Jade Mountain Archives - Family Dive Adventures

My Ultimate Dive Buddy

14 May 202623 October 2025 by Margo Peyton

A dedicated dad’s ultimate dream comes true at Kids Sea Camp.

“My kid’s a diver!” Shouting these words from a mountaintop has been a dream for 11 long years. The day my daughter, Hailey, was born, I began fantasizing about sharing my deep passion for the ocean with her. I couldn’t imagine a better dive buddy — swimming along, hand in hand, discovering the secrets of the sea. Throughout her toddler years, some dads in my circle of friends lamented that their adventurous pastimes would have to take a back seat to parenting. “What a cop out,” I thought.

The plan was simple

Make travel and diving irresistible to her. I started early, with each bedtime story focused on fantastical sea creatures, miraculous mermaids, and amazing underwater adventures. As she grew, we watched every kid-friendly dive-related movie I could find. Soon she was naming marine life,e and swimming in the ocean became second nature. When I spoke to her third-grade class on career day about being editor of Sport Diver magazine, I watched her beam with pride. The plan was working, albeit far too slowly for my impatient heart. Then Kids Sea Camp (KSC) changed everything.

The Patron Saint of family diving, Margo Peyton

Our introduction to Kids Sea Camp, a unique family dive vacation that combined everything an ocean-loving family could ask for, was at Cobalt Coast Resort in the Cayman Islands. Hailey was then 4 years old. KSC offered world-class diving for adults, kid-tailored activities for kids aged 4-17, PADI certifications, and specialty courses. They also provide daily educational, cultural, and social events for all. KSC’s SASY program was the perfect indoctrination into the dive life for Hailey. Being around diving kids, hearing their stories, and making new friends from around the world fanned her spark of interest into a flame. It didn’t hurt that KSC founder and patron saint of family diving, Margo Peyton, made a point of spending personal time in the ocean with Hailey. Thanks to Peyton’s irresistible enthusiasm for training the next generation of divers, once timid Hailey gained enough confidence, and the hook had been set.

Joining the dive tribe

A few years later, we returned to Kids Sea Camp at Buddy Dive Resort on Bonaire, where 8-year-old Hailey joined the PADI Seal Team program. The mini scuba rig gave her the experience of a diver, breathing through a regulator. She completed all 5 aqua missions, and I enjoyed my first dive with her under the dock. What a breakthrough. I continued her momentum, freediving on family vacations and spending as much time as possible getting to know the ocean. When she was 10, ready to become a Junior Open Water Diver, we booked KSC’s Thanksgiving week at Anse Chastanet, St. Lucia. This exquisite and secluded luxury resort with an onsite PADI 5-star dive operation, Scuba St. Lucia, was perfect for the entire family. The time was right for Hailey to join the dive tribe.

I’ve always believed that anticipation is one of the best things about travel. Adding a life-changing event like Hailey’s certification only intensified that joy. Months before we began putting together her first scuba kit, we tried on wetsuits, fit-tested the Scubapro masks and fins, all provided by KSC. I was her dive buddy with gear. A few weeks before takeoff, we dove into the PADI E-Learning materials, watching her absorb the physics of diving and safety protocols was as much a learning experience for me as it was for her. When the venerable dive table came into play, I broke out in a cold sweat. Thankfully, Hailey helped me remember my fundamentals, and she passed with ease.

Anse Chastanet

Arriving at Anse Chastanet is a rejuvenation. Surrounded by 600 acres of thriving rainforest, the intimate 49-room resort spills down a lush mountainside to a pristine volcanic beach embracing a crystalline bay that shelters a rich marine reserve. Fragrant tropical flowers adorn trees, tables, and the staff. The view across the bay from our room, framing the island’s famed twin peaks, Gros and Petit Piton, against the Caribbean sunset, defies description. This experience would surely set Hailey’s dive trip expectations to impossibly high levels. Then again, that’s what Kids Sea Camp is all about. (See our Calendar of KSC events)

One of my favorite things about Kids Sea Camp is the relaxed, family vibe. Strangers don’t stay that way for long, especially the children. Friendships form instantly when you’re diving headfirst into new adventures together. Plus, there are lizards to chase, beaches to comb, stars to count, and cannonballs to launch off the top deck of the dive boat. When training begins, the kids slip into a blissful routine of discovery, both underwater and inside themselves. Over 30 years of organizing group travel events around the globe, Margo has created a unique and valuable culture in the diving world. She is building a tribe of like-minded families from different walks of life who share a common love for the ocean — and kinship.

