Family Stories

Paul Zanelli: Diving back into life

by
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.

How Kids Sea Camp has changed my life

by
Kids Sea Camp, Karaoke, kids and diving

Life-changing moments at Kids Sea Camp happen every day

Kids Sea Camp is one of the greatest programs I have ever participated in. The week is a wonderful, life-changing event like nothing I have ever seen. I thoroughly enjoy seeing young kids learn to dive right next to their parents and siblings. It has enriched my life greatly because, through Kids Sea Camp, I have learned amazing skills, met new friends, and grown closer to my family.

Kids Sea Camp, life-changing, kids and diving, family vacations

The first reason Kids Sea Camp has enriched my life is the skills I have learned each camp week. My first trip was Grand Cayman, where I learned proper diving techniques, and how vital underwater conservation is. I discovered underwater photography and first aid skills. In 2016, I became a Dive Master at Buddy Dive, Bonaire Kids Sea Camp week with Woody Tinsley. I learned about the science behind diving, what people look for in a leader, how to deal with people in distress, and I learned so many new skills and how to teach them. The knowledge I have gained at Kids Sea Camp has enriched my life.

Another reason is the friends I have met each year. Thanks to Kids Sea Camp, I have friends all over the world. I have met many amazing people at Kids Sea Camp and made more amazing memories than I can count. There are always other kids my age, and diving with other kids is so much fun. It is easy to make new friends, but I enjoy creating exciting new memories with my family and other adult divers. An example of that is when Tom Peyton and I were in Fiji, we kept all the families and kids entertained and had fun with me playing the guitar and him singing. There is even a Karaoke night on the KSC weeks. We also played volleyball every afternoon.

One of my favorite Kids Sea Camp Instructors is Woody Tinsley, he is hilarious and so much fun. Woody teaches the Zombie Apocalypse PADI course and was my Instructor for my PADI Dive Master Course. Mr. Tinsley made sure that I learned every skill perfectly. He is the kind of instructor I hope to be like one day. Woody is only one of the instructors on the great team at Kids Sea Camp. I can honestly say some of the most extraordinary people I have ever met, I met through Kids Sea Camp.

The final reason Kids Sea Camp has enriched my life is that it has helped me grow closer to my own family through travel and diving together. At our first Kids Sea Camp, my sister had never dived before and had no interest in learning. I was able to convince her to try to overcome her fear. After she was certified, she, I, and our whole family love diving and traveling with Kids Sea Camp and Margo & Tom.

“My life is forever changed and enriched because of Kids Sea Camp and I love to travel and dive and will continue to do so for many more years to come. I hope to become a dive instructor and work for Kids Sea Camp so I can become a part of enriching other people lives too. Kids Sea Camp is truly life-changing!” — James Devinney

What is even more special in my eyes is being able to dive with my little brother, Jason. He has a passion for the sport, just like the rest of our family, and there is nowhere else in the world I can think of that will teach someone his age to dive. Jason is currently a PADI Seal and gets to dive in the ocean with the Kids Sea Camp. We would have usually had to split up our family and not have been able to include Jason. At Kids Sea Camp, I get to dive with my little brother and the whole family together. So, Kids Sea Camp has enriched my life and my entire family’s lives.

Any family would clearly see how amazing Kids Sea Camp is. I think it’s one of the most fantastic family vacations in the world! It gets families to unplug and reconnect with each other through adventure and fun. It makes me grateful for my family and the smiles and memories we create together. I wish there were more people like Tom and Margo because they make the world a better place. Margo has a passion for kids, diving, and the ocean, and she loves teaching kids and family members to dive and love the ocean from the age of 5.

By James Devinney

Family Trippin in Micronesia with Kids Sea Camp

by
Yap, whale sharks, Kids Scuba, Family Scuba Diving Adventures, Kids Sea Camp, Family Scuba Diving Vacations, Family Dive Adventures, Scuba Diving, Manta Ray Bay

A Divers paradise and whole-family eco-adventures

Manta Ray Bay Resort, Yap. 2016: Yap and Palau have the strongest cultural bonds in Micronesia, are geographically next door to each other, and both offer unique family travel opportunities. Come here for the natural beauty, island culture, and iconic diving in marine sanctuaries on an eco-adventure. The Micronesia experience is embodied in nature, culture, and conservation. Yap and Palau put an exclamation point on your family’s trip for divers and non-divers alike.

