Dear Margo and Tom,

I just arrived back in Roatan after 2 incredible weeks with KSC, and I honestly can’t thank you enough. Thank you for thinking of me and inviting me. I will never forget.

The diving was simply unbelievable… so colorful, so full of life…. I saw so many new creatures, so many breathtaking walls… turtles everywhere, and the coral reefs were absolutely stunning. I was literally screaming underwater!

These were the best dives I’ve had in my life so far. And somewhere along the way, I developed a new passion for macro life. I love videos, but this was my first time using my phone to record macro, and it opened up a whole new world for me.

And what can I say about this amazing group? Linda and Kurt, and their whole family, have a special place in my heart. They are such wonderful people, always smiling, full of energy, and such an inspiration.

Kim and Andy were also an absolute joy, always laughing, always bringing great vibes.

John and Beth were wonderful too. I really enjoyed all of our conversations.

I also had such a great time with Lisa and Summer, and with Lisa and Krista. The whole group connected so naturally, and we shared so many unforgettable moments together. It was also a pleasure spending time with Woody and Kiley.

Trips are about experiences, but they’re also about the people you share them with, and that’s what made this one so special. I came home feeling incredibly grateful and so lucky for everything I experienced.

This trip came at exactly the right time for me. I really needed reconnect with myself again. The universe has a beautiful way of bringing unexpected gifts into our lives, and also has a beautiful way of bringing special people into our lives, and you and Tom are definitely two of those people.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I was in need of the KSC magic in my life. ❤️

Nanda

Dear Tom and Margo,

I just wanted to write to thank you both and your team for an amazing Kids Sea Camp trip at Cayman Brac Beach Resort. All of our KSC trips have been wonderful, but this one was all of our favorites so far. David Jr even gave it a 10/10, and he’s a tough crowd!

I wanted to just give some specific positive feedback in case it’s helpful, though I imagine you’re familiar with the quality of your staff and that of Reef Divers:

First, the general quality of the hotel’s staff, particularly the food, was astounding. They knew all of our names within five minutes, which was stunning, and were great with getting all the kids’ special food orders and doing it quite quickly—which I know is not easy. They were always gracious and kind at every turn as well.

The dive staff was also awesome. Everyone on our boat was excellent, and David Jr particularly loved Cat, who was his DM. David just told me to say she was the “slayest baddie.” We’re super grateful as he has been a good little diver but a very anxious one, and this trip, with Cat’s rapport and patience, and I think the small KSC ratios provided, seemed to have finally gotten him comfortable and past his fear. I could tell both kids really liked Travis as well, though he wasn’t David’s direct DM. Both seemed really safe and genuinely enjoyed diving—and joking—with the kids, which made it fun all around.

FWIW, I know it’s largely based on the #s you get, but it was fun having the kids all together with us on our boat, but in their own private groups and not necessarily diving with us. This made it fun in between dives while letting us have deeper adult dives.

Jess, who was with Lucas, the ever-finecky personality, was also wonderful. David and I got THREE dive mornings together and some afternoons, because Lucas felt comfortable enough for both of us to go get on the dive boat. I think he also did more actual SASY skills than he ever has—albeit some of them in the hot tub LOL. They were great about doing activities that would interest both younger boys and cater to Lucas’s need of sunblock, when we failed to put him in the right hat—Kiley managed to get us a really nice KSC one when we realized we hadn’t packed the right one at all. Jess also managed to get Lucas into a wetsuit, which I still can’t believe!

Kiley and Rob were also wonderful, of course, and I know they were doing a lot behind the scenes to make sure everyone had a great time. I particularly appreciated Rob being a sport and getting in the hot tub for Lucas’s “family dive” when Lucas found the pool too cold. He got some amazing photos of David and Lucas this trip that I’ll remain grateful for.

We are looking forward to Bonaire in November, and I may email Kiley the 2027 Spring Break dates, as it seems David’s falls exactly between all the current KSC trips posted so far.

Thanks so much!

Lisa

The buoyancy of Kids Sea Camp

Buddy Dive Bonaire Kids Sea Camp 25th anniversary trip. This was my first KSC in 13 years, having started taking my girls in year two, 24 years ago, so being there to help celebrate the 25th anniversary was truly amazing.

