Kids Sea Camp Family Dive Adventures for Curacao

All itineraries point to Curacao
Their vacations were set, it was a go

Kids Sea Camp bound, all full of hope
But some remain on the ground, trying to cope

After all families were finally here-
All fears disappeared as we had Nolo to guide us with our gear.

We learned to paint fish on a board
Using dots as art, to bring all in accord
Yet-Rotten Ronnie continues to wave his paintbrush as if it were a sword

The kids were dropped at the Sea Aquarium to learn & play
While all the divers were aboard the Curacao Star with Brian & Remy that day.

The currents were swift, full of corals, turtles & fish
Another great day of diving, leaves on in a tranquil state of bliss.

The next day was dolphins kissing kids & swimming with rays
While the next dive site was Mushroom Forest that is known as a beautiful maze.

From cookouts ,to lookouts, to movies & more
The kids have a good time enjoying the shore.

New “Seals”, “Sasys” & “Open Waters” there are friends for sure gathered from afar
Cheers to all & here’s to a good wreck
May next year bring us back for another sneak peek!

By: HOLT ROBINSON, DAWN MARIE & CAMBELL

K Kids having fun
I Interesting facts picked up along the way,
D Dreadfully unhealthy snacks,
S Snorkeling & swimming all day.

S Stunning beaches & clear water,
E Eating hamburgers & fries,
A Always having fun!

C Could we ask for more?
A Amazingly – no!
M Margo, many thanks
P Painting creative sea creatures with Rogest a blast!

By: DANIELE SINNIGER

TO THE SEA with GRANDPA & KIDS

Off to Curacao with Grandpa & 6 kids,
Grandma in tow keeping watch over all.
Action abounds between sea Camp & the water
It was a challenge they all conquered while having a ball.
Jumping in the water, learning about the sea’
Diving with sea creatures, & “I’ve got to be me”
For me a book, Grandpa the sea,
& for both the stories of the kids & the sights that they see.
It’s been a perfect time with the grand-kids for Grandpa & me

By: PHYLLIS SALTZGABER

There was a man from down under
Who spoke with vigor & great thunder,
He was passionate about dots,
The kids from Sea Camp loved him lots,
That’s why they call Ron the world’s 8th wonder!

By: MATT WHETTON

Brian was kissed by a seal
He didn’t have that much appeal
He was scared half to death
By the smell of its breath
A residue of its last meal
In Texas our weather was damp
So we came to Margo’s Sea Camp
Kids diving fish pools
Parents dive too-that rules
We suspect this vacations a champ.
In art camp the lessons used dots
From Ronnie of kidding was lots
From dolphin & coral
He oft found a moral
& taught it to teens, youngsters & tots
Brian, he put on a tank
Into the blue sea, he sank
To make friends with the critters
& never need sitters
At Sea Camp the whole staff we thank!

By: JOHN & BARBARA COOMBS

VIBRANT CURACAO

Rugged desert coastlines
Azure colored waters
Children learning, laughing
Adults pursuing their passion
Friendly people everywhere
Breezy sunny days
Kids kissing dolphins
Divers spotting yellow stingrays
Kids Sea Camp
Nolo’s Ocean Encounters
Dive guides & instructors
A blessing to mothers & fathers
Ronnie, artist, comedian
A bouquet of flowers
He & Curacao
A pallet of vibrant colors

By: LISA GIBERSON

THE TALE OF ANWACO

July’s filled with adventure for three
Under the blue Curacao sea
Little pleasures make me feel alive
I watch my kids do their 1st ocean dive
Can’t-miss the sparkle of excitement in their eyes
A parrotfish, double dotted damsels, dolphins & bubbles that rise
Racing from boat to class to shore the fun never ends
Only builds with a passion for their new found friends
Happily embracing all that is new
& thrilled at the prospect of KSC year two!

By: ANNE COCHRAN

Sitting on the bus
Waiting for fish to smile at us
We’ve had so much fun here
Maybe we’ll be back next year!
Kids can now dive
It’s great to be alive

By: KARIN SINNIGER

I WANT TO BE AN ART STAR

I’m through with standing in line for dives I’ll never get in.
It’s like the bottom of the pool & I’m never gonna win.
Life hasn’t turned out quite the way I want it to be.
I want a brand new boat on an episode of Cribs
& a bathroom I can play baseball in.
& a king-sized tub big enough for 10 plus me.
I need a credit card that has no limit
& a big bad gym with a bedroom in it.
I’m gonna fly my jet at 37,000 feet
I want a new travel bus filled with new art in it.
A star on Hollywood Boulevard
Somewhere between Margo & Nolo is fine with me
I’m gonna treat this life with fortune & fame
I’ll even cut my hair 7 change my name
Cause we all just want to be a dot art star
To live in Royal resorts & driving 15 boats
The kids are impressed easy & the diving comes cheap
While I stay skinny cause I just won’t eat
& we’ll hang out at the coolest sites
& of course, we’ll be with the movie stars
Every new gold digger is gonna end up there
& every playboy bunny with her bleach blond hair
Hey Hey I want to be an Art Star
Hey Hey I want to be a Dot-Stick Art Star

(NICKELBACK TIM & ALEX HILL & AMY GAUNT)

Boogie Board with Dolphins

Boogie boarding is really cool
Especially when the Dolphins are pushing you.
Their noses touch my feet so soft
Their strength carried me across
The water rushed cold against my skin
I really loved playing with my new friend

By: ALEX BLUTH

As I step in the ice cold water
I saw the dolphins race up to us all
I step into the water with all my gear
& feel the smooth texture of their glistening skin
It was so cool, we saw all the fish
Then it was time for boogie boarding
It was the best time of my life

By: SAMMIE BLUTH

Like fish from distant oceans
We gathered in schools; curious we seek to teach our fry-
To share in the wonder that is the sea.
We learn our colors from nudibranchs & sponges-
We learn to count with the octopus & starfish
From the seals, we feel the warmth & love that a hug & a kiss brings.
The Dolphins teach us form & grace & how to work as a team.
This short semester has made a lasting impression on us,
& left us with something priceless-friends

By: BARRY BLUTH

There was a young boy named Zebedee
Who took to Kids Sea Camp his teddy
Teddy wanted to dive
Zebbie said “you’re just five”
I don’t think we are quite ready.

By: The Wakely Family

There was a young man from Boston
Who had 3 children but lost ‘em
He went diving one day
& saw a stingray
& his kids came out of his bottom!

By: ZEBEDEE WAKELY

There was a young man named Rogest
Who was Kids Sea Camp’s special guest
He painted with dots
Which the kids loved lots
& the parents thought he was the best

By: DAVE WAKELY

Smiles in the sunshine
Inviting friendships to last a lifetime
Amazing seaside adventures
Breaths were taken safely underwater
Jewels in the sand
Sweet smells of ocean breezes
Imagination takes us away
Anemonies flourish amongst the coral
Barracuda lure in dark shadows.
Jellyfish effortlessly glide with the ocean tide
Smashing waves crash against the rocks
Intense starlight lightens the black night
All asleep above & below
Believing in the possibilities tomorrow brings
Journeys which elevate the soul.

