Instructor loves her “Bucket List” Galapagos trip with Kids Sea Camp
I decided to hit one of my all-time “Bucket List” destinations. After 20 years as a diver, I was long overdue for a journey to the Galapagos Islands. Kids Sea Camp always uses top-notch locations and suppliers, so there was no one else to call but Margo Peyton. I’ve booked many dive group trips with her, but this one was a dream come true for me.
Kids Sea Camp Galapagos experience
Diving with whale sharks and schools of hammerheads is all part of the Kids Sea Camp Galapagos experience. So I knew booking through them would put my dive group and me on the best possible boats. I can say that the trip was magical from start to finish. Poor Margo had to have back surgery this summer. I was so honored to be asked to fill the group leader position – BONUS!! I got the most amazing kids as my dive buddies, and sharing this experience with them just added to the magic for me.
Arriving in San Cristobal, we were met at the airport by the dive guides for the Galapagos. We took the short ride to the harbor, where we actually had to step over lazing sea lions to get on the rib boat “Panga” and ride out to the motor yacht. We had some refreshments and a get-to-know-you orientation with the staff and boat. Then we headed out to an easy, shallow bay to complete the orientation dive. This dive made sure everyone was comfortable and that all equipment was in good condition and well-fitting.
Our dive buddy was a sea lion!
This was an amazing dive to kick off the week. Our dive buddy was a sea lion! He showed off in front of us for a full 40 minutes, twirling and swooping, whooshing by and then flopping onto the bottom, blowing bubbles and mouthing the tops of snorkels, investigating bubbles from the vents in hoods, and generally having a grand time with these silly-looking creatures with the metal tanks.
Back on the boat, we were treated to the first of many delicious meals before retiring to our comfortable and well-appointed cabins for the night.
Shark time at KSC
We had the chance to visit several islands during the week, the best of which, for me, were Darwin and Wolfe. Dive after dive, we were treated to schools of Hammerhead Sharks by the dozen. If we stayed still long enough, they would come closer, and we would get to see the details of their beautiful scalloped heads. Amongst the hammerheads, we would also see the different-shaped bodies of Galapagos Sharks, white-tip reef sharks, and sometimes even a Silky.
All these sharks made for the perfect location for the kids to earn their Project Aware – Shark Awareness Specialty. As well as learning about sharks, we learned about the threats to them, and we asked about every fishing vessel we saw: were they legal, and what fishing methods were they using? Fortunately, they all followed the strict regulations set out by the Marine Park. The Galapagos is a great place to be a shark!
Whale Shark sightings
The highlight of the week for us all was the Whale Shark sightings. These huge, beautiful creatures are quite something to experience up close, and there were several sightings for all divers during the week. As well as the sharks we were treated to many other sightings, a Manta Ray, many huge turtles and lots of Eagle Rays….. and the fish. Never before have I had poor visibility because I could barely see through the thousands of fish!
Of course, the Galapagos is famous for its unique wildlife, and we were lucky enough to see Marine Iguanas feeding on algae underwater and, on the same dive, Flightless Cormorants diving amongst us for fish. Tropical Fish and Penguins all on the same boat ride – this is rather like Alice’s Wonderland.
Kids Sea Camp, you run a tight ship
I made some great new friends amongst the Kids Sea Camp families on the trip. And we all enjoyed the excellent service from our friendly, helpful crew. I can honestly say that, in all my years of diving and across the many locations I have been to, this was truly the trip of a lifetime.
Thanks, Kids Sea Camp, you run a tight ship, and this was an incredible Galapagos family adventure.
And special thanks to Margo, KSC is truly the best when it comes to family travel.
By Lucy Dunbar, former owner of Columbia Scuba, in South Carolina
Although exhausted from the flight over from the west coast, through Honolulu, past Guam, Yap, and finally, after some 26 plus hours, we all arrived. Upon arrival, the tired guests are met with a warm welcome at the airport, then shuttled to the hotel, where they check in and go straight to bed.