These destinations have a lot of advanced diver allure; they come with special cultural and land-based opportunities for every traveler. Nothing says to bring the whole family more than non-diver adventures that rival the experiences of Vertigo, Blue Corner, or an Oolong Channel drift.

Each day of a Family Divers package includes eco-activities for small children, teens, and non-diving adults. In Yap and Palau, that means kayaking through the rock islands or a rich mangrove forest. Or taking a WWII history tour or visiting a traditional village, being “local” for a day, learning about village life or traditional skills and engaging people on a unique cultural excursion. Enjoy a private beach, snorkeling with manta rays, reef sharks, chambered nautilus, and giant clams.

Unplugging in Yap

Yap will help you forget about bling and the busy world. Here you’ll find a mix of fellow adventure travelers relaxing in the natural energy that comes from an undeveloped island. Your world shrinks down to 38 square miles of mangroves and gold sand beaches. A rainforest backdrop speckled with coconut trees, and your front yard is a glassy lagoon. It won’t take long until nature’s rhythm dominates. And you’ll notice your body feeling the tide changes and the afternoon sun falling behind the island.

Yap and Palau offer our modern lifestyle some counterbalance – busyness and our multi-tasking, the world gives way to the moment, and you might find yourself feeling and trying something new to you – after all, that’s why we travel, to learn something, engage ourselves, and embrace the world we live in.

This is where family time includes understanding our ecosystem, what threatens it, and what we can do to change that – then diving or snorkeling with protected animals. Yap and Palau have taken big steps in marine conservation through locally grown island initiatives. Yap established the world’s first government-backed manta ray sanctuary, which now includes shark and turtle protection, and legislation that allows these animals to safely interact with divers in ultra-close proximity every day.

The blue water classroom

Kids Sea Camp safely pairs kids with sharks through education and adventure. Led by local marine mammal experts and professional dive guides in Yap. “Vertigo” is a blue water classroom where divers of all levels safely interact with schools of reef sharks. Before entering the water, divers and snorkelers learn about the site, shark behavior, and how to safely observe these animals as a family.

Get some blue sky and clear water “me time” through careful activity planning. Parents dive on a private boat and a dive plan. Kids dive with extra guides on their own boats at different sites. Non-divers begin their adventure right after breakfast. Mixing it up brings the family together in the middle of the adventure. See your kids in a village on their surface interval. They might tell you that they just swam with a whale shark.

At the end of the day, photography lights up the dinner table with SeaLife cameras, smartphones with GoPro footage, or tablets being passed around. While fragments of the stories can be heard amid the excitement. Parents, kids, divers, non-divers, everyone gets their adventure. Whether you went to the reef, eco-touring, fishing, or getting your zen on at the spa. Yap and Palau; do them both and get two countries, two islands, two cultures. . . in one vacation.

Story  by Brad Holland

 

Mother loves the Peace of Kids Sea Camp

by
non-divers, kids sea camp, kids and scuba, family dive vacations

Even a non-diving mom loves Kids Sea Camp all year round

By Janet Martin, a non-diving mom

So, I wanted to tell you about two things that happened today that reminded me of Kids Sea Camp. To be truthful, not a day goes by that someone in our family doesn’t speak of Kids Sea Camp.

It is now August 15. This morning, when I woke up and went downstairs to the kitchen to make coffee, I looked out the window and saw the subtle changes of the season. The color of the water was different, the wind was blowing the trees differently, and when I opened the door, the air had a crispness to it, and it smelled different — it smelled like fall! Ahh! I love fall, but it means winter is just around the corner. I am not a fan of winter. I try to embrace it but my thoughts always return to Kids Sea Camp. I think of Kids Sea Camp and I’m a non-diver, that’s how amazing the weeks are.

The second thing that happened was with my son. We went to get the mail and he received an envelope from PADI! He was beyond excited. Enclosed was his PADI Seal Team card. His smile will be in my memories forever. He is a PADI Seal because of Kids Sea Camp. Kids Sea Camp is unique to us. Perhaps that is why we think of it often. Our children can now explore and experience things in life that before they would not have had the opportunity to do.