I had almost forgotten how amazing these events are, but was impressed with the evolution of the product, and it rekindled my entire family’s diving journey together, + brought new divers into our fold with my one daughter’s fiancé, the other’s boyfriend, along with my adopted granddaughter, all getting certified together. Simply…magical!

Aside from bringing our important youth into diving, I know what these trips have done to strengthen my family bond, and I feel it is essential that Kids Sea Camp continue this journey for our diving community and help build family bonds.  We all need a little buoyancy in life, and Kids Sea Camp provides this in such a special way.

Thank you, Margo and Tom, for the 25 years of magic you have been bringing to so many families and divers around the world!  And a special shout-out to Kiley for helping make the magic happen!

Much love, David Benz and family

Tom and Margo are awesome! They are so helpful and take the time to know each and every one of their clients. They both make sure you have the best possible time on your family vacation. Tom really goes above and beyond for you and your kids. He is a big kid. The kids think he is awesome. By far the best scuba outfitter on the island. Every day has wonderful, exciting activities planned not only for the kids but also for the adults. My wife, Sarah, and I had a blast at the Kids Sea Camp at  Buddy Dive Bonaire.

The Philippines trip was a very special one for us too. It’s an amazing place with wonderful people. We celebrated a birthday and a big anniversary with you, not to mention seeing super special critters.

Morgan has grown up knowing the sea and knowing diving. He looks forward to those trips. I know he loves them because he wears those T-shirts almost non-stop. That’s the real clue to what is important to him because as a teenager he doesn’t say a whole lot sometimes. He does want to keep learning and the KSC PADI DM program is a likely path for him too.

There is plenty of appreciation to spread around for the Philippines trip. I really wasn’t kidding when I said our family is bigger (and still expanding) thanks to you and Kids Sea Camp. We count you both among our best friends.

See you in Dominica if not sooner! Cheers! Beth

Hi Tom, Margo,
Former Kids Sea Camper, Chloe Mei received the 2019 Ocean Hero award on Saturday. Chloe Mei was presented with not one but two awards last weekend. Chloe Mei received the 2019 Ocean Hero award at Oceana’s big gala on Saturday. On Sunday she received the Young Philanthropist of the Year award from Pacific Marine Mammal Center – and in her speeches she always says she started her straw campaign because of her love of scuba diving, and you know who instilled that in her? Margo & Tom Peyton. Bravo to Kids Sea Camp!

I wanted to let you know that Chloe Mei’s story about her journey from SASY to Open-Water Scuba Diver was published in the June issue of Sport Diver/New Diver magazine. It also appears online. Here is the link.

Also, Chloe Mei was interviewed on a podcast a few months ago. That podcast was released on Monday. It’s only 13 minutes long, and her interview is only for the first 11 minutes, but in there, she talks about her love of scuba diving and that Kids Sea Camp Bonaire was where it all started. Here is the link for that podcast.

Bravo for inspiring this young girl to learn scuba, and taking that love even further to protect our ocean environment. I’ve started teaching Ella Lin, now 10, hoping she’ll love diving as much as her sister does.
Looking forward to diving with you again soon
Dave Espinosa

Hi, Tom and Margo!
Just wanted to say thank you for everything you do and everything you are: as a company, as a couple and as individuals. We count you among our great friends. Fly happy on your way to Fiji and home again. We wish we were going to Fiji with you. Please give our best to the Walters family. We had hoped for a trip with them this year, but timelines didn’t work out for us. 
We will stay in touch and watch FB for pics of the great things you’ll see and do in the next few weeks. 

Cheers! Beth and John

Dear Margo, Olivia, Tom, Overcoming my fears of diving was a big deal for me. I loved the sense of community that Kids Sea Camp fosters and it was the most amazing feeling to overcome my fears and do something I’ve always wanted to do. I want to thank you again for this incredible experience. It was truly one of the best trips we’ve ever taken with the kids on many different levels. It was made even more wonderful to do it with Katelyn.

When we got home she said: “Mommy, you know what? It was really cool that you did something that was hard for you. I was thinking about it and next time I get nervous about doing something that’s hard for me I’ll remember how brave you were – and I’m your daughter so I have some of your bravery, too. Kids Sea Camp helped me overcome my fear and it inspired my daughter!”

