Tom Peyton, auteur op Family Dive Adventures

These are the poems the memories and bits of inspiration from families that travel with us

For more information on Trips go to www.familydivers.com

Roses are red
Bat meat is blue
Leaving Palau
Makes me feel blue too

By Sisney family (yes they really ate a bat)

Old divers, old fins, new friends
We dove we ate we learned
Times were grand because we dove with Sam’s
The strobes were flashing the diving was smashing but
Now it’s time to return to the grind
I hope we can all find the money and time
To return and do it all over again

By Norlund family

KSC KSC
It’s a heap of fun
We love to dive & we love to swim & we love to sit in the sun
KSC KSC
Sam’s Tours Palau been fun
There’s not one thing that they can’t do
But please don’t mention Yap!

Diving through the blue
There’s sharks & mantas too
It’s your lucky day
If Dave’s not in the way!
Costa’s briefs aren’t short
Palau’s history he’s taught
Dave’s sausage stands a lot more firm
Than Sean’s undulating worm!

Teen divers back roll in
The sharks are chasing Quinn
There are cameras everywhere
Bri’s Shu brushing her hair
There are now five divers more
Than in the bait ball we first saw
Five extra kids been certified
Congratulations- you can dive!

And now it’s time for home
As around the world we roam
Injecting sickly ferrets
And checking the world wide markets
Will look up facebook pages
And Kids Se Camp .com
We’re planning next year already
So Utila here we come!

By Wakely family

Palau:
So- off we went to the Island Paradise of Palau
With the KSC crew there, there’s no better time than now.
With Margo & Tabitha all flights were made ready’
Our room & schedules were all set, everything was ready.
Upon arriving we were met by the islands best team; Sam, Dermont,
Marc and Laura on board, what a dream!
Then diving with stingless jellyfish on our first island day-
Our kids snorkeled with them so gleefully-couldn’t help but say Hooray!
Boat diving then followed and each day was an absolute blast!
From channels and caves to seaplanes from the past.
Our boat crew was the best- JC & Robin somehow made sure that mantas & sharks
Would be there without bringing a lure!
But what makes this trip even more so endearing is that for sure each child would learn
About scuba diving, sea animals & ocean life, Oh so inspiring!
So now with new friendships made and our taste for adventure fulfilled to the brim-
We look forward to our next sea camp with a smile and a grin.
So till then our dreams will be filled by manta rays & jellyfishes as we plan to be at
Next year’s Kids Sea Camp to fulfill our summer vacation wishes.

By Abad Santos family

Who wants to travel “round the world
Come to Palau w/ me
Let’s make new friends who share our love
For the creatures of the sea

Mantas, sharks and turtles
Rays and fish galore
So many treasures lay in wait
For those who leave the shore.

So many creatures, great and small
Swim right before our eyes
I feel so blessed to have seen this place-
A place too beautiful to describe

Bento’s boats and beaches
Did wait for us each day
Along with friends and memories
That we’ll all take away.

Tonight we depart our island dream
To start our journey back
But lets first applaud our new divers
Ellen, Hannah, Liv and Jack!

Palau is oh so beautiful
Found at the Rainbow’s End
But even more beautiful are all of you
Who I now consider friends

So don’t worry-don’t fret
Do not shed a tear
For Kids Sea Camp we don’t say goodbye
We say see you all next year!

By Weller family

Kids Sea Camp, Palau, was the best trip of my life

The wake-up call pings in my ear, I slowly turn over to answer it, and it’s then that I realize that this will be the beginning of the most amazing 7 days I’ve ever spent as a diver. I’m in Palau, Micronesia- the eighth wonder of the world!

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.

Like Christmas morning

On Sunday morning, everyone jumps out of bed like a kid on Christmas morning. Anticipation is running at an all-time high because today we are going to the world-famous Jellyfish Lake. A quick boat ride, then a hike- 20 minutes uphill, 20 minutes downhill, and at last, you see it- a beautiful, pristine lake tucked deep away in the Rock Islands. A lake filled with thousands of prehistoric jellyfish that do not sting, but wait patiently to be joined for an afternoon swim.

Hundreds of years without any natural predators have enabled these angelic creatures to discard their protective stinging tentacles and live an almost uninterrupted life in Jellyfish Lake. We all don our masks, fins, and snorkels and slip into the water. Being surrounded by thousands and thousands of these amazing creatures is truly incredible. There are so many jellyfish surrounding us- all we have to do is reach out our hand, and we can feel one swimming by. This is something we will never forget.