My name is Janet Martin, my husband Tim and our two children Isaac (8) and Allie (5) would like to tell you about our experience with Kids Sea Camp. It has taken me a long time to focus and figure out what Kids Sea Camp means to me. I have had a lot of thoughts go through my head, but I keep coming back to the word Peace. Kids Sea Camp means Peace to me. Sort of silly I know, because you would not naturally put these two things together.

Our journey with Kids Sea Camp began with a desire to get back into traveling. After the long winters everyone has endured on the Northeast Coast, we were looking for a vacation that would make us happy, comfortable, accommodating, and, of course, Tim has to dive.

Kids Sea Camp, Kids and diving

I will often read my husband’s dive magazines (being a non-diver) to see what is happening in the dive world. I saw a Kids Sea Camp advertisement and asked Tim, “What do you think about this? Should we call and see what this is about?” (Remember, this is not something we would ever do.) Curious and desperate to find a solution, he called (I believe several times!). We had a lot of questions. The Martins are thoughtful and practical decision makers; we fail horribly in the “quick decision maker” department.

So, in July 2013, the Martins did something they have a hard time doing—we took a leap of faith and went to Grand Cayman at Cobalt Coast for the Kids Sea Camp experience. In return, we got Peace. We finally got Peace. Kids Sea Camp literally changed our lives forever. It was one of those “Ah Ha” moments, or for some, one of those handfuls of moments that have affected them. Corny, I know, but it’s true.

When I arrived in Grand Cayman for the first time, I still remember the feelings I had on the first morning. I was amazed and in awe. All that was going through my head was the fact that all of these kids do this with their families. They are happy, they get along, and these kids can dive! I want this for my children. I want Tim to dive with Isaac and Allie. I was getting more excited by the moment.

It amazes me still that kids can dive! I wanted this for my children so badly, I was somewhat obsessed with it. I spoke to Tim about diving and Kids Sea Camp all year. I know he was tired of me talking about it. But, I felt Isaac and Allie had found their “thing”. Really, I was so happy. We live in a small rural area with limited opportunities. We must create opportunities for our children, and I am glad we chose this opportunity.

Kids Sea Camp’s goal is to take care of you and everything was taken care of. They provide a safe diving haven for families. Everyone at Kids Sea Camp had the same goal for their families, this is something that we really appreciated. We were so happy about this vacation that went back in 2014 and again to St Lucia in 2015. Tom and Margo Peyton secured the worries, which ultimately led to peace.

Kids Sea Camp was run like a well-rehearsed orchestra. I don’t know how else to describe it. It was a beautiful weeklong masterpiece. Everything just worked. Every beat and note were perfectly in place. Tom and Margo are constantly making sure everything is perfect.

At the end of Kids Sea Camp in St Lucia at Anse Chastanet, Isaac, only eight, was able to have his first 12-foot dive with his instructor and his father. WOW! The thought makes me speechless and happy tears come to my eyes. Allie was in the SASY unit looking and swimming with the resident reef fish. Her week in St Lucia allowed her to find her “inner fish” and become even more passionate about animals and sea life. Her happiness gives us peace.

Kids Sea Camp has become (in our lives) what you do every year. People need to go to the dentist, eye doctor, hairdresser, get new shoes, the Martins need to go to Kids Sea Camp.

For us, like everyone, time is precious. Vacation time is hard for us, so planning a vacation with our precious time is stressful. Kids Sea Camp has given us peace about our time. Peace, for our family, has come on many different levels. Tim can go diving and not have the worry of me or the kids — I’m at peace. He is under the water to escape from his mind and responsibilities — he’s at peace. I know where my kids are and who they are with. Tim is diving, food and the place are great — I’m at peace. The kids can come and go, eat, drink, meet new friends, dive, play, and learn — we are all at peace.

Sometimes, big moments change our lives—births, deaths, and marriages. Sometimes, it is people, whether or situations. I can honestly say Kids Sea Camp is one of those moments for us. The people we have met and the experiences all have contributed to the Peace we desired for our precious time. Peace…it’s important, it will change your life…, and it’s good for you.

Fiji time and Kids Sea Camp magic

by
Tom Peyton, Margo Peyton, Kids Sea Camp

Fiji: The reunion tour 2015!

It has been a while since Margo and I were in Fiji. We were there in 2009 at the wonderful Castaway Island resort on the Island of Malolo. Fiji was the start of this grand Kids Sea Camp adventure, Margo, and I have been on since we met ten years ago this coming February. It is our honeymoon island.

