Accommodation: Buddy Dive Resort

Take Time To Savor Life’s Treats

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Kids Sea Camp, Kids and diving, family diving vacations

I never thought a company like Kids Sea Camp could exist

Taking time to savor life’s treats is not something I did on a blazing summer day in Santa Monica, at a house party with a pool, and I was a thirteen-year-old boy who had assembled my own gear. That’s how I experienced my very first dive. As I was sitting at the bottom of a pool on a J-valve tank, with a twin-hose reg that I thought I had figured out poolside, adults started jumping into the water to ‘rescue’ me. This was not the way I had planned for my own kids to learn to dive, now more than forty years and 2000 dives later.

A lifetime of diving

(From left to right) Adam and Ellie Summers prepared for a night dive at Anse Chastanet Resort, St. Lucia.

Finding a very different kind of diving has revitalized my love of blowing bubbles: diving as a family with Kids Sea Camp. Officially, I learned to dive properly while an undergraduate and progressed through the ranks to PASI OWSI at the PADI College in Sydney, Australia. After working as an instructor in Australia for several years, I returned home to the USA to become a marine biologist. Along the way, there have been many memorable dives. But those dives pale in significance to the life changes I have experienced along the way. Sharalyn and I were married in Belize. We have two children, and we moved to a small island north of Seattle to a marine station. 

A little moment, a shared sense of wonder, and an instant rapport gave me an unusual opportunity to gain a completely new and transformative perspective on diving. With my good friend Dr. Bob Rubin, I voyaged on the Quino El Guardian (Booking the trip with Family Dive Adventures) to the manta ray soup of the Revillagigedo Islands. They dropped me, Tom Peyton, and 14 other dive fanatics into the water surrounding four little volcanic specks. Steep-sided, battered by the swell, with a constant current, this dive site was not for the faint of heart. But when we dropped over the side the first time, there was a whale shark, six giant ocean mantas, a pod of dolphins, and more than 40 silky sharks, well, you get the idea.

Meeting Tom Peyton

 It was a Scuba diving paradise. I loved it, and I was getting interesting data on the mantas’ wing movements. As I stripped out of my too-thin wetsuit, I realized the guy standing next to me had paused, a silly grin on his face, wetsuit around his ankles, and his heel straps between his toes, eyes twinkling. This bearded, blissed-out guy was just dumbstruck by that dive and was taking a few moments to let it sink in. I don’t meet many people who take time to savor life’s treats as much as I do, and I was immediately drawn to this awesome dive character.  Tom Peyton is the co-owner of Kids Sea Camp and Family Dive Adventures. We developed a friendship; these dives touched him as deeply as they touched me. We shared many awesome dives, like-minded concepts about life, and a few good stories. 

Tom and I were both missing our families and wished we could share those daily adventures with them. Tom’s wish was more realistic than mine. Since his wife, Margo, is a PADI instructor and mermaid in the Women Divers Hall of Fame, and both their kids, Rob and Jen Peyton, are PADI dive instructors. This was a very doable adventure for them. At that time, my kids were five and ten. My wife was a PADI Rescue diver with 150 dives, but none since our son was born. The logistics were too crazy to figure out, diving with tiny kids, or so I thought. That’s when Tom lit up with delight and schooled me on his wife’s brilliant idea, which turned into a family business.

It really is the only family diving camp

Kids Sea Camp Inc. is the only family camp I would consider sending my kids to. Kids Sea Camp is for families who love the ocean, travel, and scuba diving. I started a family late. And I have no desire to have them hare off to neat places without me. I want to join them while experiencing the things we love. Sharing new places with my kids in entirely different ways and providing them with a unique perspective on the world through their eyes. Kids Sea Camp is designed to allow just that.

Tom explained that the kids learn about the ocean and how to dive. The older ones (age 10+) get honest with PADI dive certifications. The younger ones, ages 5-9, gain experience through fun scuba games called Aqua Missions that introduce them to the basics of the sport. Age 5-7 follows a SASY program geared toward swimming and snorkeling. Then there is the PADI Seal Team curriculum, which sets them up for certification the moment they hit that magic decade mark. 

Thanksgiving and diving?

This sounded like a fabulous idea, and a set of fortuitous circumstances combined to open up our Thanksgiving holiday and leave us with close friends looking for an adventure. Margo and Tom said they would serve a traditional turkey dinner at Buddy Dive Bonaire and all the diving we could want. So, three adults, one of whom had never put her face into saltwater, and four kids (seven, eight, twelve, and twelve) took the plunge and headed to Kids Sea Camp Bonaire to dive. My son Abel was a SASY, and his friend Henry was a SEAL. Henry’s brother, Ollie, and my daughter, Ellie, were in the PADI Jr. Open Water course. Our friend Libby completed an open-water course, and Sharalyn and I just signed up to dive. Together. What a concept. 

Kids Sea Camp idea is revolutionizing

As it turned out, the Kids Sea Camp idea revolutionized our understanding of family dive vacations. The drill is simple; the diving kids meet their friends and instructors each morning after breakfast. The diving adults are free to head off to dive with the other adults. And dive at outstanding dive sites, with top-notch guides, lovely fellow divers, and a wonderfully competent and entertaining dive boat crew. When two tanks have been sucked as dry as PADI allows, we return to the resort to eat more good food than should be legal.