AND that is PRICELESS!!!  

We took our first Kids Sea Camp trip in August to Buddy Dive Bonaire. My 10.5 yr old son fell in love with scuba diving and earned his PADI Jr. Open Water certification, under the wonderful guidance of Buddy Dive instructors, vetted and personally chosen by Margo.

We are looking forward to our next trip, many more after that. Margo Peyton is wonderful to work with!! My son talks about our Kids Sea Camp family dive trip fondly and all the new friends he made, and the dives we did together.

As her tagline for the weeks says it is something he will remember forever!! (Me too!)
Kim Holleran

Lots of friends have asked me about getting their kids certified to dive, significantly as their kids grow older and as they hear about our dive trips and adventures. We are huge proponents! Ben and I consistently wax long on our friends Margo Peyton and Tom Peyton at Kids Sea Camp. They do a fantastic job with family dive trips and getting kids to become certified scuba divers. Inevitably, people ask me about taking a course at a local dive shop and the family going on a trip somewhere.

While some do that, it’s not the path we took, and in retrospect, I am so glad we did not. Really and truly, Margo and Kids Sea Camp is unparalleled in the business of not only certifying young divers but also focusing on having them SAFELY shepherded, guided, and mentored as they move up the learning curve and become experienced divers. Just getting certified doesn’t make your kid a good and safe diver. Ben and I laugh when people call scuba diving a sport, BUT it does take more than a certification class to develop the skills needed to be a good diver. Yes! (See for yourself)

There are good divers and bad divers! My mom-friends and I always talk about the developing frontal lobe and kids learning to make sound judgments – think of that underwater! I have to say 10 dive trips with Kids Sea Camp later, Hannah and Caleb are great divers, and I’m thrilled that, even so, Margo has kids covered with extra dive masters on their boats. They love diving as much as we, and it’s been great for us as a family and for them as young people.

So, for my friends who are considering having their kids certified, I’m sharing a long and detailed note from Margo that describes all she does behind the scenes to make it SAFE for kids to dive on her trips and her vision to help develop the next generation of divers and supporters of our oceans. P.S. If you wonder how soon you can go, we took Caleb at 6. He learned to snorkel while Hannah, at 9, put on a tiny tank and BC and played “telephone” in the pool (teaching her not to panic when the regulator pops out of her mouth underwater).

By the way, we are still dreaming and talking about the manta rays and hammerheads from New Year’s and have whale sharks and pygmy seahorses on tap for Thanksgiving!

Jennifer McClure, KSC mom, 2019

Empty nesters in the Maldives

By Tony and Renée Fini

Hi Tom and Margo, your mom is doing well and happy. Renee and I have been on the move since getting off the Carpe Nove, but we have a little downtime at the airport in Bangkok, so we wanted to drop you a line.

While you guys were sorely missed, I do have to tell you what a treat it was for Renee and me to get to know Josh. He contacted us when he landed in Male, and we met briefly. Later that day, we reached out to see if he would like to join us for dinner. He had plans with Janet, so we decided on a foursome. By dinner time, it turned into a group of, I believe, 8, and the trip was off and running.

Once on the boat, Josh exemplified every KSC value in the best possible ways. He spoke with reverence for KSC and Tom and yourself, the way the NFL protects its shield. Since we are KSC early adopters and also somewhat protective of the brand and the opportunities it provided our family, we were pleased to see Josh as such a good steward.

As this trip rolled on and everybody got to know each other, Josh really shined. He was like the big brother of the group. Even though he was never really needed for any particular crisis, it was nice to know someone was looking out for you in the event you did need a hand. He easily straddled the line between a participant and a KSC representative.

As the trip wore on and we got to know him better, we really came to appreciate his person and character. He spent countless hours editing photos for the web page and for the group because as he put it when encouraged to relax…” it’s my job”.

In our humble opinion, what wasn’t his job was tracking us down 8 hours later in the airport as we were waiting to jump our flight and just spending the last few minutes making sure we had a good time. The guy was studying his tail off for an exam while everyone else went to a hotel for naps, massages, etc., and still put us first when we returned to the airport.