Margo and Tom Peyton celebrated their first year in Fiji in 2007 at the Castaway Resort. For Tom, a lot fewer gray hairs and wrinkles eight years ago. Margo, an amazing ageless wonder still looks gorgeous today.

Fiji is a cherished place for us. A place of deep connectivity to the vast blue vistas and complete centering silence of the islands. It is, indeed,  a special trip for the Peytons. It is a place where time seems to slow way down, you stop worrying, you ponder the distant future far less, you enjoy the sunset just a little bit more, and you can feel the stress of our normal, crazy everyday life leaving your body. Margo and I call this phenomenon “Fiji Time.”

Margo has also called it “kava time” but that a whole different story.

Fiji is also a smile factory — as the Fijians always seem to be happy, so helpful and incredibly gracious to the visitors that travel to their stunning country. In fact, “welcome home” is a common phrase the Islanders use in their first greetings to tourists.

“Welcome Home,” how many times have you used that phrase when strangers arrive in your abode — probably very not often. And like a “home away from home,” it has a habit of creating connecting points that change the “vacation” to something much larger — something deeper. I have lost track how many Kids Sea Camp families have left Fiji with tears in their eyes. Tears of joy of being so welcomed by the Fijian people. Tears of a remembering of how good we all can be — if we try — just a little. It is a special place for our KSC families.

And as the countdown in the office starts for the new Fiji week at Beqa Lagoon Resort this year. I can’t stop myself from hoping and wondering if “Fiji Time” will sweep over the two KSC weeks and make some more Kids Sea Camp magic. I know I’m looking forward to it.

Tom Peyton, Vice President of Kids Sea Camp

Kids Sea Camp fuels Zebedee Wakely’s love of photography

by
Underwater photography, Kids Sea Camp

Photography: It started out as a faint dream, now it’s a full-blown passion

Article by Zebedee Wakely, Junior Master Scuba Diver, Age 13, and FDA approved.

FDA: Family Dive Adventures (not to be confused with the Food and Drug Administration)

I just don’t know where to begin with this. Kids Sea Camp is just too big and too great to even attempt to write about. But here you are now, attempting to read my jumbled mess of ideas and thoughts, so I’ll give it a go — no promises though.

I should probably start with the exciting stuff, like where I backward roll into a school of 50-plus sharks in Yap (the country, not the small annoying noise made by dogs) or when I’m charging at top speed through the current of Ulong Channel in Palau, but instead I’ll start at the beginning.

Kids Sea Camp at age five

Underwater photography, kids sea camp, margo peytonAt the age of five, I started Kids Sea Camping, and my parents signed me up in the group known as “SASY”. Little kids get to put on scuba gear, but substitute a Life Jacket for the BCD so we float on the surface while breathing through a regulator. This gave me my first experience with Scuba Diving.

Since I was already a water baby by six months and swimming by one, I thought Kids Sea Camp was created just for me. Quickly making my way through the dive ranks, I again returned for Seal Team. This was a landmark in my interest in Scuba Diving.

Seal Team is a program for eight- and nine-year-olds to learn to dive in a confined-water environment. However, with Kids Sea Camp, the Seal Team can dive in the ocean.

I just fell in love with diving

On my tenth birthday, my mom and dad chose Yap & Palau for our family adventure, and that’s where the real story begins. The experiences I had in Yap and Palau were likely some of the best I will ever have. Completing my PADI Jr. Open Water certification with manta rays overhead was surely one of the greatest moments of my life.

The feeling I had when I was diving with 15-foot mantas and some 50-plus reef sharks daily was phenomenal, too amazing to fully describe. Just the idea of going there and doing that again will excite me forever.

Learning photography

The encouragement I received from Kids Sea Camp was amazing. The families I met became, and still are, some of my best friends and assets to my life. In Yap, Manta Ray Bay was where I properly learned photography. The support from all of my friends and family is the reason I have stuck with it (unlike a lot of other things I’ve tried). I loved every aspect of Yap, from the diving to the staff and the local people. I can safely say that experience has significantly contributed to who I am today

Getting back home to Bermuda, I was so passionate about saving sharks (with Palau being a shark sanctuary) that I set up a small organization called “Save Our Sharks Bermuda”. I collected over 1000 signatures and met with the Minister for the Environment to discuss and plan how best to protect our sharks. Bermuda then signed the “International Agreement on the Conservation of Pelagic Species”. I was so totally delighted about this because I had made an impact on Bermuda and the conservation of the sea.