Fun in the Mud

Just when we think this day can’t get any better, we are treated to a fantastic snorkel trip at Palau’s famous Milky Way reef. Seeing all the beautiful, tropical fish sends our hearts soaring- this is truly paradise, and we are so glad to be here. But the snorkeling isn’t the only cool thing about this spot- the shallowest point is made up of limestone mud, a wonderful, fascinating mixture that was once exported to spas and salons all over the world. However, due to conservation efforts to protect this beautiful land, one must now travel all the way to Palau to experience its wonderful healing effects. We all cover ourselves in the mud and relax while we bake ourselves in the sun.

Mud baths

Once the mud hardens, we slip off the boat and rinse off, asking one another, “Do I look ten years younger?” After our “mud baths,” we all head over to a beautiful white sandy beach where we enjoy a fantastic lunch and a birthday party. Stefan is turning 12 years old. The afternoon is filled with cake and ice cream, songs and laughter, screams of delight and, of course, a dip in the beautiful blue water.

The President of Palau

That night, everyone attended the Opening Ceremony, where we were all in for a wonderful surprise! The President of Palau, Johnson Toribiong, was in attendance along with the Minister of State, Minister of Tourism, Chief of Staff, and Palau Visitors Association board members. The President gave a wonderful speech and then took the time to come around and visit with each kid! What an honor! How many people ever get to say that they met the President? Dinner was fantastic, and then we all sat down and watched a great performance by the Ngermid dancers. This trip has already been amazing- and it’s only the first day!

Monday is our first “dive day,” and so everyone is up early to eat breakfast and then those who need to head over to the dive shop to get fitted for their SCUBA PRO rental gear. Everyone sets up their gear, then gets on the boat for their in-depth dive briefing. The adult and teen divers head out to begin their two-tank boat dives. Back at the resort, Sydney and Max are just starting the Jr. Open Water program. The SASY and Seal Team kids were having fun as well- learning skills which will help to make them great divers in the future, and having a blast painting. During the week, everyone gets a chance to paint and take home a beautiful masterpiece. Just something to remember the amazing week.

The SASY and SEAL TEAMS were in full stride

Sydney and Max were All-Stars passing with flying colors and earning their certification on Thursday. This was extra special because Friday was Family Day, which meant diving with their parents. The SASY and SEAL TEAMS were in full stride, learning the beginning stages of becoming a SCUBA diver. Graduating as Master SEALS were Sofia and Cam. Kids Sea Camp had total coverage with Nick and Tom from Sam’s Tours filming and taking pictures. Also flying around was Annie Crawley. Taking pictures and video of all the families, kids in programs, candid shots, and even working on a project of her own, “Dive into Your Imagination,” Ocean Annie.

The diving

The amazing week continued to get better as kids graduated, friendships forged, and stories traded. For the divers, this is where heaven fell into the sea. They enjoyed dives at the “German Channel,” which was home to Manta Rays and other large critters. “Blue Corner” housed big sharks, Eagle Rays, and more Manta’s. “The Drop Off” was an incredible wall with Butterflyfish, Wrasses, Angels of all kinds, brilliant colored coral, Moray eels, and much more. With each dive, the mantra was, “That was the best dive ever.”

As the week began to come to a close, each moment became increasingly precious. There was marine art throughout the week with Michael Gellinsky, treasure hunts for the SASY and SEAL TEAMS, informative talks with Sam’s Tours, and Ron ( Lei )from Palau. There was a movie night for the kids while adults went on a night dive.

The closing party

Friday arrived, and the much-anticipated Beach Party and Poems were finally here. This is always a wonderful way to wrap up a fun-filled week at Kids Sea Camp. These poems are always full of comedic and serious takes on the week’s events and individual antics. Talent is always abundant, filled with surprises and laughter.

Each family writes a poem about their experience while vying for a DC1200 SeaLife camera as the winning prize for the best poem. This year’s 1^st place and the DC1200 SeaLife camera belong to Jennie. 2nd place and a DC Mini to John, and 3rd and 4th place, receiving a Body Glove dive bag. This contest is always tough to judge. To Kids Sea Camp, all are winners!

Saturday was tour day, and for most, a guided kayak tour through the Rock Islands sounded just right. Four hours of incredible sightseeing and exploration were breathtaking. The amazing tour ended at Mandarin Lake for some snorkeling. It was a perfect ending to a fabulous day. Saturday night was the closing ceremony at the Dive shop. Another feast, with awards to the SASY, SEALS, and Jr. Open Water grads.

New connections

As the night came to a close, all the families began to load onto the buses. Tears were shed. Long hugs were given. Emails and phone numbers were exchanged. Everyone knew that this week would never be forgotten, their new friends would be missed, and their lives would be forever changed. For tonight, they leave Palau, Micronesia.

Palau Family Dive Adventure Parent poems