Our offspring are happy to learn and play in the ocean with their friends. We don’t see the younger set until mid-afternoon; a little scheduling magic with big implications for bonding with other adults, and allowing kids to own their newfound skills. Then, tired and victorious, we get our kids back, damp and bursting with tales, in time to rest up for a siege of the dinner buffet. After dinner, there are often some presentations – a couple of times, I talked about marine research, which is my day job. Then everyone passes out in preparation for doing it all again.

Buddies at Buddy Dive

It is difficult to overstate how pleasantly unusual this family dive vacation was relative to all my other vacations. The diving was fantastic. Buddy Dive in Bonaire was a joy, but the difference here was the structure and quality of the experience that I could share with my family. I watched my daughter conquer fear and physical difficulty to become a PADI-certified diver, just like her mother. Ellie glowed with triumph when she came up from her final certification dive. She did a complicated thing with minimal support from her hovering parents. That has proved to be an accomplishment that has significantly shaped the months that followed.

It was such a simple joy to have her find me a young spotted drum and share that giggle at its silly dorsal fin again. tube across the azure waters of the Caribbean, he embraced the experience as challenging as his little arms could squeeze. And Sharalyn and I could connect underwater in ways we hadn’t since before we had kids. It was such a simple joy to have her find me a young spotted drum and share again that giggle at its silly dorsal fin. It was a reaffirming delight to watch her strap on the gear. Check it, and look out for the other divers doing the same. 

My diving daughter

My daughter left Buddy Dive Bonaire with one dive short of double digits. She made it to 18 dives on another trip. They were so impressed with Ellie’s skill and her attention to safety. The Kids Sea Camp ethos of ‘safety over all things’ is deeply embedded in her. A second Kids Sea Camp family dive trip to Anse Chastanet, St. Lucia, fell into our lap. Ellie has nearly 30 dives, and Abel has a PADI SEAL with eight dives. My wife, Sharalyn, and I have hooked up all over again on a sport that has given me everything. I love seeing their expressions when discussing where we might all dive next as a family. Roatan? The Philippines? Fiji? Time will reveal everything, but I am sure more Kids Sea Camps will be in the future.

This is an article by Dr. Adam Summers. Dr. Summers is a professor at the University of Washington in Biology and the School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences. He has written more than 150 scientific papers and was the fish guy for Pixar’s Finding Nemo.

Read more about Dr. Adam Summers.

Our new KSC PADI Pros in 2019

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PADI Pro, dive master, kids and diving, kids sea camp
We at Kids Sea Camp headquarters are thrilled to give a big shout-out to our new PADI Dive Masters from our 2019 trips.
Holly Kyle, age 54, completed her PADI Dive Master course with us at Buddy Dive Bonaire. Holly started diving at age 46 and did not enjoy the ocean until she met Margo Peyton. Full of fear of drowning and deep water, Margo guided Holly through those fears and into a love of diving that quickly advanced her to rescue diver and, finally, Dive Master. Congratulations Holly!
Ellen Abad-Santos, age 18, became a PADI Dive Master during our 2-week trip in the Philippines with Sea Explorers. Ellen has been part of Kids Sea Camp since she was 4, beginning with our SASY program.
Andy Carrigan, age 54, became a PADI Dive Master in Grand Cayman over Spring Break, following in his children’s footsteps, who became PADI Pro Masters in St. Lucia in 2018. Congratulations, Andy, on this proud family moment!
Max Severo, who has traveled the world with us since he was age 6 and is now 19, became a Dive Master this summer in Bonaire. Congratulations, Max!
The Mermaid Squad: Sydney Williams, Holly Wakely, Audrey Sarin, Sophie Purdon, and Lauren Wittek all participated in the training, mentored younger kids, and began training for their 2020 Dive Master participation. Excited to have you all as our future PADI Pros.

For more information about our PADI Pro programs, call Margo or Kiley at 803-419-2556.

 

25 amazing years of Kids Sea Camp

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Margo Peyton, kids Sea camp, kids and diving, family scuba diving

A few moments ago

Twenty-five years of Kids Sea Camp seem like just a few moments ago. Robbie was only 6, and Jen was just 4. As a mother and businesswoman, I wanted so much to spend time with them and be with them daily. I wanted to watch them grow up before me and show them the world rather than have them read about it in a book.

A single mom with two kids

I was a single mother with two kids, working six days a week. In the summer, it was impossible to find camps that I felt were educational, safe, fun, and enriching my two children’s lives the way I wanted to be enriching my own life. Jennifer would get so upset when I had to go away. She wanted to know why she could not come. It was really a huge dilemma for me.

Carolyn Pascal, then the publisher of Skin Diver magazine, and I were sitting on a beach in the Bahamas during another work trip, and we were both missing our kids. I told her I honestly wished we could find a way to take our kids on dive trips. She agreed, and right then, we began creating a vision that would become Kids Sea Camp. Carolyn had the media, and I had the resort. Since 2000, divers of all ages have been exploring the underwater world with Kids Sea Camp. Every year, Kids Sea Camp brings families to the Philippines to dive into the endless “bucket list” of diving adventures in Dauin, Ando, Cabilao, Apo Island, and Oslob.

KSC started in Curacao

We pooled our resources, and the first Kids Sea Camp family dive-adventure week took place in Curaçao with Ocean Encounters and the Curaçao Sea Aquarium in 2000. I had just seven families on the first trip. Fast forward, Kids Sea Camp is entering its 25th year in 2025. My daughter Jen will be 29, and Rob will be 31. My kids are grown, Jens is married, and we have our first grandchild to enjoy and look forward to introducing to the underwater world someday. Because of Kids Sea Camp, there are more than 8,000 other kids who have become certified divers over the past 20 years of Kids Sea Camp. Kids Sea Camp has over 500 families who travel to 13+ countries, taking 25-29 trips each year.

