Tom Peyton

Top tips for travel safety and being ready for emergencies.

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Solitude, Palau, Kids and scuba diving, Family Diving vacations, Family Dive Adventures, Scuba Diving, Kids Sea Camp, Kids and scuba

Top 10 safety tips when booking a liveaboard dive trip.

Ask the tough questions when searching for your next liveaboard trip. Make sure you are qualified for the type of diving you plan to do. You should be fit and mentally prepared for liveaboard diving. Do not assume there is a single world book of mandates and laws. It is your responsibility to be a competent diver, so here are the safety tips when taking a dive trip. Why choose Kids Sea Camp?

Ask about dive gear needs, weights, types of boats, conditions, etc. Ask if the time of year you want to go is best for that destination. Make sure you are comfortable with the number of guests on board compared to the staff. I personally do not dive on liveaboards with more than 16 passengers; I do not prefer shared bathrooms; and I do not ever go on boats that don’t offer professional, active, rescue-trained, and up-to-date divemasters or instructors in the water with divers. 

I am very strict on my ratios when it comes to family and kids; my minimum is 1 DM to 5 certified divers in the water. It’s important that you feel comfortable with the conditions the liveaboard will be diving in, and that you know what they are or can be. Request a fire drill, make sure systems and alarms are working. 

Request and demand to see both sides of the emergency exits

Have the staff show you how they open by demonstrating, so you can make sure it’s not blocked or painted shut, and that it opens easily and works properly. Know where the life jackets are and know where the exits to your cabins are. Do your research on the operator you are considering to determine its reputation. Scuba board, Under Current, DAN, and Under Current are just a few good resources to look up.  Make sure you book with an experienced, trustworthy agent. I am available to my clients 24/7.  My cell is on my card, and believe it or not, I have made myself available to clients in trouble on trips that have not even been booked through me. 

Woody Tinsley: When you’re on a liveaboard, I joined a group a few years ago and got the Nautilis lifeline, and it’s on me with every boat dive, and I keep it clipped to my safety sausage, which, if I had time to grab an emergency, would be one of the only things I grab. But the lifeline broadcasts your GPS location internationally on an emergency frequency to every boat. Anyway, NOAA put it on, and it was really eye-opening. Boat drills consistently do abandon ship drills, but nobody ever talks about what you should do in the water afterward. https://shop-nautiluslifeline-com.3dcartstores.com/

Safety tips to help you be ready to travel.

  1. How many passengers and cabins are accommodated on your boats?
  2. How many crew are on the boat, and are they all rescue-trained and trained in fire drills?
  3. Do you have an emergency contingency plan in place, and may I have a copy?
  4. Are your boats inspected and up to date with all required licenses and inspections?
  5. Do you have a sprinkler system and a fire detection system on this boat?
  6. Do you allow charging devices in individual cabins?
  7. Do you have fire extinguishers and alarms in all cabins and rooms?
  8. Do you have a mandatory security night watch aboard your boats?
  9. Also, where is the emergency contact list for guests?
  10. What are your ratios of divers in the water to staff, and are the dive staff professional-certified, dive masters & instructors?

10 safety tips for an emergency when traveling

  1. Remove any second-tier verification codes from your email account.
  2. Create your own safety deposit box or emergency folder in the cloud. Put copies of your passports, dive cards, DAN insurance, or other documents, a copy of your airline itinerary, and the emergency contacts for you personally, as well as for the airline, and the liveaboard, resort, or agent you are working with.  We all live in a push-button world, and with smartphones, remembering the numbers of our family and business is a thing of the past. If you lose your phone and computer, you lose it all.
  3. Keep a small emergency dry bag with you at all times. Keep it on your nightstand at night and keep it in your dry bag on your dive boat. Keep it with you at all times. Inside.
  4. Your cell phone, your passport or copy of your passport, a copy of your airline ticket, a note with your most important numbers, a small amount of money, and 1 credit card.
  5. At night, make sure to have in your dry grab bag 1 pair of underwear, a shirt, shorts, and life-saving meds you can’t go without. This should not be large. You do not know the conditions you may be in. 5. Send a link to your emergency folder to your emergency contact at home, not traveling with you.
  6. Ensure your dive gear and camera equipment.
  7. Make sure you have DAN Dive insurance or USI (CFAR insurance). Rescue flights and chamber rides can cost tens to hundreds of thousands in a remote location to air vac you out.
  8. Make sure that the people you are traveling with have access to your emergency information.
  9. Make sure the organization you are traveling with has strong online reviews, and take the time to read them.
  10. Pay it forward. Share it with others and post on Scuba Board, The Dive Magazine websites, and your multimedia. Let other divers learn from your experience

Let’s make diving safer for divers by making more informed and educated divers

  • Check what travel insurance you have and what you need.
  • Have a list of items that you pack, even better, lay them out in the “Tetris Challenge” style. The email that picture to contact and yourself or save on the cloud.
  • Make copies of the paperwork and email them to a close friend and yourself, or store them in the cloud.
  • Have an “emergency contact form.”
  • Accordingly, know at least one phone number.

