YAP: Wow, is all I can think right now.
A week we will remember forever
We are a family of five, submerged in the beautiful turquoise waters of Yap: a tiny island, off the beaten path for sure, located in Micronesia. You see, we live in Hawaii, so when I contacted Margo Peyton with Kids Sea Camp the bar was set pretty high for taking a family vacation. Margo guided us through a magical family adventure that we will, like her tagline said, remember forever.
I am surrounded by a pristine reef and schools of fish, many of which are large and pelagic. On the list in Yap was sailfish, reef sharks, manta rays and a whale shark. As I descend with my family into the sea below a euphoric feeling overcomes me. But what really is on my mind is the fact that all of my daughters are getting this experience along with my husband and myself together. It is amazing to have us all be experiencing this amazing, beautiful, untouched, unspoiled, majestic destination together.
Moments to remember forever: My youngest daughter, Emma, floats above my head and dives down for a high-five as she is only 7 right now and is still dreaming of the day she can officially dive with us. For now, she is snorkeling with sharks and learning about the ocean. The view she is getting is fantastic. She is being circled by schools of fish and small white tip reef sharks. She shoots me a huge smile and a great big Shaka from the surface and an OK signal. She is totally stoked to be part of this!
Sierra is out in the blue, following in her dad’s footsteps with her camera just waiting for that chance to log the perfect shot. She is in the zone: perfectly focused and ready for the shot. She signals me a huge OK and I know all is good. Her wish is granted as a juvenile whale shark poses inches from her lens and she has the shot.
Jos is busy being Brad Holland’s photo model. The perfect fit: a teen diver that has her buoyancy and diving down like a master diver. She is so into the dive that she doesn’t even notice all of the attention she is getting from the photographer. During the one-hour time frame that she gets to spend with the loves of her life, manta rays and sharks she is in heaven. She’s soaking in the experience. These moments at Kids Sea Camp are magical.
Jeff is taking the opportunity to spruce up his photography skills and is loving it as well. He has been spoiled by having a professional photographer spend a week with him, sharing tips of the trade. He is stoked to be using his newly found skills, and I even have a few photos of him taking photos which are rare since he is always the one shooting the photos (thank Brad for that).
And me, I’m just thrilled to share this unforgettable journey to Yap and Palau with my family. This type of experience cannot be purchased in a store or found in some prepackaged deal online. It’s not going to be on a cruise ship or in a theme park. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity created and personally hosted by Kids Sea Camp for us to all connect and embrace the majesty of the underwater world. We don’t have to say a single word, we just look at each other and smile when we surface. We all know what each other feels, it’s written all over our faces.
“This is the perfect family experience and one of many Kids Sea Camp offers. A trip of a lifetime. Thanks so much.” The article was written by Julie Wettstein