By the Chapman Family
When I first started dating my husband Mark, I remember one of our first dates and picking him up from Shaw’s Cove in Laguna Beach. The waves crashed against the shore as I waited for Mark to emerge from the inky blackness of the Pacific. He was night diving, one of his many “gear-intensive” hobbies that initially intimidated me. Snowboarding, mountain biking, scuba diving—activities that seemed a world away from my own. Watching his figure rise from the depths, I remember thinking, “I will never do that.”
But never say never! Thirteen years and hundreds of dives later, we were seasoned divers exploring underwater worlds from Fiji to the Galapagos. With his passion for underwater photography, Mark had even traveled to the Bahamas to participate in shark photography expeditions, capturing incredible images of tiger sharks, hammerheads, and even the gentle giants of the sea—whale sharks.
In 2016, amidst the dazzling displays of dive gear and exotic destinations at the Long Beach Scuba Show, one booth stopped us. A banner proclaimed, “Give them a week; they will remember forever,” and we knew we had to find out more. It was Kids Sea Camp, and it promised family dive vacations that combined underwater exploration with cultural experiences and adventure activities. Our kids, Lucas and Lucy, were 12 and 6 then. We’d always leave them with family when we traveled, but sharing our love of diving sparked an irresistible excitement. (See the KSC gallery)
Our first Kids Sea Camp adventure took us to Buddy Dive on the beautiful island of Bonaire in 2017. The island welcomed us with water that was so clear and blue that it felt like swimming in a dream. Lucas, all of 13, enrolled in the Kids Sea Camp PADI Jr. Open Water program with other kids his age. This Junior Open Water Certification allows kids aged 10-14 to dive to 40 feet with a PADI pro or a certified parent. Seven-year-old Lucy joined the SASY program, designed for kids aged 4-7 to master snorkeling on the surface and learn about the ocean with other kids.
The Kids Sea Camp format was perfect. Each morning, we’d drop the kids off at their 8:00 a.m. scuba class with other kids their age, then hop on an adult-only boat for a day of diving with like-minded parents. The kids, meanwhile, were busy with all sorts of activities—blow-karting, jungle biking, kayaking, and of course, learning the fundamentals of scuba diving. In the afternoons, we’d reunite as a family, often ending the day with drinks on the beach, watching a hoard of kids diving and splashing in the crystal blue water. There was something magical about seeing them put down their iPads and phones, engage with other kids, and genuinely appreciate paradise.
Bonaire is not just about diving. We visited the Donkey Sanctuary , which cares for over 700 rescued donkeys, including a nursery. Kids Sea Camps visits contribute to keeping the facility open and providing food, water, and medical care to the island population. The kids are loaded into trucks and armed with bread and carrots to feed the curious donkeys. Nothing is funnier than watching one of your kids get a full face lick by a donkey, or better yet, lose a flip-flop to an over-ambitious creature. We also enjoyed sailing on a sunset cruise aboard an authentic pirate ship, with rum punches in our hands and plenty of jumping off the plank upon our return.
We also ventured to Kids Sea Camp Roatan, Honduras. We enjoyed another incredible week of diving, zip-lining through the jungle, and visiting Gumbalimba Park. In this privately owned eco-adventure park, we interacted with iguanas, macaws, and white-faced monkeys. Lucas did his first night dive and even got to dive with reef sharks, all with private instructors and experienced kid-friendly staff. Lucy, at 8, transitioned to the PADI SEAL program, the next step to becoming a junior open water diver, which prepares kids with basic skills and buoyancy through fun Aqua missions. The kids even received free SCUBAPRO dive gear, including BCD, fins, masks, and snorkels!
We loved the safety, quality, and ease of traveling with Kids Sea Camp so much that we also took our family to Grand Cayman. One of the highlights was Stingray City, a nature preserve in 10 feet of shallow, clear water where we swam with stingrays. Grand Cayman is also home to a turtle sanctuary with over 2,000 turtles. Lucy got to interact with baby turtles in a shallow pool.
In June, we returned to beautiful Bonaire. This time, we were able to dive together as a family—a long-awaited dream come true! Lucas joined the PADI Advanced Open Water program with other teenagers. He completed a night adventure dive, Peak Performance Buoyancy adventure dive, boat adventure dive, photo dive, and shore dive to earn his PADI certification. Lucy finally became a PADI Junior open-water diver earlier in the week, so we had plenty of time to dive together as a family and with her new dive buddies. As a mother, watching your 11-year-old confidently descend to 40 feet is a heart-warming experience. Witnessing your 16-year-old diving comfortably and easily in 80 feet of water is even more so. In addition to diving, donkeys, and dock diving, Bonaire is also known for its kite and windsurfing. The kids even got to pilot land-based blow-karts and cruise around a tire-lined track. Kids Sea Camp offers a full week of engaging activities with plenty of time together and apart.
In my opinion, there’s nothing better than Caribbean sunsets, salty ocean breezes, and night skies brimming with stars. We’re blessed to be able to share our love of the ocean with our children and take them on underwater safaris to undersea fantasy worlds. Between the scuba diving, family karaoke contests, and sandy, exhausted kids, I couldn’t ask for a better family vacation than Kids Sea Camp provides each year.
Our family continues to choose Kids Sea Camp as our #1 choice for family vacations. Lucy completed her PADI Advanced Open Water course in the Philippines with her KSC instructor, Olivia. The whale sharks were a wow! We dove as a family in Oslob, coming face-to-face with whale sharks in calm, clear water. And how do you possibly top that? Palau for our very first Kids Sea Camp liveaboard trip! Outstanding! Manta, sharks, wild dolphins, and Rock Islands. We’ve created memories with Kids Sea Camp to last a lifetime and continue each year.