In short, he is the kind of guy you would like to have as a neighbor. The boat itself exceeded our expectations, the diving was great, and the Maldives were beautiful. All of that, in and of itself, would have made for a successful trip. But for Renee and I what really drives us to travel is meeting people and making friends. In this case, Josh checked that box. We discussed how we are a short flight away from each other and I am sure we will connect with Josh and his wife in the future.

Renee and I are KSC junkies and obviously would follow you guys to lord know where if you said it was worth the trip. You can now add Josh to the list of KSC folks we would look forward to spending time with as much as we would look forward to the trip itself.

We look forward to seeing you guys in the future. Please keep us in mind when planning trips. We have a bit of wanderlust so won’t be able to make them all but we will try to make some. Josh did ask what we thought of possibly adding a terrestrial component to some of the trips in the future and we thought that would be a great addition. We love land-based travel and if you are ever considering adding it and want to bounce ideas around contact us anytime!!

Go For It in the Philippines

by Betsy Royal with Carolyn Pascal

After a few adult beverages at my friend Carolyn’s daughter Melissa’s wedding, our mutual friend Margo suggested we join her on an upcoming Kids Sea Camp trip to the Philippines. She loved it there, and so would we, she said.  Thrilled to be spending time at a happy celebration with friends, it was one of those offers that I just could not refuse.

Seriously, WHY NOT? That is how Carolyn and I proceeded in our conversations. We could think of absolutely no reason why we should not do this. So we said Yes, and pulled out some vintage lycra skins from our old warm water diving days. We were on our way!

Margo Peyton and  Kids Sea Camp have been connecting families to scuba diving adventures for almost 20 years. Carolyn and I no longer have young kids, but we certainly did enjoy many Kids Sea Camps when we did. Thing is we really didn’t want to give it up just because we now happen to be empty nesters. On one trip a few years back, I had to borrow Carolyn’s 10-year-old grandson so we felt comfortable in one of the Kids Sea Camp activities. We performed (admirably I might add) ‘Who’s Your Buddy?’. Our youngest family member was my daughter Ashley, 20 at the time. We had a blast, but I digress from our summer 2018 Philippine adventure!

Carolyn and I met up in LA, and at the last minute, I got now 30 something Ashley to join us! After a long haul flight to Manila and another short flight to Dumaguete, transfers to Pura Vida Homes Luxury Resort was made easy by the welcoming staff headed by Biggs Eggert. Running PADI 5* IDC Sea Explorers and managing our group’s activities over 2 islands and 2 weeks was a piece of cake for this larger than life powerhouse. Her enthusiasm was contagious and her can-do personality was most inspiring.

The families we met hailed from London, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, San Francisco – a wonderful well-traveled group,  many had met on past trips and planned to reconnect. We began to absorb the magnitude of this adventure, and that the memories would be priceless.

Biggs has assembled a dive staff that is second to absolutely none in the world. The dive guides were locals – sometimes they traveled a great distance to work with us, and some lived locally, away from family, for the chance to work with Sea Explorers. These guys were patient, professional, excellent divers and extremely attentive. And both Carolyn and I can honestly say in our 40+ years of diving, no dive guide has ever helped us on with our fins like they were glass slippers, or off with our gear before we stepped up the ladder. Our Prince Charmings were operating in full force. (Note: they did this for the younger divers too!)

Fresh mangos, cookies, and hot tea were highlights for us after every dive. The boats were very unique with their bamboo outriggers…super stable,  spacious and efficient. Kids had their own boats, and high energy dive guides, that were even able to get them separated from their beloved electronic devices for long stretches of time.

Which brings us to the diving. Ahh, the diving. Well, my professional life started in sporting goods, and the diving business specifically. Certified in Long Island Sound, NY with much coldwater diving experience, I Landed my first job out of college working with Capt’n Don’s Habitat in Bonaire: Lucky me! This led to diving all over our water planet, which I loved. But along the way, I had developed a ‘been there, done that’ frame of mind. Yet here in the Philippines, it was impossible to be jaded. Each dive was so beautiful, it refreshed our senses and renewed our love of diving. Water temperatures were in the mid to upper 80s. No neoprene, just our colorful & comfortable lycra skins. The freedom of wearing a skin was wonderful and even on a 2nd, 3rd or night dive, I never got cold.

