worth reading the autobiography of someone you look up to, often you can really see the reasons why they’ve become the person they are today, and you can relate this to yourself.
Q: If you could sit next to anyone on an airplane, who would it be and why?
A: If I didn’t say my girlfriend Jess, I think there would be trouble!
Q: Tell us one surprising thing about you – something no one knows.
A: If I hadn’t broken my leg, I would have never had a career in water sports!
Q: What’s something you really enjoy?
A: Apart from water sports, I really enjoy construction work whether it be stone masonry or stainless steel TIG welding. It’s the precision and freedom to put your own flair on a project.
Q: What’s something you really don’t enjoy?
A: Putting on a wet wetsuit, be it summer or winter!
Q: What’s your guilty pleasure?
A: Buying more toys than I know what to do with! You should see our spare room. It looks like a water sports warehouse!
Q: And finally, if you could give your teenage-self one piece of advice today, what would it be?
A: Keep going and doing what you’re doing. Life’s been epic so far, keep it moving forward!