I’m so very proud and grateful to my dive team and the diving industry. They have supported my vision and co-created Little Gear, kids’ dive courses, shared the stories, and listened to all those little voices.

PADI created courses for kids aged 4-18, and they have always supported me in organizing trade shows such as The Scuba Show, DEMA, Beneath The Sea, and others, connecting me with dive operators worldwide. Dive Media, DAN, Dive Training, Scuba Diver, Diver Magazine, Dive News Wire, Sport Diver, and many others ran the stories and shared the voices.

Partners matter

My partners have all helped me make diving safer for kids. SCUBAPRO was the first to create SASY gear, little tanks, fins, masks, and tiny wetsuits. The resorts and dive operators who have stood by me and celebrated our brand together believe that kids are the future. I have chosen resorts that I can trust to put family first and child safety above all.

I’m thankful to all the families for choosing Kids Sea Camp for their family dive vacation. Some of those kids, and even the instructors, now have their own families and keep coming. Many are now grandparents who are bringing their grandkids. 

When I ask them why they chose Kids Sea Camp, they tell me, “Because time is the most important thing in life, Margo! Time with our kids and our grandkids is priceless.” They want to make memories that will last a lifetime. That’s our tagline, and we do just that! Our trips cater to the elderly, the young, experienced divers, and even non-divers. We are special needs-friendly and cater to all families. Kids Sea Camp is a safe, fun, educational, and authentic family vacation focused on the underwater world and each other. It’s a place where kids unplug from their virtual worlds and reconnect to each other and the outdoor world.

Tom joins the company

In 2006, my best friend Tom Peyton asked me to marry him, and Robbie, Jen, Tom, and I became a family. Tom left the news industry and joined the Kids Sea Camp in 2013.

Celebrating our 25 years

We are excited to celebrate 25 years of business this year with 25 Kids Sea Camp event weeks in 2025. I hope you will join us! In celebration of our 25 years, we have created  “Empty Nester” dive trips for parents like me who have grown-up kids but still want to travel with someone they know and trust. We have new destinations and liveaboards as well as PADI Pro courses for all those kids turning 18 and older who want to become Dive Masters or even Dive instructors. We will be celebrating our 25th year of business at each incredible destination.

By Margo Peyton, President of Kids Sea Camp

I am thankful for the world’s best family adventure travel guides and a PADI dive team. Woody, Patrick, Jen, Rob, Lilly, Holly, Sven, Brad, Jesse, Sophie, Josh, Fraser, Conrad, Max, Carolyn, Ellen, Jacob, and Tom.

Top 5 best family dive adventures with younger divers ages 4-16

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Top 5 dives for family, The Philippines, kids Sea Camp, kids and diving

MARGO PEYTON’S: Top 5 best family dive adventures with young children, plus many more.

1. Bonaire: This island is at the top of my kid-friendly list because of many of the condo properties, such as Buddy Dive, Capt Don’s, and Bel Mar. They are perfect for larger families, offering 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom villas. Buddy Dive, in particular, offers the Buddy Dive Academy, with PADI programs such as SASY for kids age 5-7, PADI Seal Team for kids age 8 & 9, and Jr. Open Water, Jr. Advanced, and even Jr. Rescue.

Their staff is well-trained with oodles of experience with kids. Not to mention, Bonaire is one of the calmest, clearest, and easiest places to dive in the world. Parents and their certified youngsters can jump right off Buddy Dive’s dock and enjoy a nice, easy dive. Since kids aged 10 and 11 have a 40-foot max depth, it’s often hard to find places where the sandy bottom does all the work at 40 ft.

Here, parents can relax and enjoy their kids diving with tarpon, turtles, schools of colorful tropical fish, and, of course, the coral nursery trees. Bonaire also has lots to do topside for families, including one of my favorites, Blow Karting on the world’s largest salt track! Bonaire caters to every level of diver and is one of our more affordable programs.

2. St. Lucia: I just love bringing families to this island. It’s world-famous for honeymooners, but now that the honeymooners have children, they can return to celebrate with the whole family. Some of the best diving is below the famous Pitons, and there are some great wrecks for teen divers to explore. It’s crazy cool to dive some of those volcanic formations and pinnacles under the sea. Kids especially love Superman’s Flight, one of the best drift dives on the island. Anse Chastanet is perfect for both diving and non-diving families. They offer paddleboarding, kayaking, sunrise and sunset yoga, volcano hiking, jungle biking, and, of course, scuba diving.

Did I mention chocolate tasting and farm-to-table culinary classes with cupcake decorating? How about live music and jazzy sunset cruises? And if that’s not enough, every May and June, you may be lucky enough to catch the sea turtles nesting on the Anse Mamin Beach. I have also been fortunate to catch the sea turtles’ hatch in late July and August. We released 98 baby turtles 2 years ago, and it was amazing! During the Kids Sea Camp weeks at Anse Chastanet, kids can learn to dive, do SASY or Seal Team, and explore the protected marine sanctuary.

American, Delta, and United Airlines all offer daily nonstop flights from the US, making it one of the easiest places to reach. There are 1- and 2-bedroom Piton-view rooms, as well as beach-level rooms for families. Dive St. Lucia is very family-friendly. All dives are guided, and the ratio for kids is 1 instructor or Dive Master to every 2 kids. It does not get any safer than diving with Dive St. Lucia.