By: JEN BLUTH

Sunrise; sons sleep
Hot gold sun; warm blonde sons.
Beating sun; swimming sons.
Sun setting; sons fading.
Sun down sons down

By: CONNIE WARASILA

World spins thru the nite
Morning comes we pick our site
What will today’s pleasure be?
Shark, seahorse, eel?
It matters not, sun, salt air, boat ride
R as good to me.
Today no dive, but Willemstad quite the delight
Vayanara smiles so brightly
A Grolsh bucket to go! That’s right,
Tomorrow we leave, an afternoon flight
Forget it soon? Not quite

By: PETER WARASILA

It had been a long year to July 07
Back to Curacao, was like a return to heaven.
The diving was great, the water a bit icey
The sealife seemed different because the currents were dicey.
Our Divemasters great, both Remy & Bram
Teaching us to read currents, now that was the bomb.
The warning was made clear, however, beware of the calm,
To the Producer, we went, all ready for a show.
A change of plan was made necessary, to waters slower,
To Saba, we went, but little did we know
Instead of calm waters, we were in for quite a go,
We entered the water to see puffers, eels & the elusive pudding wife.
Once the current did catch us we had the dive of our life.
From Divemaster to Novice, or resort diver in school,
The current that day reminds us all,
The seas are still Neptunes to rule.

By: BRYON & MICHELE TINGLE

WHAT IT IS

I once met a man in Curacao who asked me to paint a fish
I tried & I tried as hard as I could to grant this man his wish
I explained to him from the very start
That my efforts probably wouldn’t end in art
He started me out with a blob of paint
But what I created, art it ain’t
A dab here, a dab there
He worked his magic everywhere
To my surprise & probably his
We made this creation “what it is”.

By: Scuba DAD

CURACAO & KIDS SEA CAMP: A GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN

I discovered Curacao & Kids Sea Camp in 2002
Sierra, like her dad, fell in love with the ocean so blue,
We returned again in 2003
For we just had to again, be so near the sea.
In 2004, I brought the whole family of four,
What a wonderful time, not one minute a bore.
In 2205 the kids & I did not dive,
In 2006 Rylee & I truly needed a fix
So we visited Roatan & were surrounded by bliss.
So here we are in 2007,
I can’t help but feel, that we are rehearsing for heaven.
2008, Margo, just tell me where & the date!

By: GEORGE GARDNER

KSC KSC
We’re having a total ball
KSC KSC
It’s the best fun of all
KSC KSC
We love it very much
But how we really wish that we could speak Dutch.

KSC KSC
The staff have been just swell
KSC KSC
They’ve taught us, so well
KSC KCS
The kids have learned to dive
& now I come to notice we have all survived!

KSC KSC
The sun has shone each day
KCS KCS
The wind blew us away
KCS KCS
We’ve all been thinking dots
& now we want to very THANK-YOU lots & lots

By: CATHERINE WAKELY(she sang this)

Sixteen kids, six days, some would say a recipe for disaster
And after Sunday morning, many of the teachers were thinking
The week couldn’t go faster
But after yelling & screaming & throwing 3 in the shark pen
We shaped & trained 16 wonderfully behaved kids.
We molded our fingers & fed sharks food.
We painted pictures with some crazy energetic dud
Sea lions kissed us & we had a pizza movie night
I wouldn’t show the movie jaws & to the kids that wasn’t right.
The teenagers joined us & we told them our song was hip
But it seemed some would rather watch paint chip
But the Sasy & Seal kids were at their craziest
Everyday arriving at their coolest & zaniest
Dr. Quin with his dance moves & the many songs he would sing
Kenny G with his love of lemon sharks & their sharp fangs.
We had ourselves a pirate named Zebedee
& a quiet little girl in his footsteps named Holly.
Katie & Courtney became two close cats
We even had a tall redhead named Mac
Susanne & Jordan decided to come back for another year
& we had plenty of peanuts waiting, for Morgan here
We had some kids with a few allergies
Russian Mark with his bread & Sam with his dairy
We had an adventurer named Hayden who gave us a scare
& his brave brother Kelin who would probably pet a bear
Andrew brought out the spiked hair on Wednesday night
& now 6 days later I’m not sure if I say Let’s name right
& now it is Friday& thank goodness we all survived
Especially Elise, Femi, Joanne Steve & I
We had so much fun & enjoyed every day
Your kids were really awesome in every single way
Thank you so much for trusting us with your kids
Come back to Curacao we would love to see you again

By: NATHAN

KIDS SEA CAMP: LEVEL FIVE

The four fine groups of this academy,
Do not complete its full anatomy,
There is a fifth, for your information,
Having much to do with transformation.
It’s one of Kids Sea Camps secret features,
That some kids actually become sea creatures,
Indeed, there’s a bit of magic about
Which the finest kids can’t do without:
Out in the channel, they begin to wish,
That each will become a beautiful fish,
An admixture of love, joy & passion,
Reshape their forms in amazing fashion:
Pluma, chromis, palometa, snapper
Tarpon, basslet, tang, wrasse, hind or grouper:
Into these, & more, they metamorphose,
& dazzle themselves in colorful shows.
The teachers don’t mind, they’re all fish themselves,
& spend their time in watery delves,
& parents? Well, they’re unaware of this tack,
For, by sundown, most kids-most- have changed back.
So, keep your eye peeled, in seeking a thrill,
Look closely around, you might see a gill.

By: DWIGHT BROOKS

PARADISE FOUND

There is a place not far away’
A bit of paradise, called Curacao.
& on this Isle, you cannot go astray,
With friends from Ocean Encounters to guide the way
Nolo the wise one sets the tone for the day,
Chris the pirate, lets you know it’s time to play.
There is Rogest, the Artist, dabbling in paints,
Adrian & Mar with the patience of saints.
Without Margo & Joanie, where would we be?
Certainly not diving in an ocean or sea.
Respect for the ocean, & life-changing ways,
Will stay with our children, all of their days.
We thank-you for a week of memories & fun
A family vacation that cannot be outdone!

By: the DURINGER FAMILY

Up with the sun
I’m diving with Mum!
Where is my buddy? I do not know!
Oh, is that her sinking to the depths below?

Ocean Encounters to the rescue-
Thank goodness for Brum
He says to stay at 40 feet max!
Oh thank goodness now I can relax!
What did we see?
A lemon, a nurse, a ray, not me!
But the following creatures we observed in the sea
Fishes, coral, & eels galore
Seahorses, squid & so much more!

& where is Kenneth?
With Ron of course-
You know he doesn’t just paint
While swimming in the pool we learned he’s a saint.

His patience with kids is beyond compare
His smile, & laughter show that he truly does care.
Kids Sea Camp is almost done
What will we do next to equal the fun?

