My son, Stephen, started back at school this week. Boy, will he have some great stories to tell his classmates!
Three years ago, I had the incredible opportunity to introduce him to the underwater world by taking him to Bonaire for his first Kids Sea Camp. It was our first “father-son” trip together, and it was memorable!
This summer, Kids Sea Camp founder Margo Peyton invited us back to Bonaire to continue our adventures and give Stephen the unique opportunity to become a certified diver, something Kids Sea Camp has perfected!
Since that first memorable experience in 2023, Stephen and I have made it an annual summer tradition to travel together, explore different countries and environments, and build his aquatic experience. Other locations have included Roatan and Key Largo. But something about Bonaire is special.
I’ll never forget the smile on Stephen’s face when I told him we were returning to the island. He remembered what it was like to be underwater for the first time and his instructor, Tina. Tina and the team at Buddy Dive Resort have worked with Kids Sea Camp for 24 years to introduce kids to scuba diving.
During our previous Kids Sea Camp experience, Tina worked directly with Stephen and his specific challenges. When Tina learned Stephen was returning to Buddy Dive this summer to complete his certification, she naturally chose Justin Scott to guide him through his next steps.
A Texas native, Justin retired from the construction industry in 2020 and joined the Buddy Dive team in March. That last week in June with Stephen was Justin’s first Kids Sea Camp experience. He said that teaching Stephen was “especially rewarding.” It was also highly rewarding for my son.
While Stephen picked up many of the skills and concepts right away, it took special attention, patience, and time to move him from one skill to the next. I appreciated how Justin took the time to discuss Stephen’s challenges and develop strategies to help him succeed. Every afternoon, he and I talked about the challenges they encountered.
Stephen adapts very well to changes and provides a lot of feedback. Like many people, Stephen was challenged with the “mask removal” skill. He and Justin worked together and found a solution. I appreciated Justin going the extra mile for Stephen while not taking away any of the fun and excitement the experience offered.
Families return to Kids Sea Camp year after year for a reason. In Stephen’s case, the personalized attention and care in selecting “just the right instructor” made a real difference.
Beyond being in the water and learning skills each day, Stephen enjoyed joining all the signature Kids Sea Camp activities, including the sunset sail, donkey farm visit, and blow-carting adventures. As a Kids Sea Camp “alumnus,” Stephen quickly told other kids about the activities and encouraged the few who were apprehensive.
More than 50 Kids Sea Camp Weeks have actually taken place on Bonaire. Founded 26 years ago, Kids Sea Camp has become the “gold standard” of summer vacation activities thanks to Margo and her husband, Tom.
After returning, Stephen and I talked about Kids Sea Camp experiences on Bonaire. “I liked both weeks. This last one was great because I liked feeling like I accomplished something – I got certified,” he said. Then he asked, ‘When can we go back?’
I’m not sure what Stephen’s future holds. While his father has worked in the dive industry for more than 30 years, it is too early to say how much scuba diving will shape his future. However, Stephen’s summer experiences have introduced him to a new (underwater) world that will certainly play a part in his future plans.
No matter which path he chooses, he will always be able to say he’s a “certified diver”, something no one can take away from him.