3. The Philippines is also high up on my list with Sea Explorers, and I would just tell you that taking kids to dive with Whale Sharks in Oslob, turtles at Apo Island, and to experience the largest to the smallest marine animals on one trip is truly life-changing. Pura Vida Homes is perfect for families. We sell out for Kids Sea Camp every year. Traveling in a private guided group is the way to go here, with an experienced dive team including Margo, Tom, and Bigs.

Top 5, Palau, kids and diving, family dive vacations4. Palau: Yes, I know it seems a long way to go, but Palau is definitely a Wow! Kids love JellyFish Lake; it’s the only time they don’t have to be afraid because the jellyfish don’t sting. It’s a rare opportunity to see the 8th wonder of the world! Palau is also one of the few places in the world where kids can safely learn about and dive with sharks, manta rays, and other big marine life. Many of the dive sites are in shallow water, easy for all to enjoy.

5. Fiji: To me, Fiji is all about family. It is all about love and children, music and dance, food and friendship. It’s a place where culture becomes an integral part of the trip.  Kids have so many opportunities to interact with the local villages and local children. It’s a very humbling experience and for sure an educational vacation. I believe there is one resort that stands out for its Luxury 5-star service and diving: Jean-Michel Cousteau’s resort. The name kinda says it all. 1- and 2-bedroom villas are perfect for families, with the Point Bure for families of 5. There is shore diving and spectacular reef and shark dives. JMC has a full-service, kid-friendly dive team. They can cater to any diet and are also special-needs-friendly. I have had great experiences at Castaway Island and Beqa Lagoon as well, but I would for sure say JMC is absolute perfection for kids.

With beautiful over-water cabanas and a private lagoon to snorkel or paddle board, it’s perfect for families that want peace & tranquility. Mayan Princess offers 1 and 2-bedroom oceanfront villas with full Kitchens. The dive sites are 5-10 minutes away, and the boats are large and spacious. Both locations offer excellent in-ocean training areas for Seal Team & SASY. All-inclusive resorts are an easy way to budget your trip and get the most for your money!

PLUS FIVE

I know you only asked for 5, but since kids and diving are my life, I’m going to give you a few bits more. For liveaboards and kids, you can’t beat the Rocio Del Mar Team in the Sea of Cortez and Socorro. They are like papas in the water with kids and families, and really have an outstanding safety record. We offer a full-boat charter, so it’s all about the kids. Dancing with sea lions and giant manta is an amazing liveaboard experience for kids and parents alike.

 Roatan: The Bay Islands continue to be one of the dive world’s hidden treasures. The marine park has blossomed, and since its inception, there has been a huge comeback of turtles, large schools of fish, grouper, and lobster. There are so many shallow sites and beautiful beaches to explore. My two favorite properties for families are Turquoise Bay Beach Resort and Mayan Princess, both all-inclusive, owned and operated by local families. The staff is super kid-friendly at both resorts and dive operations, with Mayan Divers and Subway Divers offering lots of smaller tanks and kids’ gear. Turquoise Bay offers free horseback riding every day and has just completed a total resort renovation.

I did not talk about the beautiful Cayman Islands, where my own son was born and where my kids learned to dive, because everyone already knows how awesome they are. They’re easy to get to, lots to do, and a great choice for so many reasons.

 All of the above are featured Kids Sea Camp destinations. That does not mean that’s all there is out there; it just means those are the ones I feel are best suited for our younger divers, SASY and Seals.

Taking your kids on dive adventures around the world is giving them a living classroom to learn in. It’s giving them a global view of the world and all its possibilities. It’s taking their dreams and making them a reality, a priceless family bonding adventure.

Kids Sea Camp has contributed to over 8,100 youth certifications and taken over 350 families a year diving. We have a perfect safety record, with zero accidents. Please join our Kids Sea Camp family at one of these locations this year. Cherish the opportunity to dive with your kids while they are still young. It’s one of the most beautiful, forever memories you can give them.

Margo Peyton, Owner, Kids Sea Camp & Family Dive Adventures
PADI Instructor 57474

How Kids Sea Camp has forever changed my life

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Robert Peyton, Kids Sea Camp, Tech diving

My life with Kids Sea Camp

Growing up at Kids Sea Camp. As a kid, diving with my family kept me far away from the TV and video games for most of my summers. I made friends in many countries around the world, and I’ve kept in touch with most of them. Kids Sea Camp (KSC) has shaped my life in so many ways. I’m close with my family; we all still dive together every year, and I hope to be a vital part of our company when I graduate from college. 

Starting at six years old

Since I was six years old, I have experienced diving with marine animals in some of the world’s best dive destinations. I have learned to respect all marine life and that we need to take better care of our underwater world. I have learned firsthand how fragile our coral reefs are and how fast they can die if we don’t start paying attention and doing our part. There are some reefs I have been diving on for 20 years, and I can see the damage, the difference in the health of those corals, and the lack of fish life. I have also experienced the opposite in places like Bonaire, Roatan, and St. Lucia, where marine reserves have been created, and both human and environmental impacts have monitored and changed.

Through all my training and travels at Kids Sea Camp, I have not only learned that many endangered marine animals ingest plastic, which is a major cause of death because the plastic can’t be digested and causes them to starve, but I can now do my part to reduce plastic. People enjoy diving because we are guests in a foreign world full of aliens that are not on display in ours. There is quietness, no distractions, and limitless life to observe.