Diving from a young age is exceptional

Having the privilege to be diving from a young age is exceptional. Through diving with Kids Sea Camp over the years, I have advanced through the PADI ranks from SASY, Seal Team, Jr. Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Rescue, and Master Scuba Diver, with over 100 dives and 7 specialties.

This feels too good to describe. Having a place like Kids Sea Camp, to go through all the ranks, all the way to the top, is what I love the most. The experience has been fantastic. I couldn’t have done what I have without it.

I have made lifelong friends and have been encouraged by Margo in a way I could never repay. So thank you, Margo.

Margo deserves a whole part of my story for herself. Mrs. Peyton created the best organization that I have ever known. She has influenced me, trusted me, and helped me in every aspect of life. Margo has guided me through diving one step at a time, and with each step

I am even more grateful for her and my family finding her. She is very focused on safety and is an inspirational teacher who is helpful no matter what. She is the heart of Kids Sea Camp!

I just don’t know how to end this. So thanks, Mom, Dad, and sister Holly, too. Our family of divers just can’t get enough. FIJI is the next Kids Sea Camp — to dive with the sharks of Beqa Lagoon.

My Palau Kids Sea Camp family trip journal

by
Palau, Sharks, Kids and diving
Palau Kids Sea Camp journey

Even though it was 10 P.M. Palauan time, we were greeted by some native girls and boys dressed in native attire. They placed leaves on us made of local flowers interlaced in palm fronds. It was late at night when we arrived at The Palau Royal Resort, so I went straight to sleep.

Sunday

I woke up this morning still adjusting to the humidity and heat (82 degrees F and sunny). From the balcony, I saw a breathtaking view. For the first time, my Mom woke up early and actually wanted to stay awake. The tall limestone cliffs, each inch covered with lush, green growth, dip into crystal-clear blue water. There was no smog, so I could see to the end of the Earth. We headed down to an unusual breakfast buffet. It had a combination of American, Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese foods. Taking snorkeling gear from the dive shop, we headed out to the dock for our boat tour of the Islands and Jelly Lake. It was amazing! The boat ride took us through more lush green islands, unspoiled by mankind, sticking up like broccoli heads.

Jellyfish Lake was incredible!

This was my first time ever touching a Jellyfish (that didn’t sting). The Jellyfish in Jelly Lake have lost their ability to sting because they have no need to. Jelly Lake is an isolated saltwater lake with no predators to eat the jellies and no fish for the jellyfish to hunt. Now they rely on internal algae for food, following the sun during the day, but at night they go down into a highly toxic (to humans) nitrogen-rich layer of water to fertilize the algae.

Palau, Kids Sea Camp, Sam's ToursLater that day, we had a BBQ lunch. I made a new friend. Her name is Callie. She is 10 years old, blonde, and energetic, and she is a certified diver like me. We all loaded back up onto the boat and headed for a snorkel at Clam City. The Clams there, Mackenzie. She is younger than me, 8, and in the Kids Sea Camp’s sassy program. From Clam City, we went back to the resort, explored a bit, and then we got ready for our welcome dinner at the Sea Passion resort.

We knew the President of Palau was coming that evening, so I put on my best dress. We had an exuberant welcome by native dancers and a native ritual of “Calling of the Canoe”. The President of Palau gave a welcoming speech in which he spoke about the islands of Palau and how much he enjoyed having us there. A week before our arrival, he had declared to the United Nations that Palau was the first and only “Shark Sanctuary” in the world. I got to shake his hand, take a picture with him, and all the kids at Kids Sea Camp.

Monday:

On the second day, we had the unusual breakfast again and headed over to Sam’s Tours for our first dive. There I was assigned to the “Whale Shark” boat, where I met some of the other Junior Open Water Divers and our Dive guides.

German Channel

Our first dive took us on a one-hour boat trip winding through the Palauan islands to a location named German Channel. We sighted a 6-foot Manta Ray, lots of corals, a porcupine fish, and lots of sharks. The German Channel is a cleaning station for all fish. In this area, fish from all over the ocean stop to let cleaner wrasses safely clean large predatory fish that would otherwise eat them. This makes the German Channel a safe and amazing place to view lots and lots of ocean creatures.