By: MISSY GILL

Please take a magical journey with me overland & into the sea
Through the magical waters of the ocean floor
Into enchanted depths none but we explore
Deep within our aquatic forest
Time will be still though only for us
Look for a wrasse or squirrelfish as they gather
A seahorse, turtle or tang if you’d rather
Butterflyfish, parrotfish, & damsel galore
Dazzle our senses & we’re eager for more
Nudibranch, shrimp & such tiny things
or the flight of a squid on translucent wings
The oceans mystery our eyes reveal
A giant coral caressed by an eel.
An ancient wreck from a time long past
Transformed by the sea it’s beauty surpasses
We will drift & watch the sun rays glisten
with the sea’s magic, we will be christened
Beautiful creatures in blue waters so vast
A blossoming passion to protect & make last.
The oceans mysteries have brought us together
Eternally there we shall stay forever.
For our souls now enlightened must stay
Our hearts joined with the ocean this day.
The ocean’s given us haven & shelter
Given us a time where real-time won’t falter
A place where we only can be who we are
and learn of our world from a sea star.
Till we return from the enchanted ocean floor
Out of the magical depths we got to explore
Down the beach & from beyond the blue sea
From the magic journey taken with me
We are back where time is time again
As the shore disappears around the bend
Till the day when you again grasp my hand
So together we’ll return to our magical land

By: DEANNA BERNSTEIN

A poet I’m not
But I’ve got to jot
Down some words about Sea Camp
What can I say
We’ve had some great days
Having spent most of them thoroughly damp

By: DAVE WAKELY

Why Can’t Fish Swim Backwards

Why do flamingos drink upside down
With a smile
& then with a frown

Why don’t dolphins sleep
Half their brain is always awake
Half-shut down, dormant & deep

Why are barracudas so misunderstood
They look so scary
But they are just seeing who’s in the neighborhood

Why do parrot fish spend their nights in a bubble
They hide from predators
& keep out of trouble

Can dots of color form a scene
A seahorse, a fish
All red, yellow & green

Can a child accept our answers to questions they ask
O do they keep asking & keep us on task

By: RENEE ROBERTS

When we go home to Arizona
We’ll miss the cool ocean breeze
When we’re sweating in the desert
We’ll miss being by the sea

When we’re stomping on the scorpions
We’ll miss swimming with the fish
When we’re swimming in the pool
For scuba diving we will wish

When we go back to school
We’ll miss the Seal Team
Compared to all we’ve done here
How boring it will seem!

So next week when we’re in Phoenix
And it hits one hundred ten
We’ll wonder why we live there
Instead of this coo heaven!

By: TERI JONES

Our trip to Curacao was grand,
A quiet ocean & warm sand
To jumping dolphins galore
We only wish to have more.
Too much water from diving
A day on the beach we were striving
We found a pirate & his treasure,
This trip was quite a pleasure.
We celebrate the year ewe were free,
We watched fireworks over the sea.
The kids were kissed by a sea lion,
From wave to wave the fish were fly’n.
The Sea Aquarium was very cool,
We watched the sharks swim in their pool.
Our week at Kids Sea camp was a blast,
Our memories here will forever last.

By: the SHILL Family

I go swimming in the sea
I really hope nobody pees
Look there are fishies all around me
I really want some iced tea
The feeling I love is to be free
Won’t you come with me
To Kids Sea Camp next year and divers we will be

By: Scuba Dad

You say, Rotten Ronnie,
I, pardon, some say scrawny Ronnie
I say hold your seahorses,
I’ve seen him in action
Children respond with positive reaction!
He paints with a smile
Children swarm around all the while
The Sea Camp children are his canvas
Did I mention he’s a painter of dots?
People make journeys to his spot!
A few say Ronnie’s paintings bring them bliss,
Sadly, Ronnie’s dots put the masses into divers narcosis!

By: KEN GILL

From here to there
From there to here
Kids Sea Camp is everywhere
Mask & snorkel, wetsuit & fins
Lotion, sunburn, bites on our shins
No matter. We love it, we’re having a ball
Kids Sea camp is the best of all!!

By: CATHERINE WAKELY

I go in the ocean to see
The creatures beneath the sea,
Sometimes I pee
To set myself free,
So if you see yellow water around me
You better flee!!

By: HARRIET SMITH

THE CURACAO KIDS SEA CAMP SONG

We are here at Kids Sea Camp
Kids Sea Camp
Kids Sea Camp
We’re gonna have lots of fun
Kids Sea Camp Curacao

Swimming, splashing
Everyday
Everyday
Everyday
Sea Lion kiss & Dolphin swim
Kids Sea Camp Curacao

Learning, laughing, meeting friends
Meeting friends
Meeting friends
Blowing bubbles, seeing fish
Kids Sea Camp Curacao

Parents diving on the boat,
On the boat
On the boat
Fun for all the family
Kids Sea Camp Curacao!!!!!

By: Monica Ambrosi

Poem By Kids Sea Camp Teachers

Sunday morning 5 teachers arrived, a little tired
Ready for the worst, 30 kids extremely wired
But tons of devil children would not be the case
Rather 12 little angels ready for the saltwater taste
Ok, ok angels might not be the right word
How about.. after saying 3 times, we’re all on board.
Little ones, big ones & a few from Breezes
A few learning to swim & a teacher with weird sneezes
Mia’s busted chin & Sloan’s perfectly spiked hair
Kiela & Ayden swimming with stingrays when at first they wouldn’t dare
Baylee’s golden locks & Emily’s texas twang
Neither little girl was to be afraid of the dolphins fangs
Cody earned a nickname,very appropriate, it was shark bait
Veronica wanted to know about sea lions, until mammal day she couldn’t wait
Benni joined us late, it seemed diving was not her style
She came over to learn nurse shark facts from Kalah’s paper pile
We had a fearless young snorkeler named Maia the brave
And a returner named Jason, who remembered all from past Kids Camp days
We learned a bit of Dutch & Papia Mentu too
Some boys overcame their fear of gills & Baylee learned some new moves
But Sea Camp is over, it must come to an end
Luckily no kids had to be thrown in the shark pen
Thank you parents for trusting us with your kids
We had a great time we hope to see you again

KIDS SEA CAMP

Sounds in the distance from kids as they play
Metal tanks clanging from across the way
The rustle of palms in the wind never stops
A cooling breeze fights the sun till it drops
Turquoise waters lap at white coral sand
A tiny crab lifts it’s claws & makes his stand
Little lizards dart about like little lizards do
Little boys chase the as long as they’re in view
Faces from around the world mingle here
Drawn by the sea that we long to be near
Busy lives challenge us to not lose sight
Of the wonders around us day & night
Whether viewing new worlds beneath the swells
Splashing in the surf or collecting shells
The sea connects us all in some special way
And our kids show it now even as they play

By WEGRYN

KIDS SEA CAMP 2

Like a very funny moment
That suffers from retelling
These musings of paradise
Won’t be nearly compelling
But how can simple words
Ever hope to describe
The soothing sound of trade winds
As they rustle through the palms?
And what prose might one compose
That would ever stand a chance
Of painting the water color
That is seen from boat & beach?
Or the thrill of a first dive?
Or the wonder of the reef?
The smile of kids playing
Or a sunset while you eat?
And what of all the moments
That happened through the week?
When you tasted salt water
Because Christian said it’s sweet?
When you swam with a school of fish?
Or watched an octopus retreat?
And how can one forget the time
When Kees fell off the boat?
No, these words won’t have much hope
Of even slightly conveying, or partially portraying
All the wonderful new memories
That we have from Kids Sea Camp

By the WEGRYNS

KIDS SEA CAMP 2007

Could just be a slice of heaven
When Kees made the dive bell ring,
We would all give the dive gear a fling,
Over the side of the dive boat we did drop
On the way to Mushroom Forest our eyes would pop.
All the lovely creatures great & small
Our fearless Dive Masters (Kees, Guillermo, Chris) showed us all.
U-boat & other tales from Chris, fact or fiction?
Doesn’t really matter, they showed us some action.
Our junior divers who knew nothing became certified
Thanks to guidance from instructors who deserve to be sanctified.
They pushed & led & prodded each one to study
Then master the skills to dive with a buddy.
Our smallest ones too were treated with care
Their interest in marine life gave them wide eyed stares.
They learned to snorkel, swim& fin
Then said lets go back next year & do it again.
Most important of all, you brought our families together
For vacation on an island with beautiful weather.
So lets aim for 2008
Because I know Margo’s Sea Camp will certainly be great!