If macro photography or seeking out some of the tiniest critters you’ll ever find is for you, then this is the place! Our guide pointed out pregnant pygmy seahorses, delicate nudibranchs, ghost pipefish and the tiniest crabs I’ve ever seen. To go from marine life smaller than your fingernail to the awe-inspiring whale sharks all in one day..we lacked adjectives.

Whale Sharks! Another check off our bucket list! How can you describe being surrounded by these amazing creatures, calm, curious and seriously gentle giants? Thank Goodness Kids Sea Camp provides each family with a flash drive of all the professional quality photos that are taken during the week, so we don’t have to worry about capturing all these exceptional moments…because they do.

Frogfish that turn neon green to match their host coral. Thresher sharks, turtles, and exotic tropicals could come straight out of a Lucas film design department. One of our favorites on every dive though were the playful clownfish, quite happy in their elegant anemone homes.

‘Muck diving for aliens’, is how the orientation began. As a marketer, I might find a different word than muck for this type of diving, but after dive one, I heartily agree that ‘alien’ is a great description for these miniature sea critters off Dauin, Apos Island, and Cabilao, where we dove the muck. Basically, we hover over a silty bottom and search for the elusive alien or two. If all else fails, we practice our buoyancy and appreciate the life of the garden eels, swaying slowly with the rhythm of the sea.

Evening meals were buffet style, great fresh food, casual & friendly atmosphere.  One evening we enjoyed a talk about the Whale Sharks, fascinating fun facts for all ages. On Karaoke Night, kids and adults took the mike into their own hands to entertain along with popular music videos. But my favorite evening at Kids Sea Camp is when we recite our poems or sing our songs for the group, and hear our friends recount the highlights of their week.

The villas at Pura Vida in Dauin included a large living area, balcony, and full kitchen, but we had very little time in the room. Whenever we weren’t diving, sleeping or eating, we were at the coolest and most reasonable spa, getting messages that we so deserved. (Carolyn enjoyed the infinity pool, watching the kid’s horse around, and reading a paperback she borrowed from the front desk titled ‘My Not So Perfect Life’.  Although at this point in the trip, we were thinking our lives were pretty close to perfect.)

After week 1, Our group crossed to Cabilao, a small island off Bohol.  Pura Vida Resort and Sea Explorers were our hosts there too. The crossing was calm and beautiful, with a stop to once again enjoy the magnificent Whale Sharks along the way.

At the request of Margo and her husband Tom, our group had brought basketball shoes for our dive guides and other staff.  I learned that basketball is a sport the locals enjoy whenever they can, and when we visit, Tom and the guys join in. It was fun to watch them in their new footwear and big smiles!  Asking us to get involved and support with this local activity was such a meaningful gesture. It brought our group closer to the people we were living and diving with each day.

We are energized and reminded of why we fell in love with diving, travel and the undersea world decades ago. This was such a special experience that I got to share with my daughter, great friends, and some new ones too. But it’s the beauty of the local people and their underwater treasures that inspire me to return. A big long trip, yes. Worth it? Absolutely!

Hope to see you there in 2019!

The Cayman with Kids Sea Camp was awesome

Melanie (16-year-old): Diving in The Cayman Islands, both Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, gave me the opportunity to experience and explore the unknown. The underwater landscapes and astonishing creatures provided a breathtaking view. One amazing sight that we encountered while diving was an old shipwreck. Within the walls and portholes of the ship inhabited many different organisms using the wreck as protection and shelter. Seeing this wonderful sight taught me that a ship that sinks in a tragedy can create a beautifully sacred hideaway for sea life to call their home.

Mariah (13-year-old): During summer 2018 I had an amazing trip to the Cayman Islands and diving both Cayman Brac and Little Cayman! I was a little nervous because I have never heard of it, but it was amazing. Every day we did dives in the crystal clear water, we saw amazing creatures like sea turtles, puffer fish, and huge groupers. Not only was it fun in the water but also there were so many fun activities to do! We had a karaoke night and volleyball tournament but my most favorite was the crab racing, we all picked a crab and raced them and the one out of the circle first won! Cayman Brac was amazing and I hope to go back there again.