The lunch spot was awesome! We went to a private white-sand beach with the ocean on both sides and large coconut palms for shade along the edges of a dense jungle. I went swimming and shell collecting with my friend Callie.

The second dive of the day was named “Big Drop Off”. This dive is a wall drift dive. Along with wide varieties of fish, we found a lizardfish and a Nudibranch among the corals and sea fans that covered the wall.

We returned to the resort and got ready for our next evening. Dinner was served at an Indian restaurant named the Taj. They served us a delicious dinner of different and interesting Indian foods. That evening, we had interesting Indian dancers about my age. They did a bunch of dances, changing clothes between each one. Some of the dances had veils, and some had little bells all over the outfits – like belly dancers. They were quite impressive.

Tuesday

Once again, we had breakfast and headed out to the German Channel. We were met by a lot of rain coming sideways at us like bullets as we sped along in the boat. At German Channel, we saw two humongous Manta Rays, the size of cars, at the cleaning stations; 28 sharks – all different kinds – white tip, black tip, and reef – the size of surfboards; a Green Sea turtle; and some very interesting sea stars. An excellent and lucky dive!

We had another fabulous lunch – a chicken bento box. This time we had lunch at Sam’s Tours because of the rain.
The second dive took us through rough surf to the Blue Corner dive site. Since I was limited as a Junior Open Water diver to 40 feet, this dive was ok. We saw one puffer fish, two warty sea slugs, and some starfish amongst schools of triggerfish, butterflyfish, and bannerfish.

That evening, we went to the Sea Passion for another exquisite dinner. That day, we had the Polynesian dancers. There wasn’t much singing like before, but there were some instruments, like a hollowed-out gourd made into a drum and two frayed sticks that sounded like rain and thunder when put together. That night we went home (back to the hotel) and slept like rocks.

Wednesday

That day, I awoke to something very unusual – it was absolutely pouring rain. We headed down to breakfast and tried to avoid the downpour. After breakfast, we headed down to the dive shop and hopped on the boat. My guide, Alex, warned me that I still needed to put on sunscreen even if the sun wasn’t visible. Once again, the rain was coming into the boat sideways as we sped over to the German Channel. That day, I wore my wetsuit before I even got into the water.

One thing about SCUBA is that if it rains, it doesn’t matter because you are below water! That day I saw schoolmasters, horse-eyed jacks, squirrel fish – the usual hordes of schools and corals. I didn’t see much in the channel, unique or extra large, on this dive.

Blue Corner

That afternoon, we headed out to Blue Corner – also there, I didn’t see any unique fish – a large puffer, but I was told that the adults down at 70 feet saw quite a few sharks. The Teen Divers also had a painting lesson with a funny artist who travels with Kids Sea Camp around the world, teaching children how to paint.

After the painting, I did my first night dive. It was amazing, I saw several interesting Sea Cucumbers and fish. All of them were hiding. That night, we had the Yap dancers. Yap is a very small island just northeast of Palau. We were told we were going to girls dancing, but instead they sent the young men with bo staffs. As soon as our heads hit the pillow, we fell asleep.

Thursday – Thanksgiving

It was my first time celebrating Thanksgiving outside of America. I was told that the locals don’t really celebrate the holiday, other than going to church. Catholicism is the main religion. They do celebrate Halloween there.

It was a sunny day as we headed out on the Silvertip boat to our morning German Channel dive. There I saw one large Manta Ray going into the cleaning station and a couple of sharks. I was surprised that the sharks were so large.
I must say it was quite a thrill to be diving with them. My dive guide told me that in thousands of dives, there have never been any issues with the sharks. They are in the channel as part of their lifestyles and don’t bother with us divers.

Jake’s Seaplane

After a fabulous lunch on the beach, we went to Jake’s Seaplane. This dive spot features an interesting plane wreck and a lot of diverse coral. It’s down about 40 feet, so perfect for Junior Open Water Divers. There were lots of Parrotfish. Part of the plane’s right wing was missing. I found it 20 feet away, hollow and covered in corals. The plane was a WWII plane – I don’t know whose.

We did a third dive at 10 feet for 15 minutes, where I saw a puffer fish and my first Mandarin Fish. It was soooo cute. A native of this area with large yellow lips, green to its forehead, blue chin, orange body, and blue squarish circles all over its body.