The Right Honourable Lord Woodrow F. Tinsley III D.o.D. HcLaird of Glencoe and LochaberCount of Hougun ManorBoston Sea RoversOwner of The Sharkiteuthis Diving Co., East Hartford Police #289

By Margo Peyton, Owner of Kids Sea Camp Inc., Family Dive Adventure,s PADI Instructor 57474

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.

The search for the perfect dive vacation is over

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Kids Sea Camp, Amazing vacations, photograpers

“Honey, I think we found our family dive vacations!”

In the spring of 2010, I sat at my computer late one night, searching for a family dive vacation. Sam was 5, and we recently adopted our son, Hunter, also 5, from China. My husband, Andy, and I were avid divers. While Andy’s diving background was drysuit diving in the cold ocean off the coast of Scotland, I preferred warmer waters. As avid cave divers, we loved diving in the springs in Florida, and having kids meant that cave diving was in the past for us.

While we enjoyed the beach and boating, our passion has always been scuba diving, so we set out to find the perfect family vacation. Unfortunately, we thought, kids and scuba diving would not go together very well.

As I sat at my computer, hopeful, I entered various words into search engines: “family diving,” “kids scuba diving,” and “family vacations.” Kids Sea Camp popped right up, and I turned to my husband and said, “Honey, I think I found what we have been looking for!”

Margo Peyton

I read everything about Kids Sea Camp and its founder, Margo Peyton. If you Google either of those phrases, there are pages of great stories and information, and it’s all positive. I called the next day, and Margo answered. We spoke at length, as I had many concerns because Hunter couldn’t swim, and he couldn’t speak English, and Sam, who has ADHD, is not one to sit through a course. Maybe it was selfish of us, but I just knew we had to go.

Margo assured me it would all work out, and we booked our first of many trips to Buddy Dive in Bonaire for June 2010. At this point, Hunter was not too enamored with the ocean. His first water event occurred at home when he fell in the pool and sank to the bottom. This soon was remedied with swim lessons, and by spring, he had donned a wetsuit and was playing in the waves in St. Augustine, Florida.

We have never looked back

When we arrived at Buddy Dive, we were apprehensive. What was I thinking going off diving while my two 5-year-old kids were left with the Kids Sea Camp staff? My fears were allayed when I watched the kids feed beautiful parrotfish off the dock. They were laughing and having the time of their life. By the end of the week, these two 5-year-olds were making new friends, learning about fish, and even managing giant strides off the dock in SASY gear. They loved their instructors and learned how to set up and use their gear. We have never looked back. My search for the perfect dive vacation was found at Kids Sea Camp.

Over the past eight years, our family vacations have been with Kids Sea Camp. There were challenges along the way. The hardest part for Sam was completing the bookwork for his Jr. Open Water class. But you put Sam in a wetsuit and scuba gear, and the little diver in him takes right over. Sam and Hunter love zero gravity, and that little kid who once sank to the bottom of the pool is now a varsity swimmer and triathlete. They want to experience life to the fullest, and nothing holds them back.

KSC all around the world

We have taken them diving at Kids Sea Camps on Bonaire, Grand Cayman, Roatán, Utila, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and, coming up this month, Belize. Then our first liveaboard Family Dive Vacations in the Socorro Islands is planned for December 2018. Some of those KSC places have seen our faces more than once. Each time we go, we reconnect with families we have met and meet new ones. We have watched as our kids (and other families’ kids) have transitioned from SASY to Seals to JOW to AOW divers. We are all divers; watching our kids become divers is a bond we share. I am the lucky one. I have three men who share my passion for the sea.

Margo’s muster text

Not all places Margo researches for Kids Sea Camp pass her muster because it takes a special family-friendly place, a special family-friendly PADI dive instructor, and a unique local family-owned operation for her to feel safe entrusting “her kids” in the underwater world. Margo is a PADI instructor whose whole life is dedicated to keeping kids safe while teaching them about the ocean. All of the resorts are PADI five-star dive centers.

Then there are the included extras, like private boats, kids’ dive gear, private instructors, and even Margo and Tom. Other activities include zip-lining, chocolate tasting, spas, jungle biking, beach volleyball, fire dancers, sunset cruises, and cultural excursions.

The Poetry night is wonderful

Kids Sea Camp is more than just diving. Learning underwater sign language (yes, there is a useful course), learning to use Sealife cameras, learning about coral reef restoration, and understanding our impact and role as responsible divers. Then there is the tradition of family poetry writing. Inspired by the Sealife camera prizes, Andy writes about this magical journey at each destination, the highlights of the week, and the precious moments captured in the smiles on our sons’ faces each day.

These poems express overwhelming joy, as each trip creates lifelong memories for Kids Sea Camp families. When Andy reads his poems, he is always choking back emotion and tears, as is the entire group. You see, wreck diving off the coast of North Carolina brought us together 28 years ago, and Kids Sea Camp rekindles that with the perfect family dive vacation. My search for the perfect dive vacation is over with Family Dive Vacations.

By Patti Snyder

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.