By NEIL BRYSON

With apologies to Master Card

Swim lessons for a 7 year old who can’t swim
Cost- I don’t want to know
Yearly condos at various ski mountains
Cost-don’t ask, don’t tell
Kids Sea Camp- Grand Cayman
Cost- I may never retire
Junior Open Water Certification – Kids Sea Camp-Curacao
Cost -I will never be able to retire
Boarding a terrain park rail & diving on Scuba with your grandson
Priceless!

By CJ WARSO

Bon Bini

One week to an island called Curacao, by U-boat we came, ask Chris how.
5 adorable water bugs called Kiera, Aydeen, Maia, Baylee, & Emily-
Little Sasy’s in more ways than one
Our enthusiasm abounds as we jump up & down
Next to the Seals, although I think fish be more like it.
3 be boys Cody, Jason, & Sloan, 3 be girls, Mia , Karah & Veronica
You have taken your first step in the world of corals of color.
The Juniors astound with their prowess deep down, may yards
Our Jonathan & Sylvia, Blair & Stephen & to Adrian, Chantal, & Sherman
Our thanks for 4 C-cards
The 4 Teens of Robbir, Erin, Ben & Abigail
As they chase fish around, their specialties abound.
Lest we forget 2 Dolphin trainers, Stephanie & Jennifer
Blend science & showmanship for memories forever.
We have studied & splashed, kissed dolphins & partied
We found good treasure & new friends & memories forever
This new adventure will continue as we swim, dive, play
May we always remember this special Graduation day

By Carol Warso

Every Morning we dropped off our kids
With the crew of Kids Sea Camp
They took them away & had lots of fun
& eventually brought them back
They had fun in the sun & played with Dolphins
Pelicans & sea lions too
They learned how to snorkel & learned how to scuba
Our thanks to the Kids Sea Camp crew
Christian, Kees Lionel & Robbie
Took the old folks out to dive
Christian , Kees Lionel & Robbie
Brought all the old folks back alive
We saw lots of fish & beautiful coral
Some tugboats & the wreck of the Superior
We dove a sight called Mushroom Forest
That makes most other dive sites inferior
Kees finished that night by falling off the boat
A secret I’m sure he’d like to keep
Perhaps they will name a dive site in his honor
They could call it the site Dive Masters Leap
We had a grand time, one we’ll never forget
Many thanks to Kids Sea Camp Curacao
Thanks to Margo, the Resort, & to Ocean Encounters
Sadly our vacation is all over now
But the memories will never end

By Scott Kattenbaugh

Early last Saturday, we all flew away
To dive & swim & play all day.
Seeing old friends, & making some new
Including the crazy folks on the crew
Margo’s in charge , Chris tells tall tales
Kees with his fall, Nolo knows sales.
Divers on board, wrestling with gear
Watermelon refreshes, but it can’t beat cold beer.
Small boats & big made beautiful wrecks,
Sea horses, lobsters, eels by the peck.
Hard & soft coral, “shroons on the sea floor
Trumpetfish, parrotfish, trunk fish galore.
As the non-diver, my schedule was full
With shopping, snorkeling, sleeping by the pool.
Some days I couldn’t even finish a book
I hardly had time for a Sea Quariam look.

Sea Camp is great! Couldn’t ask for more!
Drop the kids off-dive from boat or shore.
Somehow the kids whiled away the hours.
Wait! Sea Camp is theirs, not ours?!?
Artwork & games, barking like seals,
Flamingos & shark jaws, big moray eels.
They learned about coral & fish of the sea
From Nathan, Joann, Alisa & Femi
Then, on Tuesday, the biggest surprise of them all:
Dolphins to push kids, the big & the small.
They gave kids sweet kisses, accepted big hugs
The kids swam around them like small water bugs.
Now we come to the close of a wonderful stay
Filled with lots of adventures, day after day.
So we say goodbye, but only for now
To Kids Sea Camp-Curacao

By David, Joe, Carol, Sharon & Mark Danks & Mara Harrell

With Apologies to Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall Part 2

We don’t need no decompression
We have buoyancy control
PADI Masters in the classroom
Teach us not to dive alone.
Hey! Juniors-leave those fish alone
All in all it’s another great dive on the wall
Having a ball, another Junior on the wall.
We have seen some new crustaceans
Dolphin kisses & lots more
Kids Sea Camp in Curacao
To us, the wonders of diving have been shown
Hey, Juniors leave that coral alone!

By Sylvia Ellins

A Curacao Haiku

Curacao waters
Unbelievable beauty
Always to return

By Amy Adair

Oh to be like a fish under the sea
& have a new dive buddy, Stephen
to go scuba with me.

By Stephen Panosian

In Curacao is Kids Sea Camp,
Where all of our kids go,
Parents spend the mornings,
Diving, no deco.
Kids swim with dolphins & turtles,
In the protected bay,
Parents dive with sharks & eels,
To test survival skills that day.
The week is over much too fast,
It’s almost time to go,
We can’t wait for the hot bus trip,
& custom lines that move so slow.
Thanks to Ocean Encounters & Christopher,
For memories & good times,
& to Margo & her crew,
for having us do this rhyme.

By Cathy Kaltenbaugh

T’was the eve of Kids Sea Camp when all through the resort,
The urchins were stirring, those in their rooms & them in the port.
The dive gear was laid in the locker with care, in hopes that Margo soon would be there.
The divers were anxious with kids off to bed,
With visions of seahorses stuck in their head.
Orientation was first from Chris & his team,
Away to Ocean Encounters & the boat…Am I in a dream?
We boarded the vessel my ears were all clear,
There were plenty of tanks but not one single beer.
With a hint of an accent, good humor & wit
We knew in a minute Masters Jeremiah & Kees would soon be a hit.
Swifter than anchors divers were deep in the hole,
& when they ascended the dive masters took a role.
On board, Roy & Norma, Don & Kelly are here,
On Joe, On Cathie everyone ready, start switching your gear.
There’s Wendy & Mike, on Scott & on Pam,
Not everyone yet, there’s more if we can.
On John & Sam, On Barbara & Josh
Have we left someone out there? Not likely but oh my gosh!
Lana is coming but getting on late,
Travis is here so it wasn’t a play date.
Julies not on board, she’s feeling a bit cruddy,
But Karl’s okay cause Bruce is his buddy.
We’re all on deck grab hold before you fall,
Captain off again, off again to the next reef wall.
Dive after dive so much marine life to be aware,
The parents are playing with their children in good care.
The end of the week will come quickly now,
Sea Camp Curacao staff, stand up.. Please take a bow.