I was a sasy

I started as a PADI SASY with Kids Sea Camp. That was the first program my mom included because Jen was four, and I was 6. SASY was cool because, as the littlest members of a family, you can have your very own BC, tank, regulator, and a full set of dive gear like your mom and dad. You feel like a little person doing big things. We loved the water, and Mom had a harder time getting us out than putting us in. 

A seal

By age eight, I was a PADI Master Seal diving Stingray City in the Cayman Islands, where I was born. A PADI Seal has a depth of 12 feet, but a Master Seal has a maximum depth of 20ft. I was the kind of kid who pushed limits, and my mom loved Seal Team in the Cayman Islands because many dive sites had sandy bottoms at 12 feet and others at 20. So mom did not have to stress managing my depth. She once threatened to put a leash on me underwater. Let’s just say I was not the most obedient child and leave it at that.  

Learning to dive as a Seal Team diver gave me confidence in myself. I was taught through Aquamissions how to clear my mask, exchange my snorkel for a reg, navigate, and, best of all, learn to achieve great buoyancy before becoming an Open Water Diver. PADI Seal Team made me comfortable with a tank on my back and allowed me to get familiar with my dive gear. Seal Team also showed me how to be a good buddy with other 8 and 9-year-olds who were diving.  

A JOW

My Jr. Open Water certification could not have come at a better time. My birthday is in October, so I had to tolerate 3 years of PADI Seal Team. I had logged more than 40 dives as a PADI Seal. To say I was mad that Mom wouldn’t let me get certified the summer before I turned 10 was an understatement. We were in Curacao in the summer of 2005, and Mom signed me up with Tom Peyton for my long-awaited PADI Open Water Certification course. Tom was nervous and uncertain. Mom thought it would bond us together and make us better buddies. She was right. 

Our Thanksgiving trips started because so many kids turn 10 in the fall, and many want to get certified in the year of their 10th birthday. So, Mom put together the first Thanksgiving family scuba trip in 2006 because my sister Jen wasn’t turning 10 until the end of August. So spending Thanksgiving at awesome exotic destinations around the world has been our family tradition ever since. There are several families that travel with us every year, too.

Kids Sea Camp is never dull

The cool thing about traveling with my family is that each destination is a new adventure.  I meet new people and get better at diving. Not to mention that traveling with other families is never dull. As I was growing up, my mom added new courses, activities, and sports to the trips. Kids Sea Camp creates more advanced itineraries to new destinations every year as we get older and demand more fun, more challenging training courses, and more fun. 

There is so much more offered now, and our family has grown over the past 20 years at Kids Sea Camp. New things that mom has added and loves to do, like having spa days and advanced Pro courses, like DiveMaster and special needs training. I’ve included destinations such as jungle biking, black-water diving, Blow-Karting, and tec training. Jen likes destinations where she is with Woody, assisting with Zombie dive training, horseback riding, and beautiful beaches. Tom has added liveaboards and Citizen Science weeks as well as football, basketball, and fly fishing.

For 26 years, KSC has been teaching photography with Sea Life Cameras and Olympus, providing Micro HD video and still cameras along with in-depth photo classes. We document all the trips as I have grown up inside the Kids Sea Camp over the years.

A PADI Pro

My passion is diving, obviously inspired by my mom and childhood. I became a PADI OWSI instructor in 2014 with over 1,000 logged dives. I completed my MSDT, Tec 40, 45, and 50 at Buddy Dive Bonaire in 2016. At 22, I completed my Tec 65 training. My specific passion is Technical diving.

Technical diving means going beyond recreational scuba diving limits. But I say it’s really about the extreme challenges and the excitement of exploring places few people have ever seen. At Buddy Dive in Bonaire, we now offer PADI PRO and Tec courses, as I did. I am 25 now, in college, and I teach at Kids Sea Camps with my family during select summer trips. I enjoy teaching the next generation of divers. 

People ask me which KSC destination is my favorite?

I can’t answer that question because they are all great. It’s the families who travel with us around the world that make each trip so unique and memorable. The Philippines, Indonesia, and Palau are a long way to travel for many families, but experiencing the people, food, history, culture, and diving makes it so worth the travel. Diving deep wrecks, encountering big sharks, mantas, and rarely diving pristine walls or reefs is living the dream.

My mom has been a dream maker for 30 years. She is in the Women Divers Hall of Fame for creating safe places for families to dive together. Kids Sea Camp has more than 8,100 PADI-certified kids and no dive accidents. That is due in part to my mom’s fantastic tenacity.

Kids Sea Camp was built with love

My mom could not have created KSC by herself. She has had a little help from her friends. Mom has been close friends with Paul and Michelle Coolen from Buddy Dive. When Carolyn Pascal was the publisher of Sport Diver Magazine, she loved her mom’s idea so much that she told the whole world about it. Mom practically grew up in the Cayman Islands, where I was born. She has strong personal relationships with all the resort owners and dive operators she works with. She says they are her extended family, and they always have each other’s backs.

My sister, Jen, is a PADI OWSI instructor. She is 23 years old now and in vet school. Jen and I have grown up traveling the world, and it’s kept our family closer. I hate to take all the credit, but I’m sure we were 100% the inspiration for Mom creating Kids Sea Camp. We have had the best life, growing up under the fins of so many amazing people.