Kids Sea Camp makes travel simple

Traveling to exotic locales with children and grandparents in tow can pose many challenges. Kids Sea Camp makes it simple, safe, and sanguine. There’s a reason why we consistently meet families on their third, sixth, and even eighth KSC adventure. Bonding is an understatement. Relationships born here endure for years. The experience is just that powerful.

On this trip, we invited my mother-in-law, Marsha, a newly certified diver herself, to join us. The possibility of a three-generation dive could not be missed. So, as Hailey was completing her final confined water dive under the careful guidance of Scuba St. Lucia’s instructors, we achieved the trifecta. Loose on the house reef after her required skills were completed, parents, grandparents, brothers, and sisters joined for their first dive together.

Holding Hailey’s tiny hand as we toured the reef was euphoric. She led the way, pointing out colorful reef fish and hidden critters while Marsha and I followed, enraptured by the experience. Near the end of the dive, Hailey and I shared a moment alone, kneeling in the sand, practicing signals. I am not ashamed to admit that I shed a few manly tears of joy.

I finally had my dive buddy.

My long-awaited fantasy had become a reality. But there was one unexpected and equally wonderful side effect. Heather, my wife of more than 26 years, has long suffered an unrealistic fear of marine life, despite being a competitive swimmer and water polo player in her youth. Nothing proved more powerful than watching her own daughter become a diver. During Hailey’s final open-water check-out dive, with parents joining, Heather followed the group on a snorkel. When we surfaced, the most surprising words came out of her mouth: “I’m ready to try scuba diving.” To my good fortune, Margo was within earshot. Hugs ensued. (And a few more manly tears.) Guess who’s getting certified at Kids Sea Camp next year?

By Eric Michael

A rare experience for children to witness

24 January 202618 September 2024 by Tom Peyton

Baby Turtle Hatch, Kids Sea Camp, st. lucia, kids and diving

”A magical gift of a baby turtle hatching at Anse Chastanet during Kids Sea Camp”

It is the first night of Kids Sea Camp under the stars of St Lucia. Mother Nature is giving us a magical welcome that night. It is thrilling to lead the kids through this rare and unique adventure. We pack the days with learning about the ocean and a list of fun Anse Chastanet activities. However, Mother Nature planned her learning and fun activity for this particular Kids Sea Camp trip, for all the kids who would become future ambassadors and protectors of her underwater world.

Margo and Tom, the owners of Kids Sea Camp, their photo pro, Brad, and Instructor Woody, brought their moms along on this memorable trip and sat down after introductions. I introduced the chef and GM, myself, and my dive team, and started the Q&A. Guests were excited about tomorrow’s diving and having fun with newfound friends. At Anse Chastanet, our dining is on the beach in the beautiful beach restaurant on the water’s edge. It’s lit with glimmering lanterns and shimmering light patterns along the shoreline. I heard a little girl exclaim she had found a baby turtle. I knew the nest we would be watching is close to ready, but tonight is the night, in the bright moonlight, with all the children present.

A magical night

I gathered all the kids and parents and spoke to them about what they would witness. “Welcome to what promises to be a magical night of wonder for everyone! Tonight, a Kids Sea Camp miracle is taking place. We will be able to watch the baby turtles emerge from the sand and make their way to the ocean. It’s an incredible journey; it is thrilling to share it with you.”

The kids and their parents were on the edge of their seats. “What’s the most exciting part?” asked Noah.

“The most exciting part,” I replied, “is seeing how these tiny hatchlings find their way to the ocean. They face many challenges, but their determination is truly inspiring. We’ll learn about their journey tonight and see it unfold before our eyes.”