By Karl Guaardsmoe

Here’s my poem short & sweet
One I’m sure just might be beat.
Of sun, sand, surf & fun,
We all are wondering when it’s begun.
& as the days grow to a close,
I sit here & start to compose.
For if it were not for Margo here,
All we’d do is sit in the sun & drink beer.
But instead, the kids come to learn & play,
While Mom & Dad dive the day away.
The kids are learning sea life galore,
& return telling stories never to bore.
The time to go is drawing near,
& having to go is what the kids fear.
Mom & dad say “we’ll come back to dive another day”
With sun, sand, surf & tots,
We offer Margo a big “thanks a lot”

By Scuba Mom & Dad

My Vacation Wish

If I had one wish for a vacation
I would take my family to a tropical destination
Where the sun is bright,
The breeze is right,
& we are immersed in the sights & sounds of another nation.
Where my kids would learn to love the sea
& enjoy it’s wonders just like me.
Where dolphins become friends
& we see through a lens
That adventure in life is the key.
It would be a place where family matters most
Where memories are made & laughter flows.
Where you don’t have to take a chance
To steal a moment of romance
& I am inspired to poetry & prose.
I have found such a location,
This tropical destination,
It is Margo’s dream fulfilled,
& it is more than it’s billed
Kids Sea Camp is my wish for the ultimate family vacation.

By Travis Rice

Fresh salt air

Fresh salt air
Algae in my hair
Smelly dive gear
Ears that won’t clear
Sea lion kiss that smells like fish
6 months of Sea camp would be my wish
Beautiful fish in every bay
Sunny & breezy day after day
A seahorse, a turtle, a puffer, 2 cow
So many sights that make you say wow
Waves that crash & lull me to sleep
7:30 bedtime without a peep
Dolphin chatter, sea lion roar
Is next week open? We’re ready for more!

By VanDyke

I must go down to Curacao again

I must go down to Curacao again
To the lonely sea & the sky
& all I ask is a dive boat
& Ocean Encounters to steer her by
& the wheels kick & the winds sing
& the small waves breaking
& all the waterlife around me
Oh how my body is shaking

By The divemasters Jeremy & Kees

Coral are red
Oceans are blue
Our kids are in Kids Sea camp,
We wish we were too!

By Norma Twyman

We flew to see Curacao’s beautiful blue waters
Bringing our dive gear& our two daughters.
This poem did not start with the usual red roses,
But by mid-week we all had sunny red noses.
We met a dive master who’s name was Jeremiah
Who helped me whenever I said “where am I ah?”
He & Kees showed us a big boat that was sunk
It was a great treasure & not a piece of junk.
On the very same day we saw a big green eel,
Both daughters were kissed by a big black seal.
Each day of Sea camp for our girls was a blast,
Too bad the week went by so incredibly fast.
And now at the end there is but one last thing to do,
That is thank Margo & all the Sea Camp crew!

By Roy Twyman

Paige & Jenna went to Sea Camp
The joy in their faces
The look in their eyes
Was beyond any expressions
That Mom & dad could surmise.
They learned how to snorkel
& they made new friends
But most of all they made
Memories that would never end
So the only thing left to say is
Wow, we had a wonderful day!!
Everyday!!

By Cathie Solcani

It’s Kids Sea Camp at Curacao 2007
For our daughter & us, it’s a little like heaven
Swimming with dolphins & hunting for gold
Diving along coral reefs of colors so bold
Smiles on kids faces, laughter in the air
Each day brings new stories at dinner we share
Alas, we must leave, but we just can’t wait
For Kids Sea Camp at Curacao, 2008

By Julie Guaardsmoe

As I sit here in my “coveted chair” by the sea,
I listen to the wind & watch the swaying palm tree
I think about this unforgettable trip
& I don’t want my mind to slip
So I may always remember these wonderful days

By Scuba Mom

We took the red eye out from L.A.
So we were a little weary on that first Saturday
After sleeping for 12 hours we awoke with a shout
& ready to see what Kids Sea Camp was all about.
We had a great time, even when Christian stopped by, his eyes full of glee,
& proudly announced “ I need you to write a little poem for me”
The diving left us filled with wonder, can we do it again soon,
We will be left to ponder
Especially the dive to Mushroom Forest, which left us wanting for more
But the ride back was a little rough , with Mike asleep on the floor.
Then one day after a day of diving, I went to the pool looking for a chair
I thought I found a good one until Carl called out “don’t try it”
Because all of Lana’s things were there.
When we head back to work next week, we will be rather blue
But I am so proud of my girls, who are not afraid to try something new

By Scott Brooks

Sea Camp Papiamento
Bon dia click dolphins each day at first light
Bon nochi roar sea lions on our walk home each night
Danki to Brohm, Jeremiah, & Kees for showing us
Turtles eels & rays
Te otro biaha to our new diving friends
May your families blow bubbles with smiles that don’t end
Nathan- the pied piper- you are hopi bon
If Sea Camp could spare you we’d take you home
To Margo, the greatest, who treats us so dear
We say wak bo otra ana or see you next year.

By Josh Van Dyke

An Ode to Our Instructors:

You have all been so kind
& increased the sea knowledge in my mind
I’d like to thank-you but I can’t find
The appropriate words to let you know how blind
My adoration for your patience & time
So the best way is for me to mime ( I love u)
& stop babbling on with this terrible rhyme.

By Scuba dad

I’d like to think of at least 50 thank-yous a day
Thanking God for all my blessings in everyway
So here are some thank-yous I have from this week.
First thank-you for Margo & all she has done
In making Kids Sea camp so much fun.
Thanks for the counselors for keeping our kids safe at school
You are friendly, patient, & I hear “very cool”
Thanks for the dive staff you are so nice
You took us neat places & showed us awesome sights
Thanks for all the friends we have met
We hope to see you all again
At the next Sea Camp
& thanks for Michael who started diving
Because I know in his heart
He would rather be biking
& for my kids whom I love with all my heart
& the smiles on their faces
Which I know won’t soon part

By Wendy Hand

It’s time to get started on my poem
There’s not much time before we have to go home
Diving with you guys was a blast
But it felt like the week went by too fast.
At Sea Camp our kids had great fun
& they were kissed by a sea lion that weighed a ton.
Ill never forget the bus ride when I passed out,
& my wife stood up & let out a shout.
But it’s sure nice to travel with a personal EMS crew,
Especially after a day of diving & being hit by a canoe.
So thanks a lot for helping me
& spending some time together under the sea.
I’m happy that I made so many friends,
& I’m happier that I didn’t get the bends.
So enjoy your family & your flight home,
Because this is the end of my poem

By Michael Hand

We work & we toil
Hoping someday to make it to foreign soil.
But where , oh where
Parents want to go here
& the kids want to go there.
We search high & low
But still unsure of where to go.
Alas it is found
& we are Kids Sea Camp bound
Will it be all that we hope & dream?
That is something that remains to be seen.

Well the time has finally come
& I believe we are all in need of some fun.
We love the sand
We love the heat
The staff at Kids Sea Camp can’t be beat
The diving is wonderful
But friends & family will never believe
Who shed the most tears when it is time to leave.

By Pam Brooks

Grand Cayman 2007 poems from Kids Sea Camp

We’ve traveled here from far & wide,
To experience Grand Caymans underside.
The ocean here is ever so blue,
With turtles, eels & a shark or too.