One of my favorite parts of the trips is watching the talent presentation at the end. Listening to families share their experiences, and to parents, kids, and others reading poems, doing skits, or singing songs.

My favorite dives are blackwater night dives, shark dives, wreck dives, and Tec dives. I am very grateful for all the international friendships. I cherish the incredible opportunities those friendships have afforded me over the past 20 years.

A special thank you to PADI for sponsoring me, to Buddy Dive Bonaire, Paul Coolen, Mr. G., and most importantly, to my parents for always having my back and for putting such inspiring people and places in my path.

By Robert Peyton, PADI OWSI #340202

Robert Peyton, Kids Sea Camp, scuba diving with Kids, family vacations

Paul Zanelli: Diving back into life

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Special needs, Handicapped divers, Kids Sea Camp, Assisted diving, Family Dive Adventures, Scuba Diving, Kids Sea Camp, Kids and scuba

Diving, no matter what

I am Paul Zanelli, a volunteer fireman and EMT for over 35 years, a husband, father, and now an amputee. I had spent 33 days confined to a hospital bed after crushing my right foot during a home project.

A tough morning

When I opened my eyes the morning of December 23, 2016, minus a leg. Looking up at the hospital room TV to see a one-legged superstar running a Spartan race. It was as if God were trying to show me a new world of possibilities. Christmas was spent in the hospital with my family and friends. So many people came to visit, and as much joy as that brought me, it was hard to see the pain and sorrow in their eyes. I was out of pain! Thinking to myself, I did not need them to feel sorry for me. So I became determined to stay strong and lead a normal life.

I came home from the hospital on December 27 with equal measures of hope and fear. One of the first people to reach out to me was Margo Peyton, owner of Kids Sea Camp, and her call was the start of a new and wonderful relationship with her, my family, and diving.

The KSC solution

I met Margo and her husband, Tom Peyton, the year before at Kids Sea Camp (KSC) in Roatan, Honduras. It had been a dream come true for us. Cindy Zanelli and I were avid divers for over a decade, but after having children, dive trips were replaced with Disney and water parks.

We stumbled upon KSC when the kids turned 10 and wanted to dive too. In Roatan, we dove and made friends with other adults, while the kids were getting certified and making friends of their own. It felt great for all of us to finally be diving together. We planned to dive, which is a big part of our lives, and had booked another KSC trip for Spring Break 2017 in Dominica, at the Fort Young Hotel and Buddy Dive Dominica.

While lying in the hospital bed in December, the doctors told me there was no way that I would be diving in April. It was only 4 months away, so I sadly told my wife to cancel our family vacation, and in perfect Cindy form, she said NO!

We are going diving

Keeping that trip scheduled was one of the best decisions ever. The Zanelli family needed this trip. I wanted to show my kids (and myself) that life would be as good or better than before. And what made it all come together was this unexpected call from Margo. She had been following my story on Facebook, with lots of love and prayers throughout.

Margo called to tell me she had made all the arrangements for me with a handicap room, an HSA instructor, some big, strong dive guides to help me in and out of the water, and anything else I could possibly need to make this work. She even arranged the land excursions that ensured no far walks for me or a path where I could be driven to the top of the fort or waterfalls. To top it all off,  she even purchased me a Sub Gravity underwater scooter through her not-for-profit foundation, Oceanwishes.org.

Margo the problem solver

The scooter was small, compact, and easy to use. It could be used with one or two arms. The scooter provided assistance diving if I got tired, and was a whole lot of fun. Margo loves challenges and is one of the most loving people I have ever met. She proudly proclaimed, “Paul, we got this!” and with that, launched me into getting back in shape and continuing to plan our dream dive trip to Dominica.

Margo and I connected in NJ at the Beneath the Sea Dive Show in March. She was elated to see me walking with my new prosthetic leg and introduced me to ‘Dive Heart’ to get neutrally buoyant fins to fit my new foot. I was excited about the Scuba Pro fins and meeting some great people who were already doing what I was still dreaming about.

Diving in Dominica

We arrived in Dominica just 4 months after my surgery. I was walking on my new prosthetic, carrying the underwater scooter, and a swim prosthetic (Aqua Leg) strapped to my backpack. Fort Young Hotel was beautiful and located right on the water, with our room overlooking the ocean. Buddy Dive was ready and waiting for me. I spent the first full day trying out my new Aqua leg, learning to use my new dive gear, and getting comfortable diving. Niels, who runs Buddy Dive, was ready to assist in any way, so  I jumped in for a checkout dive off the dock.  That was the greatest feeling in the world, my friends. I cannot describe the freedom and joy I felt getting back in the water and descending to depth, and diving again. After my awesome check-out dive, it was game on!

I had my family around me, and that family now included the Whites and the Peyton’s. The Zanelli family just got bigger. We were so fortunate to have the friends we met last year in Roatan, Jay & Lisa White, and their boys, reconnect with us in Dominica. They brought an extra scooter and a shared passion for hunting Lionfish. Cindy, Lisa, and Margo were focusing on underwater photography, and the kids were scootering around together and having a blast. Life was great again!

‘We Got This’ mentality.

Buddy Dive in Dominica accommodates every level of diver, and it was easy for the kids and me. We enjoyed diving with adults on our own boats in the mornings, then diving as a family in the afternoons. We had fun looking for Sperm whales, and I even jumped off the top of the Buddy Express boat with all the kids! Abby and JAZ took a digital photo class with Margo and shot some amazing underwater images. We ate fresh Lionfish fritters and ceviche each night.