Lucky Lucky Lionfish

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Lucky lucky lionfish
Come and swim with me

Lucky lucky lionfish
It was meant to be

Lucky lucky lionfish
Have no fear

Lucky lucky lionfish
Daddy is not here

Lucky lucky lionfish
You don’t see a spear

Lucky lucky lionfish
No one will come near

Lucky lucky lionfish
You are safe this year

Lucky lucky lionfish
Daddy is not here in Belize

By: Abby Zanelli

Lionfish, Belize, Tarpon Fly Fishing, Kids and Fishing, Bone fish, Permit, Kids Sea Camp
Belize i a wonderful place to hunt for Lionfish.

Older divers are still diving

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Family Dive Adventures, Scuba Diving, Kids Sea Camp, Kids and scuba, Ray Woolley

Ray Woolley was diving at age 95

Undercurrent recently wrote about the continuing diving career of 95-year-old Ray Woolley, a British-born resident of Cyprus, where he has plenty of opportunities to get into the water. But now his record as the world’s oldest diver is being challenged by 98-year-old Bill Lambert from Rockford, IL, who got his scuba certification last October. Lambert is waiting to see if the Guinness World Records will verify his claim. 
I love Undercurrent and was thrilled to read this in their bulletin this month. We have many grandparents who travel and dive with Kids Sea Camp and Family Divers, and now our Empty Nester trips, well into their late 70s and 80s.
I want to be just like that someday, and maybe challenge this record too if my son Robbie Peyton and Jen Peyton are taking their mamma diving at 90. I always tell Tom Peyton that I didn’t want to live to be that old if I couldn’t dive. All the grandparents, many of whom travel with me each year, inspire me and others. The smiles on their grandchildren’s faces when they say, “I’m scuba diving with my grandma and grandpa.” They truly remember those memories for the rest of their lives.
Time becomes the most important thing in life as I age, not only my time, but the time spent with my own parents. I would have loved to take my mom or dad diving. So to all you grandparents out there diving. Keep it up. Zero gravity is good for the bones, and diving with your kids and grandkids is great for the heart! Divers keep getting older and better.
A sad update: Ray Woolley, age 99, has passed. (See link)
 

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

Our first Liveaboard dive trip is with Kids Sea Camp

by
Socorro, Oceanic Manta, Kids Sea Camp

Socorro is amazing for diving

The bottom line is that the Socorro trip on the Rocio Del Mar was amazing! We were a little apprehensive and nervous, as you can imagine, but as usual, the staff that Margo and Tom sent for the trip was top-notch.

Josh Comay (an Adventure travel guide and PADI Instructor with KSC) led this family dive vacation confidently and was extremely accommodating to all the families on the trip. He was fun not only for the adults but also for the kids, and he was very engaged with them, which was a pleasure to observe. Josh made Lucy (the youngest diver on the trip, age 12) feel included. He also made a big deal of the photos she took with the free cameras provided, which boosted her confidence as a young diver. It was all so much fun to watch.

Socorro trips impact

Kids Sea Camp, Kids and diving

This trip had a great impact on Lucy, and Reagan and I loved sharing the experience with the kids. We are so very grateful to you, your staff, and the Kids Sea Camp family. Kylie and Keone (your PADI DM intern students) were also fantastic and engaged with the kids. This included being very attentive to all of the kids while diving and spending time with them before and after dives. They briefed and debriefed the dives, and simultaneously played cards and games and watched movies with them the whole trip. Lucy received so much personal attention from Kylie and felt an instant connection with her and her kindness. They were both fantastic, and I would recommend them to anyone who asks about them as part of your Kids Sea Camp Dive Team. Again, I cannot stress how wonderful they all were, and I hope to spend more time with them on future trips.

The diving was amazing. In fact, I really cannot put into words how much we enjoyed diving from a live-aboard, not only because of the location itself, but also because your staff, the boat’s crew, and the other families on the trip with us exceeded our expectations.

My 100th dive

Socorro, Oceanic Manta, Kids Sea CampI celebrated my 100th dive on this trip, and Kylie and Josh made a huge deal about it. They had the chef make me a special cake. What a wonderful way to celebrate (and really, most of those dives have been with you all and your trips. I am surely lucky my sister Reagan brings me with her and her family all around the world).

Reagan and I loved watching Lucy and Lauren mature into excellent divers on this trip. Lucy’s growth as a 12-year-old diver was so impressive, I cannot stress the impact that Edgar (from the dive team) and Kylie had on her…she fell in love with diving (she did every dive), wants to be a dive master, and found a new love for underwater photography. She made Reagan promise to bring her back to Socorro, and she’s already counting the days until our next trip. Kudos for helping bring this love to her life. (See our KSC gallery)

Lauren also grew tremendously on this trip. She and Hannah also did every dive, and it was so fun to listen to the two of them talk about what they saw and watch them after each dive—the excitement and experience were priceless and truly a memory for a lifetime. At one point, Lauren stopped bringing her camera so she could take in everything she was experiencing. We loved talking to her after each dive; her smile was priceless.

The bottom line is that our family had an amazing trip.

We loved every dive, loved your staff, and loved the boat staff. Saying thank you does not seem to be enough. So, thanks to both of you and special thanks to your kids’ sea camp staff, please pass this along.

By Jennifer Yee, 2019