It’s great to experience Kids Sea Camp again,
Everyone’s having fun & learning all they can.
Rogest brought his paints & canvas,
To bring out the artist in all of us.

We’d like to thank the staff & crew,
For making this week a dream come true.
Tomorrow we head out to Stingray City,
It’s our last dive this week & that’s a pity.
No worries, best wishes, it’s been great
We hope to see you’ll in 2008

SPENCER

I came to Cayman to have fun
All beneath the beautiful blue sun
To dive each day beneath the sea
The sharks, the rays, the fish & we
When I see all the colorful fish
To stay even longer is my wish
We set free a turtle named Dipper
#339 was the tag on his flipper
We hope we see him again someday
With him, we will swim & play
The days were long but filled with fun
We were tired & burned from the hot sun
Friends were made & fish we saw
Someday we hope to see them all
This poem is long & really bad
But we will always remember the fun we had

KEN ZIESEMER & HALEY

Our dreams come true…

To McKinna & Riley

To see the light that is in your eyes
When you emerge from the ocean blue.
There really should be no surprise
As we have felt it too.
For many years your Mom & I
Have known it to be true
Our love of the ocean is a gift passed on
From us to both of you.
Our hearts are full of love & pride
As we watch you grow & learn.
Our love of the ocean we can always share.
You make our dreams come true
From Mommy & Daddy

JAMES GOURLEY

Diving is fun, diving is cool, but paint with Rogest & your wife will leave you!
This may seem extreme, & may seem bad,
but 2 hours of painting makes her not so mad!
Rogest is the man & volunteers his time, but keeping her from downtown shopping makes me a big fan! She comes back covered in paint & happy on her face,
Rogest shirt matches, but it must be a coincidence!
This must not be right, but $4,500 for her first painting…Who cares

MONTGOMERY MCKEE

Grand Cayman is fun as was Curacao the blast
Kids Sea Camp is #1, we’re here at last.
The kids are excited same as us,
6 months of planning everyday past is a plus.
We counted our days one by one
Till the day we arrived to begin our fun.
The kids can’t wait to get in the water,
But little they knew I threw in my daughter.
The Sasy’s, the Teens & even the Seals
Have the biggest smiles from head to heels,
A week of fun they will never forget
& I hope next year will be better yet.
Almost time to go home but no long faces
Because thanks to Margo, we can visit new places.

BRUCE OLSON

You’ll find us at the Cobalt Coast,
Arie is your gracious host.
This pretty resort sits on Cayman’s northern tip-
The destination of our summer trip.

Dive Tech is our pro dive shop,
A small & very well run shop.
Nancy & Eleanor, Steve, Lee & Josh:
The staff are just great, it’s really quite posh!

The dives we take are cool, blue & gorgeous,
We all want to see who can I.D. more fish!
Hepp’s Wall, Round Rock, Doc Polsun, Chain Reef-
We dove each of these & hated to leave!

Who saw a ray, a lobster, a shark?
Dipper the turtle no more at the park….
Tiny gobies, so bright, Rock beauties & more,
We try to I.D. them back at the shore!
Whose computer is noisy, whose weight belt fell off?
Whose rebreather sounds like a Star Trek take off?

SYLVIA CUMMINGS

Rotten Ronnie is such fun,
He rants & raves,
& generally misbehaves.
But we love him for his eccentric ways.

He teases,
But always pleases.
Dot by dot, day by day,
He starts each day a lovely way.

DEBBIE LAWES

There once was a man named Rogest,
Who everyone thought was a pest.
He taught all the tots,
How drawing with dots,
Might help them to become all the best!

JOSH SOHMER

ODE TO MY DAUGHTER

My daughter is just like me,
She loves to go diving under the sea.

Ocean encounters are so much fun,
Underneath the big, big sun!

Fish & fish galore
Swimming above the ocean floor.

Things to do & things to see,
It’s a fishy world around me.

I see dolphins in the ocean,
Putting on some sun-tan lotion!

Fish always seem to be a school
Swimming in a great big, blue pool.

Sunlight filtered through the water
Where, oh where is my daughter?

Suddenly I see my daughter,
Getting her C-card & graduating underwater!

Now we have a new Sylvia Earle
To explore & find the ocean’s pearls!

KAREN ATTAWAY

BY THE SEA KIDS VERSION POEM #2

By the sea, by the beautiful sea.
I’ve come here to see what’s under the sea.
Of turtles & lobsters & undersea urchins,
To tarpon & tuna, we just keep on search’in
We dove in the morning, we dove twice a day
We dove so much, we even saw a ray
We dove with our buddies & all our friends too
We had so much fun, how I wish I brought you!
We hope to return one day to this beautiful place.
A place to preserve & to share with the whole human race.

JOE ABAD SANTOS

DOTS DOTS & THE DEEP BLUE SEA

Dots, dots & the deep blue sea
Turtles released so they can swim free
Watching crabs crawl
Diving deep on the wall
Watching kids take their first breath
Getting ready to dive in the depth
Diving at night
Pitch black, no light
Colors of coral seen
Makes your senses keen
Artists are budding young & old
Maybe some paintings will be sold
Spending a lot of time outside
Taking a submarine ride
Making many a new friend
With letters & e-mails to send
Dots, dots & the deep blue sea
Kids Sea Camp is the place to be!!!!

DENICE TAPPERO

OCEAN GRANDEUR

Hustle & bustle of busy lives left behind
Water & silence envelops me as I drop slowly & calmly into the sea
I greet the busy sea creatures inhabiting the coral tops
Little cities of color, darting about, oblivious to my visit.

CAROL SINK

Morning coffee-black brew
Hurry to eat too early
Gear checks-octopus, BC, fins
Computers on
Bungee off
SPLASH
Cool blanket surround
Weightless floating
No worries
Beauty surrounds
Porgy, grunt, dog snapper, schoolmaster, angelfish
Tarpon, stingray, turtle
Jawfish up-down-up-down
5 at 15
Sun, dry
Dock, lunch, heat, Caybrew

LESLIE MCCLINTICK

Saphira swims in the deep blue sea.
She wishes for a pair of knees
& then that night she finds a coin
She dropped that coin & it went bong
& then she got her knees & then she goes to sea

GRAYSON

PASSIONS

Priorities change
We rearrange
Children come
We’re on the run
Memories are faint
Of poetry & paint
Years have passed
Since I dove last
Passions rest
But we are blessed
Family vacations
For his recreation
Bring us here
To waters clear
With happy glow
I watch him grow
He wants his space
I find my place
Now its me
My time is free
Poetry & art
Even I take part
Rested then energized
Life is revitalized
People I meet
Make evenings complete
I get the urge & dive
Old passions thrive

LINDA DARNELL

The Precious Sea

The sea, the precious sea
With lobsters, crabs, coral, fish, turtles, jellyfish, stingrays, & sea urchins
In the wonderful sea that you can see.

ANNA ABAD SANTOS 7 years old

Ruby the Shark

Ruby swam in the deep blue sea
All alone without company
She wished & prayed for a pair of feet
That would take her out & set her free
To walk & run amongst the woods & trees

ANNE BLAIR

Cobalt Coast is the best
Dive Tech & crew do the rest
Kids have fun all day long-
With Kids Sea Camp you can’t go wrong

R. PARKER

Dots
Tiny specs of color
Under the guidance of the artist
Working together they take shape
Oh what a beautiful picture they make
You & I
We are the dots
Every one counts
The artwork would not be complete without us.