Margo and Tom always put safety first, and that made our trip stress-free. It was just what my soul needed, and all made possible by Next Step Orthopedics and Kids Sea Camp’s ‘We Got This’ mentality.

It was hard to say goodbye, but we are busy planning our next KSC trip to Belize next March! The Zanelli family will be back in the water!

Story by Paul Zanelli, father, husband, diver, EMT, fireman, and all-around inspirational human being. See Paul’s profile in Sport Diver.

Kids Sea Camp Bonaire: Diving for The Teens

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Teen diver, Kids and Scuba, Bonaire, Kids Sea Camp

I can’t wait to go back

Although this was my second time participating in the Teen Diver group during Kids Sea Camp Bonaire, it was still an awesome week. I saw a lot of things I hadn’t seen in the water last year, and going back to the donkey sanctuary was pretty sweet. And even though Bonaire is a small island, I am never bored there, and I can’t wait to go back again.

The diving was really cool, yet again. There were many fish, and the water was warm and clear. I even had the experience of seeing my first manta. It was also nice to see Charlie the Tarpon again. That’s certainly one way to know you are at Buddy Dive in Bonaire.

Meeting new friends

While in Bonaire, I was able to see my old friends and make a few new ones. If you are a teenager and you’re sick of your friends back home (no offense to all of you), Kids Sea Camp is the place to be. You are guaranteed to make friends, especially in Bonaire, where many families go (mainly because it is the cheapest Kids Sea Camp, and what parents don’t like is going diving for as little money as possible?). The other good thing about Kids Sea Camp Bonaire and being a teen diver is that you are ALWAYS with your new friends. That is what makes Kids Sea Camp so much fun.

Bonaire is a great place for teens, especially for a Kids Sea Camp, because school just ended. I like to think of it as a way to celebrate the end of the school year. If you treat Bonaire like a celebration for any occasion, you and your friends are sure to have a great time.

Buddy Dive is a great place for us teens to have a good time because there is a lot for us to do at the resort, and there is a really good ice cream store two blocks away. Who doesn’t like good ice cream on a hot Caribbean day? We can also go swimming (pool or ocean) and jump off cliffs into the water (tell your parents it isn’t THAT high, but it’s high enough to get some good hang time).

Rogest

This year, we had the experience of Ron Steven (better known as Rogest) coming to Bonaire. Although Ron seems like the kind of guy who would appeal more to five-year-olds, I think he is one of the coolest people you can have a vacation with. He is funny, he will make you a better artist, and he is just a great source of entertainment. He also likes to embarrass you in a funny way that won’t make you too mad; you’ll end up laughing.

I would recommend Kids Sea Camp Bonaire to all of you teen divers. It is a fun place, and the diving is great whether you have been certified for 5 years or are still a beginner diver. And to the parents who have never been to Bonaire, it’s a fun place for you, too. Don’t even worry about your teens during the day, Buddy Dive and Kids Sea Camp make sure we are all safe and having a great time.

By: Ryan Seltz

A “Happy Kids Sea Camper” family

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Kids Sea Camp, Happy Campers, Kids and scuba

Margo is on a mission to keep families diving.

When people find out I am an avid scuba diver, I often hear that they used to dive but stopped when they had kids. How sad. Diving is the perfect family sport; you get to travel to beautiful places and meet interesting people while spending time together above and below the surface. Kids learn science, math, and environmental awareness while building confidence and self-esteem. Margo Peyton’s purpose is to keep families diving together by providing opportunities and community for parents and children, aiming to make every family a Happy Kids Sea Camper family.

Why we are a Kids Sea Camper family

We have been to 7 Kids Sea Camps in 6 different countries and have met people from all over the world, many of whom are now lifelong friends.  My kids are safe, confident divers because dive instructors who know how to teach kids taught them. My daughters, who were 5 and 7 at our first Kids Sea Camp, are now 14 and 16, and are PADI-certified Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Rescue, Nitrox, and several other specialty divers. Much to our relief, they love diving as much as we do.  On dive trips, divemasters often comment on their great buoyancy control and respect for the reef and sea life.
Last year, at KSC Galapagos, we dove with our daughters in somewhat challenging conditions with whale sharks, hammerheads, sea lions, Mola Molas, and Galapagos sharks. They handled the conditions like pros.

The Margo Factor

Margo Peyton is well-known in the diving community and well-loved. When you go to Kids Sea Camp, the host resorts go out of their way to make it the trip of a lifetime because of their respect for Margo and her wonderful company. Margo’s main goal is safety; she carefully screens each Kids Sea Camp location and staff, so you know you and your kids will be well taken care of, both in and out of the water. Margo’s kids, Jen and Robbie, are integral parts of the camps, so Margo brings your kids to where she feels comfortable bringing her own. Actually, she considers every child who attends Kids Sea Camp “her” child. The first priority is safety, but the fun is a close second.

