Grandmother uses KSC for quality family time

Discovering Kids Sea Camp is a real gift to my family  

My two adult sons Danny and Chris, are divers, and they convinced me, 25 years ago to become a PADI certified diver.  When they married their wives Celenie and Stela, they also joined the adventures and became divers.  Over the years, I had made taking dive trips with my sons and their wives, a top priority for quality family time. 

When my grandkids came along, much to my sadness the family-dive trips came to an end.  Then one day as I was thumbing through Scuba Diving Magazine, dreaming of taking dive adventures with my grandkids, I discovered Kids Sea Camp. 

I immediately called and shared my find with my sons, and suggested we start taking family dive trips again.  They were all for it, and in 2013, we were off on our first trip — to Palau Royal Resort and diving with Sam’s Tours and Kids Sea Camp.

The grandkids were 3, 7, 7 & 10. Benjamin, Sophia, and Hunter started SASY with Margo while at age 10 Jackson joined the PADI Jr Open Water diver class. 

We adult kids felt like we had gone to heaven.  We enjoyed diving during the days while the kids had fun learning with other kids. It was absolutely PERFECT for everyone! There are times set, when adults and kids dive or snorkel together too. 

Because of owner Margo Peyton’s expertise, instructor training and perfect safety record with kids, she is provided a special waiver to dive in the ocean with PADI Seal Team kids age 8 & 9, all over the world. 

We have traveled with Kids Sea Camp to Fiji where the kids had run of the entire resort and while Benji was still in SASY, Hunter and Sophia advanced to the PADI Seal Team classes.

We had lots of interaction with the local people, and everyone on staff could not have been more helpful, warm and hospitable. 

When we were leaving Fiji, my grandkids were crying and hugging the very special people they had come to know and love.  Hunter even said (while sobbing), “How can I possibly leave these people?”  You know your grandkids have had a life-changing experience when their emotional reactions are so intense, and they don’t want to leave. 

In the summer of 2017, we traveled to Kids Sea Camp Philippines with Sea Explorers. My second grandson Hunter became a PADI Jr diver and joined Jackson diving with the other certified kids.  We now have 3 generations of divers in our family, diving together. 

It seemed impossible to top Palau or Fiji, but Margo & Tom managed to do it yet again. As always. The Pura Vida Homes resort was luxurious and the staff and service was nothing short of excellent. I had a torn ankle tendon prior to the trip and a divemaster was always right there on the ladder to help me take off my equipment and hand it up. The Banka boats were the coolest and most spacious dive boats I have ever been on. 

We all went to Oslob Island where we swam and dove with EIGHT whale sharks!!  An absolutely mind-blowing experience and a memory created that we, as a family, will never, ever forget.  How many families get to have an experience like that?

Each trip is better than the last.  Kids Sea Camp sets the bar high with dive operators. Margo runs her trips with expert organization, safety, and professionalism. I love the many interesting and fun outings, events and activities that are planned for us to enjoy as a family out of the water. 

All of our trips have been, as the MasterCard commercial says, “priceless.”

I know for absolute certainty that our next trip will be another amazing adventure filled with precious family time, diving, and unforgettable memories. 

Sophia and Benji are next to get certified, then we will all be a family of divers again.  Owners Margo & Tom Peyton, provide a very personal experience, from planning your trip to assisting your every step along the way. 

Tom and Margo arrange visits to local schools, or villages, provide special needs care and special occasion surprises, as well as educational presentations and so much great family time. 

In Palau, Margo set up a spectacular helicopter ride over the Rock Islands for us.  The result of all the personal service is why we keep coming back! It’s impossible to put into words how these unique family dive adventures have bonded our family and created memories for me with my grandkids that will last them a lifetime.

We have experienced fascinating cultures and explored new worlds so very different than our own.  Each of these trips has expanded our knowledge, appreciation, acceptance, and love of people from all over the world. 

At the end of each trip, Margo Peyton and Brad Holland have provided memories to last us a lifetime documented in their photo gallery on www.familydivers.com. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you Tom and Margo Peyton for creating Kids Sea Camp, the gift of being able to dive and travel with my kids and grandkids.

Story by Vicki Singley