LINDA K DARNELL

At the opening supper, Rogest
Came across as quite a pest,
With his British accent
He came & he went
So we entered his silly contest.

ODE TO MARGO

Margo,
our introduction to KSC was Curacao
So our expectations were quite high that you know
We arrived in the Caymans form the North cold & white skinned
After 1 day cold had turned to heat & white to pink
& what do we have to say about KSC
Well Margo Steve & Zelda kudos to you
Cause Marie Eves’s eyes are even more blue.
So it has to end, like all good things must
But to future destinations we look to with trust
Roatan, Fiji Or Curacao, we don’t yet know
But rest assured we are good to go:

MARIE-EVE, ELIZABETH & JEAN-PIERRE

We came to Cayman just a short week ago,
Now sadly it’s time to pick up & go.
We dived the great walls & swam with the rays
We ate, we drank, & partied for days.
Sea Camp is about kids, it’s about scuba no doubt
But building character & forming great friendships, is what it’s most about.
There’s Bruce & his wife, such a handsome pair
She darns pink swim, while he dives with “great flare”
Bob & Holly, they make an odd pair
They dive, they play, & the wife doesn’t care!!
& then there’s our French pair, she takes care of the kids
While he serves tea in a speedo, which we hope never tears!
Elizabeth & JP, the boys from Jersey’s favorite pair
Who rev up their scooters & scare all the fish on that reef way out there.
Dive tech & Javin provided great care, but to those who come after please heed our advice, if you seek out a night dive of Javin beware!!!!
And so as we all pack our gear & prepare to depart
Lets not forget the person who brought this about
Lets give a cheer & a great big scuba hug
MARGO we all thank-you from the bottom of our hearts

HECTOR VELASQUEZ

Fiji Time

By Bernstein family

After 20 hours or traveling, wanting to relax & unwind
with shell leis & songs, we were welcomed to Fiji time

Malolo children shared culture of Kava & Meke, many crowned with flowers &
Bright green vine yes we made it to Fiji time.

Kids Sea Camp began SASY’s Seals, Jr. Open Waters & Teens herded by counselors
into tidy lines, the parents all smiling started to enjoy Fiji time

The seas were a bit rocky, the visibility decreased making the diving not quite its prime
But it didn’t matter we were on Fiji time

Each meal was terrific each better than the last, served by Eddie, Namba One, Tuwai
Seru, Diana & Paul, signing it all to bure # 39 and I said to myself
I could really get used to this Fiji time

Lilly guardian of the pool watched over our children & knew them by name
her love so strong caused parents to pine wondering how to take her home
when they leave Fiji time

Alisa, Aseri, Lekima & Enani hosted games, crafts, bonfires & dance covered with sand
rain & sunscreen and a new kind of grime, entertaining our children on Fiji time

Hermit crab races 10 countries to defend. On “little” from Fiji, how much did you spend?
He better win for that huge dime. No luck for a crab who drinks too much Kava lounging in Fiji time

The nurse bandaged our booboos & treated our ills, Anna & others cleaned up our bures
& all of the others that I’ve failed to mention no one here is more grateful than I’m
for sharing with us their Fiji time

Rotten Ronny amazed with dots “no double dipping” creating sea creatures with the tip of a stick. Margo and crew made it all happen with her creative mind when we followed her here to Fiji time

Jerry & Romano took the Sasy’s to snorkel Illiano & Geoffrey filled the pool with Seals, Veresa & Jerry forced the Junios into homework while Miri & Tim bravest of all with the teens on the Ready they did climb, fitting it all into Fiji time.

Simeli, Eric, Navi, Jone & Bola, Irava, Ameniasi, Kali & captains too crewed the boats for the parents to dive sites divine, making surer they enjoyed their Fiji time

Ekkie & Waz handled the diving with precision coordinating every detail & tolerating every whine, saying many times a day “no worries its Fiji time”

Friday the farewell song will be for us. Bula to Kava the muddy drink. Vinaka Vakelevu to everyone at Castaway we’ll leave behind until we can return to Fiji time.

Fly, Fly Fly

By Feist family

Once in the little town ocean
Andy, she got herself a notion
Thanksgivings a-comin’
Let’s go a-runnin’
Let someone else make turkey potion

Too bad, I said what others think
Take Sandra & you have all the fun
To Fiji, we go
There thinking is slow
And every day is under the sun
In the plane, we did fly and fly and fly & fly
This better be good
Or I’ll be misunderstood
And forever I’ll have to answer “why”

The trip is as planned
Sun, fun, fish, the boats are all manned
The husband did dive
My children did thrive
And I sat alone to be fanned

Margo my friend, the trip is at end
Thanksgiving was great, we can’t wait
For our next sea camp to attend.

Blue Starfish

By Renee Fini

The vision of one woman with a passion so deep for underwater adventures
Shared by other like you and me.

Beauty and sincerity of my family from distant lands, guide my children on
An underwater journey with helping hands.

Waves, current, and fish as plentiful as the Thanksgiving feast
Gives me great joy and a comfortable bure to rest my tired feet.

Paint brushes, loud laughter, and creativity will always be found at
Kids Sea Camp, Castaway Island, Fiji

Blue starfish live longer and grow
For we long to see you again.

Fiji Fun 

By the Feld Family

Castaway Island is a magical place
Where your worries vanish without a trace.

There are turquoise water and sugar-white sand
And palm trees dot the tropical land.

Cute thatched-roofed bures line the beach
And a comfy hammock is always within reach.

Underwater treasures truly abound…
Sea turtles, lionfish, and sharks can be found.

Hand coral flourishes in every hue…
Pink, yellow, green and electric blue!

Sea snakes slither and sea fans sway
And above their anemones, clown fish play.
Waz and Ellie run a super dive shop
You can scuba all day with hardly a stop.

Fijians are pleasant under all circumstances, they entertain us
With music and their native dances.

Bula means hello and vinaka thank-you
Rogest means art talent and good humor too.

Clearly Kids Sea Camp by Margo is second to none
For the whole family, it’s loads of fun

Best of all, we kids are filled with pride
Because now we’re all dive certified!

Just another Castaway

By Leia Jones with help from the Jones Family

When I arrive I am greeted by the sound of traditional songs
And the strumming of guitars, This is Castaway Island & this is their home

As I walk down the pathways, I hear the pleasant Bula. & see the friendly smile
This is Castaway Island & this is their home.

In the morning walking down to the boats, I listen as divemasters make final notes
About their dive. This is Castaway Island & this is their home

Swimming along the sandy bottom, looking as schools of fish go by
This is Castaway Island & this is their home

Walking along the beach, listening to the swoosh, swoosh, ripple, ripple as the tide comes in, This is Castaway Island & this is their home.

Making the paint sparkle on the canvas with Rogest
This is Castaway Island, and it seems like his home.

I hope I never have to leave this place, for this is Castaway Island
And I wish to call it my home.