Our First Kid Sea  Camp

On the first day of our first camp, I dropped off my 5-year-old and went diving with the other parents. When I returned to pick her up, she refused to leave because she was having so much fun. There are pirates and zombies, and don’t miss the donkey park in Bonaire. (My personal favorite side trip) It is a great trip for diving parents because you drop off your child with their instant new friends for a day full of fun activities, while you get to dive with your instant new friends, the other parents.
So, diving parents, make your reservations, get your kids in the water, and start something that you and your kids will share for the rest of your lives. I suspect we will someday go to Kids Sea Camp with our grandchildren. It’s easy to be a happy Sea Camper family.
By “Happy Kids Sea Campers”, Pat McGuire, MD, and Bob Sciortino, MD, St. Louis, Mo. USA

Creating Tomorrow’s Memories at Kids Sea Camp

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Grandmother, kids and diving family diving

Publisher, a mother, and now a grandmother, reflects on generations of her family growing up in Kids Sea Camp

I felt compelled to come up with a good reason for my grandson Austin, now 14, to be Ok with posing for yet another picture with his ‘mimi’.  So I explained that when I am 90, he will be 45, and I want to be able to look back on us diving, hiking, zip lining, horseback riding, whitewater rafting, and marvel at how we did all that together in just one very special week at Kids Sea Camp, Costa Rica!

Over the past 14 years, I have experienced dozens of Kids Sea Camp adventures with my daughter Melissa, my husband, my brother and his family, various old and new friends, and my grandson Austin. He started traveling with me to Kids Sea Camps when he was 8 and joined the Seal Team program. He was PADI Jr. open water certified at age 10 and received his advanced certification at 13. It is no longer a matter of if we will make the time to do it again, but where we will go and what we will do next.

In Costa Rica, I was reminded that we are not alone in our special family tradition. We were surrounded by other families who also cracked the Kids Sea Camp Code for keeping their growing kids close. Not only are they learning to love diving and the underwater world, but they are absorbing so many life lessons in nature, protecting the environment, being safe and having fun at the very same time. They hang with kids from all over the world, on boats, underwater, at the pool, and at their very own group table at mealtime. But at the end of an action-packed day, families retreat together, exhausted and happy, with electronic devices firmly set to OFF.

Our days were numbered

I used to think that our days were numbered, with teens being way too cool to want to travel with us for very much longer. Now I realize that since they have literally grown up with these Kids Sea Camp memories forming an important part of who they are, the age barriers disappear and the experience prevails. One day, I do believe that my daughter Melissa, now a summer counselor for Kids Sea Camp and a PADI Dive Master, will be planning my dive adventures rather than the other way around.

The younger kids are enrolled in PADI SASY and Seal Team programs that engage them with learning the important scuba skills they will enjoy for decades to come. Once they earn their PADI Jr. Open Water certification at around age 10, they follow up with specialty certifications that cover everything from underwater photography to fish identification, navigation, and an Advanced Open Water Certification.

Something for everyone

Adult divers depart on the morning dives, confident that their kids are in great hands and that they will reconnect with great stories to share. Non-divers use the opportunity to do exactly as they please. At the El Ocotal Dive Resort in Costa Rica, that entailed earning a dip in the Cliffside pool after hiking up the stunning property from the beach. The natural beauty is intoxicating, and the relaxed conversation always turns to what other kids’ Sea Camp trips we have done and what’s next. I dodge the question on what my favorite one might be, as I love the tried and true destinations as much as I am tempted by the new ones that are added every year.

Diving with Buddy

Year after year, Buddy Dive Resort in Bonaire continues to serve up a magic combination of top-notch PADI dive training in the perfect environment for all age groups, with exceptionally easy boat and shore diving. The most comfortable, casual, and welcoming atmosphere makes you want to return year after year.

Also in the tried-and-true category, Cobalt Coast and Dive Tech in Grand Cayman never cease to deliver exceptional dive training and legendary dive experiences with stingrays, turtles, tarpon, and more. Here we experience the thrill of scooter diving and can explore other specialties such as deep diving and even free diving.

On to Palau

When it comes to the search for the world’s ultimate diving, Kids Sea Camp nailed it by offering Yap with Manta Ray Bay Resort. The expectations are very high when you ask American families to travel halfway around the world for any reason at all, but between the amazing giant mantas, the diversity of wild shark experiences, and incredible WW11 wreck dives, all set among the incomparable rock islands, I promise it is well worth the journey.

Utila’s Laguna Beach Resort is definitely on my ‘Must Do’ list. Judging by the rave reviews of eagle rays, pods of dolphins, whale sharks, seahorses, and an idyllic beach setting, I can understand why this little piece of heaven has been added to the Kids Sea Camp schedule, but of course, I must judge for myself!

I have enjoyed the ‘undiscovered’ nature of St. Vincent and its exciting diving opportunities many times in the past, but not yet with Indigo Divers and Buccament Bay Resort, the Caribbean’s newest 5-star all-inclusive hotel. The combination of ‘off the beaten path’ great diving and a luxury Kids Sea Camp experience is just too much to resist!

Amazing Galapagos

Limited space may still be available for just one more season in the legendary Galapagos Islands aboard the luxury Buddy dive live-aboard. This once-in-a-lifetime trip makes it possible to access whale sharks, historic reptiles, birds, and 300 species of fish in a truly elegant adventure.

And other grand options are being added in 2014. The famous walls of Little Cayman are now accessible from the charm and comfort of The Southern Cross Club. Long weekend getaways in the Florida Keys are also something that owners Margo and Tom Peyton have been working on for the coming season. Always committed to keeping it interesting for both repeat visitors and newcomers, they deliver the kind of experiences they themselves want to enjoy with their growing family.

Before Austin’s 15th birthday, I will have to make the tough decision on where it will be in 2014. But wherever we go, I know we will connect with the familiar from years past, with a new twist that ensures we will continue to ‘give them a week they will remember forever’. Visit familydivers.com or call 803-419-2556.

By Carolyn Pascal Guarino