Just want to share. This is from Makayla my 19-year-old and I just say wow! Margo thanks for the amazing Kid Sea Camp trip and all that you do for all the other kids and families!!

Thanks again!
Maureen & Steve Weatherspoon

Grouper a diver’s best friend
You always hear people talk about how their dog is their best friend; Some people go on about how cows and other animals we consume have emotions and feel pain just like people do. You might read about how lobsters screech when you boil them alive in a pot, but the fact that they might have the mental capacity for emotion and thoughts seems outlandish until you actually witness it, and are forced to empathize. In Cayman Brac I encountered for the first time, the grouper, a type of fish savored in many places and often overfished. This leaves devastated numbers of increasingly small fish, barely able to live their potentially long lives due to high demand for restaurants and supermarkets.

As I watched the grouper follow groups of divers around underwater, wanting to be pet, and showing the divers where to find the lionfish (an invasive species of fish the grouper will only scavenge and not hunt), I realized for myself that other animals besides humans, even fish, have lives worth more than the way we treat them. As every grouper acted differently, with its own personality, I realized that even the animals we see as the most primitive are aware of themselves and their surroundings. It is that very concept of self which makes it evident that we need to reevaluate the way we view where our food comes from, and the which practices we should tolerate in the gathering of these foods. The solution does not need to be the discontinuation of meat-eating, but to stop viewing these creatures as just a piece of meat, and rather something to be grateful for and cherished.

Makayla Weatherspoon 

Kids Sea Camp is #1 in the world again! 2020

Scuba Diving Magazine’s World’s Best. Thank you for voting Kids Sea Camp your #1 choice for family dive travel every year! 2015,-2025#1 family dive experience readers choice awards every year!

Here’s what families have had to say about Margo & Tom Peyton and Kids Sea Camp over the past 20 years.