As dusk was not yet night, we stood around the nesting area, where gentle red lights lit the beach to avoid disturbing the baby turtle hatchlings. We waited, hoping the turtles would wait for the darkness to protect them. I explained to the kids, “Sea turtles usually hatch at night. The little ones emerged from their nests and headed toward the water, guided by the moon’s natural light.” The moon lit the beach, and there was a lot of artificial light. With her notebook ready, Ella asked, “How do the turtles know where to go?”

“Great question,” I said, “They are guided by the reflection of the moonlight on the water. The natural light helps them find their way to the ocean, away from predators and toward safety.”

We settled in, eyes scanning the sand for more signs of movement. The beach was quiet except for the rhythmic sound of the waves and the occasional call of a nightbird.

Baby turtles on the beach

The kids were holding their breath as tiny heads poked through the sand. It was a nest of baby leatherback sea turtles beginning their incredible journey. I saw the excitement on their faces and whispered, “Look, there they are!”

The hatchlings, no bigger than a child’s hand, began to wriggle and make their way across the sand. Their tiny flippers flapped and moved in unison as they instinctively followed the moonlight reflecting on the water. Ava clapped her hands softly, “They’re so tiny and determined!”

Parents had cameras ready, capturing every moment of the baby turtle hatch. Watching the children, who had been making jokes earlier, were now wholly absorbed in the scene. “This is amazing,” one little boy said, his voice filled with awe.

They faced a few challenges as the 98 hatchlings approached the water’s edge. Gulls swooped down, and the children gasped. I reassured them, “Don’t worry. Despite the challenges, Nature has its way, and many of these hatchlings will make it to the water.” It was incredible how the birds knew what would happen in the next few moments. Their calls got louder as if they were ringing a bell.

Turtle facts

The hatchlings continued to push up through the sand as they began their journey, some moving faster than others. I noticed a little girl watching one particular hatchling green turtle, and Hawksbill turtles lay in June and hatch to pick it up. “Can we help it?” she asked, her concern evident. Leatherback turtles are endangered; generally, only one in a thousand will reach adulthood. 10-15% are eaten by crabs, birds, and reptiles on the beach, and only 25% survive their first few days in the ocean. Witnessing a baby leatherback turtle hatchling is an extremely rare moment. As adults, they can weigh up to 2,000 lb and 6.5′. In St. Lucia, as in most of the Caribbean, green turtles and Hawksbills lay in June and hatch in July & August.

The leatherback population has decreased worldwide by 40%. They are known to return to Grand Anse Beach in St. Lucia. But due to sand mining and poaching, they have migrated to other parts of the island, and this year. Anse Chastanet House Beach is the destination.

As each tiny turtle rose from the sand, we quickly collected them and put them in safety tubs to be released in a safer, turtle-friendly area, where they could not be poached or eaten and had a better chance of survival.

I smiled at the kids, proud of their empathy and understanding. “You’ve all witnessed an extraordinary moment and participated in protecting future generations of leatherbacks. These hatchlings will safely take their first swim into the ocean over the next few evenings. This part is just the beginning for them, and it’s a lesson to us on the importance of protecting their environment.”

Talking about turtle conservation

During the next two days, turtle conservation was our topic. Releasing the baby turtles safely into the ocean. As each of the 98 hatchlings disappeared into the blue, we gathered to reflect on our unforgettable experience.

In closing, I shared my thoughts. “Those baby turtles have shown us the power of determination and the importance of protecting them and their habitat.”

The kids shared their thoughts and feelings, too. They each named a little turtle and wished it an easy journey and a safe return someday. Sarah, still excited, said, “I can’t believe we saw them hatch and go to the sea. I want to help sea turtles and ensure they all have a safe place to live.”

The other children nodded in agreement. At this Kids Sea Camp, as they do each year in St. Lucia, kids learn firsthand about turtle challenges, pollution, plastic, sand mining, and habitat destruction.

Abby, usually full of jokes, was reflective. “It was amazing to see how hard they work just to rise out of the sand. It makes me want to do more to help save their habitat.”

New ocean protectors

I listened to their comments with a smile. “I’m proud of each of you. This experience shows how important it is to care for our ocean environment. You’ve all taken a big step as future ocean protectors.”