We went to Sea Passion for dinner. The four turkeys were baked in four different ways, along with several other sides, including cornbread, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, and cranberry sauce. That evening, we made a sand Manta Ray on the beach about the size of the real deal. With my guide and new best friend’s boyfriend, Paul, who made a sand shark with the boys.

Friday

Our last day diving. My first dive was the German Channel, and almost as if there was a going-away send-off, we saw a large Manta Ray, sharks, and lots of interesting Fish. After that dive, we went back to the dive shop for lunch and caught up with our parents. We went to the Light House dive site, where we dove as a family, just the four of us, with two guides. This was my father’s 100th dive, making him a century diver. My mother got her century dive in a few days before. It was a great dive with loads of fire corals, lizardfish, and bubbles.

Saturday

Today is my last day in Palau. I am not pleased to be leaving. We made a lot of friends in Palau. My guide, Alex, I will miss. I wish I could stay. I went to a beautiful waterfall with my dad. We went under two waterfalls and jumped off small ledges into a pool along the river’s path. There was a lot of mud, and one time I actually got stuck. I think my Keens were a little less pink after that hike.

We went to the stone head garden

Some looked happy, sad, or angry. There we had lunch. The usual Bento boxes, but this time we had some traditional Palauan food like candied tapioca and fresh coconut milk/meat. After that, we headed back to the hotel, stopping at the Capitol building.

When we got back, we packed up our stuff, took a shower, and headed over to Sam’s tours for the graduation ceremony. There was a whole cooked pig! There was a ceremony for each group: adults, teens, sassy/seals, and junior open waters. Then there was the poem contest. The poem that my mom and I worked on the evening before got first place (out of like 20 poems).

We won an underwater digital camera.

We then watched the video made by Nick Martirano, who followed us around all week, said our last goodbyes, and headed for the airport. I practically cried all the way there. We arrived at the airport for our treacherous flights to Colorado. I slept most of the way through it. The odd part was that it started on Saturday, then Sunday, then Saturday again, and finally, we got home on Sunday morning at 5 A.M.
Final thoughts

I think Palau is one of the best places for families to go in the entire world. Kids Sea Camp is a great place to meet new people and learn about the world’s different cultures. Palau is one of the best places to go diving. Magnificent Mantas and Sharks. Try to go there at least once in your lifetime. Thank you, Margo Peyton and Kids Sea Camp!

Jane Colon-Bonet’s Kids Sea camp Adventure, Palau trip Journal

A “Happy Kids Sea Camper” family

by
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

by
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

 

 

Her first Manta encounter

by
Palau, sharks, scuba and kids, family dive vacations, kids sea camp

Finally, a Manta!

I smelled the salty air as I strapped on my scuba gear. I was anxious to get into the ocean. I hoped and hoped and hoped that I would see the one thing I’ve always wanted to see — a manta.
This summer, I was in Yap with Kids Sea Camp, an island in Micronesia, to scuba dive with my family. This morning, I was excited to go scuba diving with my friend, Sophie.  My other friends were scuba diving with their parents, so it was just Sophie, Bill Acker (our instructor), Patricia Mangthin (his wife), and me. Bill had decided that we would go to the manta cleaning station to try to see some manta rays. We had tried so many times that my hopes weren’t very high, but as we got closer and closer to the diving site, they inched higher.
Now, here I was, my hopes higher than the sky. I put on my mask and stuck my regulator into my mouth. As I tumbled into the water, I shivered. The water wasn’t cold, but I always feel chilly when I first jump in. When everyone was in the water, we descended into the ocean.

A manta!

Sophie and I swam through the cool, salty water. We spotted brightly colored fish and little hermit crabs, but no mantas. My heart sank. Just as I was about to give up, Sophie jabbed me in the shoulder. I was about to give her that “what did you do that for?” look when I realized she was pointing at something.  I looked.
“A manta! A manta!” I yelled. I had my regulator in my mouth, so it came out like, “Blubablurbla!”
Patricia waved us over to a better place to watch. The manta ray was so big and graceful as it swam through the blue sea. It had a white belly and a dark blue back. Soon, another one came and joined it.
As we swam back to our boat, I replayed what just happened in my head. My heart was pumping hard in my chest. I was so excited! Yap was the first time I had ever seen a manta ray, but not the last.
By Hannah McClure