• “Kids Sae Camp! A family experience like no other. Amazing to see teenagers sharing their experiences with other young divers.”  Conrad Rucker – PADI Course Director.
• “As a dive instructor, I have certified many Boy Scouts destined to go to sea camp. They do an amazing job of educating kids and their families.” Woody Tinsley – Instructor, Police officer, Scout Master
• “Margo & Tom and the Peytons are absolutely an amazing family and Kids Sea Camp is my #1 for dive travel, second to none,  I LOVE them!” Rainer Jens- National Geographic Travel / Family Travel Association.
• “Coolest organization ever” Bigs Eggert Sea Explorers
• I wanted to send my daughter with them, We didn’t know it was also for adults and the whole family. We have all been diving with them ever since.  Our whole family is certified and now my kids are all grown up and we still travel with Tom and Margo” Susan Blakey
• “They take families diving around the world with your kids and with other likeminded diving families. . . adults dive with adults, kids dive kids, a vacation within a vacation! I love it! I love now that my kids are all grown up, Margo has created Empty Nester Dive Travel, and I’m still traveling with the Peytons.”  Carolyn Pascal
• “Awesome educational dive trips for my entire family”. Michael Lee
• “Expertly run and very safe  family dive vacations”  Dan & Betty Orr
• “Super fun family vacations that provide so much culture and experience with local communities around the world.  I believe, as a single dad, that this family vacation has positively impacted both my kids and helped forge the awesome people they are today.  It surely gave them global views and allowed them to realize how connected we all are. They have friends all over the country and the world, thanks to growing up at Kids Sea Camps.  As a dad, it created memories for us that will last a lifetime.  My kids are now 18 and we are still diving with Kids Sea Camp.” Skip Salee
• Great for adults, plenty of time together and time apart. The kids stay busy and off their cell phones.  Just love these trips and meeting other like-minded families.”  Sean Barrett
• “Good way to get kids off the computer, out of their phones and actually engaging each other and the outdoor world” Tutti White
• “Great for families with special needs who are qualified to dive.  My son has autism and loves the ocean and loves to dive and Kids Sea Camp created a safe place for both of us to enjoy the ocean and each other.  We have traveled around the world with Kids Sea Camp since Jake was 10, he is now 18 and looking forward to his next adventure as a PADI rescue diver.” Alison Herzig
• “Kids Sea Camp is a great family dive vacation for kids to get a chance to learn about the ocean and diving in a friendly safe environment and to make new-like. minded friends.” —  Amos Nochoum, photographer/ film producer
• “#1 Best ever for family vacations!” Dr. David Wakely
• “I have only ever heard extremely positive things about Kids Sea Camp, and that is also my own personal experience with my wife and daughter”  Al Hornsby– PADI World
• “Off the well-beaten path and full of culture, history, and family fun.” Betsy Royal- Body Glove
• “I have been on 8 trips with Kids Sea Camp and everyone was more terrific than the previous. My 15-year-old daughter is a master diver and committed to studying marine science because of her experience with Margo Peyton” David Benz- Sport Diver Magazine
• “Best Interesting idea ever! Thank you, Margo Peyton, we love what you do and we are proud of you.” Theresa Kaplan- PADI World
• “Kids Sea Camp has something to do for everyone regardless of the dive experience level of diver or age of diver.  We love spending time each year with our grandchildren and we make Kids Sea Camp an annual family reunion.  We love Tom, Margo, Brad, Jesse, and the whole KSC team.”  Carol Danks
• “We kids love Kids Sea Camp and so do our parents and grandparents”  
• “Big kids loved Kids Sea Camp and it’s an awesome place to dive and enjoy your grandkids.” Lee Seleski
• “Kids love to dive and learn about ecology, sharks, history, and how to care for the ocean.  They participate in all that and more at Kids Sea Camp.”  Marc Bauman – owner Sam’s Tours Palau
• “Making friends and learning safe diving practices is key and a priority with Kids Sea Camp.  Kids Sea Camp provides family-friendly locations around the world for families to come in an exclusive family week to dive with your kids.  The focus during those trips is 100% family.  I look forward to Kids Sea Camp Buddy Dive and having my daughters join in the fun each year.”  Paul Coolen – Buddy Dive Bonaire
• “Margo Peyton and Kids Sea Camp are the perfect hosts for our family! We do not trust anyone else with our kids when it comes to diving.” The Olson family
• “Most amazing, well organized, family-oriented business ever. They take safety seriously. One of the best decisions we made as a family!”  Josh Comay, PADI dive professional
• Our family will complete its 20th consecutive year with KSC this summer. An amazing experience — well organized, great leaders, safe environment, the WORLDS BEST!! ” The Wakely family
• “#1 in Service, safety, great with children, wonderful family to work with Margo, and Tom Peyton create incredible programs for kids and we are very proud to have a Kids Sea Camp & Scuba St. Lucia partnership.” Karolin Troubetzkoy -Jade Mountain/ Ance Chastanet
• “The sheer beauty of the diving experience you will experience with your family is like no other ever created. Margo gives each member of the family memories to last a lifetime. The experience with Kids Sea Camp is priceless.  We attended Kids Sea Camp Grand Cayman and it inspired me to write and share with the world what Margo has created. ”  Richard Stewart – Publisher of Ocean Realm Magazine
• “Spent a week with 3 grandchildren. Very attentive and accommodating to various needs of the three.I was able to do advanced dives and then dive with my grandchildren when they had completed their training. As they say, a priceless adventure. Kids Sea Camp is #1”. Whittaker family
• “Super-friendly and extremely competent dive team. I’ll always dive into the world with Kids Sea Camp. “ Rob Lavinsky
• “The best family dive adventure ever!” Mary Cheney
• “The best family dive experience EVER!” #1.” Heather Poe Cheney
• “There is nobody who knows better how to run family diving holidays than Margo Peyton and nobody does a better job.” Dr. Lisa Hunsicker
• “They are an amazing, safety-oriented, kid-friendly, special-needs-accommodating, fun organization.” Jim Elliot– Dive heart
• “Margo has such an organic passion for the ocean and for kids.” Tom Peyton
• “This operation is safe and experienced with regard to kids. They have certified well over 7,600 kids with zero accidents. Its special needs friendly and caters to every member of the diving family. Very proud of you Margo Peyton from all of us at DEMA.” Dane Farnum
• “Total family experience with like-minded people. There is no substitute for this type of children’s dive program. Locations are all well scouted and planned for the perfect family vacation.” Jim Hepple 
• “Very organized and well run, I was so proud to meet this fine young lady and share a stage with her. Keep up the great work Margo!” Earnie Brooks-Ambassador to the Marine Environment Photographer, Adventurer, Diver, and Educator
• “We have been to two KSCs so far, and our third is booked for next year. Margo and Tom are simply the best at providing a family dive vacation where everyone can get in the water and enjoy diving at their own ability level. We are hooked and will be traveling with KSC for years to come! ” Peter Higgens
• “Wonderful program for families covers all ages and well supervised. I truly enjoy traveling by Kids Sea Camp and working with Tom and Margo Peyton.” Brad Holland – Photographer, writer