The beach cleanup ensured that the beach is pristine and ready for next year’s hatchlings to be buried. Who knew the artificial lights made a difference? And how important the stars shining brightly above are to turtles? Anse Chastanet has always championed conservation in St. Lucia. They manage one of the first marine sanctuaries in St. Lucia.

New voices for the ocean

Tom and Margo say, “Kids Sea Camp creates memories to last a lifetime.” I do feel honored to work with such a wonderful group of kids and their parents. I hope that those experiences will create voices and protectors for the future, and maybe a few more baby turtles will hatch. (See calendar events)

Gigi Merlusca, PADI Staff Instructor and former manager of Scuba St. Lucia at Anse Chastanet

Finding a perfect place to dive as a family

13 May 20266 September 2024 by Tom Peyton

Kids Sea Camp, diving with Kids, diving with family

“Our only option for getting our kids certified to scuba dive was in the dark, kelp-filled, cold water.”

Michael and I, both raised in scuba-diving families, could not wait until our son, Trey, and daughter, Hutton, turned 12 so we could get them both SCUBA certified. We didn’t realize that the certification for Junior Open Water with PADI had changed to age 10!

Michael and I went to our local Dive Shop in Hermosa Beach, CA, and our son, Trey, quickly completed the e-learning, confined, and pool work. All that was left were the four open-water dives. Now let me explain: it would have to be done off the coast of Palos Verdes, CA, in January – in dark, kelp-filled, cold water. (This is not the definition of kid-friendly, and not the perfect place to learn to dive.) While Trey was very comfortable in the ocean and a strong swimmer, he would also have to wear a thick 7 mm wetsuit, a hood, booties , and a great deal of lead weight. Well, he was not having any of it! We knew right away that this wouldn’t be the place for either child to learn to dive. The search for our family’s dive vacation began.

We found Kids Sea Camp

Not giving up, we decided to look into group scuba trips to help us navigate and find kid-friendly dive sites around the world that would provide a safe, comfortable, and fun option for our kids to complete Jr. open water certificationsfor our kids.

That’s when we found Kids Sea Camp! It was exactly what we needed. A group of top scuba instructors arranged trips for families who wanted to explore the underwater world together. As a bonus, they were focused on families and offered incredible youth dive training programs and continued environmental education for all. Done. Is Kids Sea Camp the perfect place?

Kids Sea Camp has exceeded all our expectations. Both of our kids have been successfully certified at Kids Sea Camp, and we have been on two one-week-long dive trips to Little Cayman (Little Cayman Beach Resort and St. Lucia at Anse Chastanet Resort)

With each trip, we all become more confident and comfortable. Our family loves the balance that these trips give us as well. We get to have quality family time together, hours of diving, great meals, getting to know other families, and stolen private moments alone. Margo and Tom provide professional photographers throughout the week to capture each memorable moment of our family diving and the kids’ newfound friends.

Little Kids and Big Kids are everywhere

Scattered throughout the week, everyone (both big and small, young and old – like Tom, haha) has the option to enjoy activities such as jungle biking, sunset cruises, chocolate tasting, paddle boarding, treasure hunts, hiking, volleyball (a family favorite!), karaoke (start practicing your song now!), various culinary delights and art classes.

There is time together and time for making new friends with other like-minded families. We are so happy that our kids love diving, and as a family. The family can unplug and reconnect by exploring the underwater world together.

We cannot recommend Kids Sea Camp enough! It’s one of those perfect vacation gems you almost don’t want to share with others lest they take your spot! But no, all jokes aside, we were always blown away when speaking with other KSC guests regarding how many years they have been diving with Margo and Tom. Some have been with KSC for more than five years! And I know we, too, will be among them. Now we have to agree upon the next perfect place for our family!

Thank you for all the memories (and incredible photography!) Margo, Tom, and the entire Kids Sea Camp crew!

Much love, The Morris Family (Kati, Michael, Trey, and Hutton)

By Kati Haack Morris, KSC mom

Take Time To Savor Life’s Treats

13 May 202626 September 2019 by Tom Peyton

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.