“Thanks, Margo & Tom, for everything you do and have done for our dive industry and for our oceans. All the best, Margo thank you for being our SeaHero!”— Patricia Wuest: Editor in chief Scuba Diving Magazine

National Geographic experience at Kids Sea Camp

The Bay Islands Kids Kids Sea Camp (Bay Islands Honduras), I am writing rather belatedly to tell you that my family had a terrific time at your camp. It was the best trip we’ve taken since our “pre-child” diving days. We enjoyed 3 dives a day and saw some amazing sights. I was there for the National Geographic moment when a large octopus and a 4′ moray wrangled in a life or death struggle before our eyes (the moray escaped). We saw turtles on at least 5 dives. Noel and Mark always took good care of us and our equipment.

All the while our 9-year-old daughter, Julianna, was snorkeling, learning about scuba, studying marine biology, painting with Ron, and swimming with dolphins. What a blast. I felt great confidence in the care she was receiving from your staff members- she always felt safe and happy, and she didn’t come back sunburned- thanks to Lauren and her attention to details like sunscreen!

The food was great and we liked the fact that we could drink the water and eat produce without health worries there. The picnics and alternate venues provided an enjoyable variety.

Thank you so much for putting together such a great program. Our days were filled with fun and it was a vacation we’ll never forget. We can’t wait to try another camp!

By Lisa M. and family

National Geographic love Kids Sea Camp

Dear Margo,

I have had the good fortune of being able to travel around the world with my children (30 countries and counting), so we’ve shared a lot of interesting and unique experiences together.  Last year I was introduced to Margo Peyton and Kids Sea Camp at The Beneath The Sea Show in NJ that I was speaking at.  As soon as I learned that we could travel to some of the world’s best dive sites together as a family AND have our boys involved in the fun, we were sold!  So we got the kids certified and booked our trip to Palau, which happened to overlap with Thanksgiving.   Not to worry though, we were assured that a turkey feast with all the trimmings would be included.

My only complaint with the KSC experience is that we didn’t know about it sooner!  The activities for the kids who are not yet old enough to certify were wonderful and the kids just loved them.  It also doesn’t hurt that they have no problem meeting other kids their own age.  So now we’re eagerly discussing where to go next with KSC.  The Galapagos sounds wonderful!

By: Rainer Jenss, National Geographic

Kids Sea Camp made sure we felt cared for all week long

Last winter, as I was beginning to plan my annual summer dive trip, I encountered some roadblocks. As the single divorced mother of an eight-year-old boy, I had to make sure he would be cared for while I was away. His father recently moved out of state and was inaccessible. My parents, 74 and 84, offered to watch my son but admitted it was becoming more difficult to entertain an active boy for an entire week, especially with no other kids in the neighborhood to play with. When I logged onto the Kids Sea Camp Web site, I immediately contacted Margo she was fantastic to talk to and very informative. I soon received the information packet and knew that I had found the solution to my problem.

When I go on a dive trip, I dive as much as I can. For me, it’s a once-a-year endeavor that I literally submerge myself in. How could I be a mother and dive at the same time? I decided that attending Kids Sea Camp would provide the answer. By week’s end, I had logged thirteen dives, made friends with several other divers and had quality vacation time with my son. While I was diving, my son had great instruction with well-planned daily activities. He was well cared for and made friends while at Kids Sea Camp. The additional bonus of Kids Sea Camp was having a night off during the week with kids pizza movie night so parents can do a night dive!

Kathleen, Mom of Kelvin, age 8