Castaway Haiku

By JoAnn Lemly

Castaway Island,
Is the best place to be for

Sun and sand and fish

Castaway by The Lemly’s

By Marina, Zac, Dave & JoAnn Lemly

Here we are in beautiful Fiji
It makes me want to sing like a BeeGee
The Lemlys found a place to stay
Here at lovely Castaway.

Dave is here to dive, dive, dive
The underwater world is where he is alive
He takes some time to play on land
Where he fell down & skinned his hand.

JoAnn is on the beach to rest
She has made her own little nest
Leaving it to kayak and snorkel
Herded by needlefish makes her choke

Zac & Marina are here to play
In the water they see fishes
Fiji has exceeded all their wishes

Sasy is the group for Zac
Of fish & starfish, there is no lack
Marina happily joined the Seal team
Learning to scuba dive is her dream.
Fiji has taught the Lemly’s Bula
And there is nothing cool,
But back in Guam, we like to say Hafa Adai!

I found myself

By Ryan Hodge

I took my kids to Fiji & all I got was a lousy t-shirt
But my kids got toys, cameras, necklaces, flowers, sand
In their swimsuits, fun on the beach, snorkeling in the ocean
New friends, great food, education, picture frames, sarongs
More sand in their swimsuits, an introduction to art, a hermit crab.
A beautiful painting, and an experience they will never forget.
In seeing all that my children were given, I have seen a greater gift.
I have been given a glimpse and a reminder of what life is & should be.
I have seen the fascination & sparkle in eyes filled with wonder.
I have seen the excitement & joy found in life’s most simple pleasures.
And in feeling the touch of wonder, I have found myself again
Perhaps to some, it’s just a lousy t-shirt,
But it means a lot more to me.

HERMIT CRAB

By Steve, Joy, Trey, & Aubrey Bucher

Be careful where you stand
When walking through the sand
You may step into my home
Because I like to roam
I switch homes when I grow
I like when the tide is low
Seashells seashell in the sand
Be careful where you stand

CASTAWAY

By the Bigliardi family

C is for clear blue water
A is for always smiling
S is for soft sand
T is for terrific diving
A is for amazing sea life
W is for wonderful food
A is for awesome staff
Y is for you will love it!
Vinaka to the people of Castaway for welcoming us to this special island.

By Maya Locker

This little island so full of glory, that is how I will begin my story.
Fiji & Manhattan are not alike if you are not in Fiji well go take a hike.
The stars & the fishes fulfilling your wishes
Go & dive into the depths of the sea.
The flowers above & birds fly below, as you swim through the sea fans
Look they are waving. Everything to the little lizards
Are better than being in American blizzards.
And now I have finished my verse you may now finish packing your purse.

Kava (sung to the song of twinkle, twinkle little star)

By Scuba Dad

Kava Kava dark & mirky
You make me act so strange & quirky
Half-way around the world so far
In a wooden bowl by the bar
Kava Kava tastes so good
I hope I can get this under the hood.

Simple & Kind

By The Davis Family

You had me at Bula
So simple & kind
Things that in our world
Are not easy to find
You had me with Kava
From the very first sip
That in itself is well worth the trip
I love the kid’s faces
We visit the school
The campers go diving-end up in the pool.
We sing with the group
We eat chicken soup
Massaged with might
The families unite
Mighty Fine- our room 59
No tie, no shirt, no sock, no shoe
Until next year Vinaka Valalevu

Helping Haiku

By Clara Bohm

Warm and grateful smiles
A feeling of usefulness
Who is helping who?

Fiji is in our hearts

By The Unterman’s family

Fiji, Fiji is in our hearts
We cried last year when we had to part
So we waited & planned many a day to return to our paradise Castaway

Bula, Bula we are here to play
Painting, ping pong & diving all day
The sand between our toes
The sun on our skin
The smiles on our faces
The coconuts again
For our dear old friends
We’d like to say Vinaka Vaka Levu Castaway

We love it here with the ocean breeze
H20 so blue the time will pass slow
Till we return to you. So we bid our farewell to
Our dear old friends Vinaka Vaka Levu Castaway

Rain, rain go away

By Faith Spangler

Rain, rain go away
Sunshine comes out. Dives today

Beautiful water, amazing fish
Put them together in a tasty dish

Rotten Ronny makes kids laugh
Kids are happy, so’s my better half

Loved the diving, loved the beach
Faith loved Aubry, she’s a peach

Castaway’s a blast, we loved it here
We’ll scrimp & save, & come back next year.

Fiji Breezes

By Carla, Clint, Ethan & Dalton Lovett

Brisk breezes
Vivid waters
Warmth of sand and sun
Paradise

Interesting cultures
New Experiences
New friends and fun
Paradise

No work
No stress
Only relaxation and rest
Paradise

Castaway

By The Geiger Family

White powdered sand
Scattered by winds,
Emerald blue water
Divided by currents,
Travel great distances
Unite, bond and become Castaway

Starfish

By Isabelle Geiger

The ocean is blue
Starfish is too,
We had fun in Fiji
And you could too.

Can’t Hardly Wait

We can’t hardly wait, to jump into the big ocean blue.
It’s been a long time getting here
dealing with long winters, colds and flu.
We got our gear, cameras, and buoyancy vests.
Airline is all booked, we hope
our flight’s the best.
After 11 hours of travel, arriving so sleepy.
We finally get here on the sandy beach, so pretty.
Boat dive is all set and Carlos is our guide.
He gets us to our dive site with dolphins swimming by our side.

So many beautiful animals we get to see with wonder.
From tarpon to turtle, to frogfish and flounder.
But today, what a day, such a big super surprise.
A manta ray swam with us, 6 minutes total, no lies.
So forget about theme parks with long lines and dizzy rides.
Bring the whole family to Kid’s Sea Camp,
a vacation they will remember for the rest of their lives.

The Abad Santos Family

We dived, we played

We dived, we played
New friends we made
Have fun, no fear
We’ll see you next year!

We go to the Islands with thoughts in our minds

We go to the Islands with thoughts in our minds
No, no, no!
Try again- with feeling.
We go to the Islands with love in our hearts
No,no,no!
Try again-with rhyme.
We go to the Islands smiling!
Yes,yes,yes!
One more time-with passion.
We go to the Islands with family and friends.
We go to the Islands with dreams.

The Colon-Bonet Family

We’re at our 3rd Kids Sea Camp,

We’re at our 3rd Kids Sea Camp, this time in Bonaire.
So in comparing them, we must be fair.
The Curacao Sea Aquarium was really great
But in Roatan the dolphin encounter- first rate.
In Bonaire, the shore diving is the best,
And our new friends are as great as the rest.
So making comparisons, I’ll just have to forgo,
And take this time to thank Margo!

The Sciortino Family

Squirrel fish are red

Squirrelfish are red
Parrotfish are blue
You can pee in your wetsuit
But you better not pooh!

The Diemer Family

THE MANTA

Dave jumped in the water as I finished my fanta.
Then his head popped out and said “hey there’s a manta”.
We all looked around with Dave’s tendency to joke,
No one was sure if they could believe the bloke.
We dawned our gear as fast as we could,
With this opportunity, we knew we should.
We got off the boat in record speed.
Cause logging a manta is just what we need.
The manta swam into the blue and we thought we missed him,
Then turned around, and for Joe’s birthday, he kissed him!
For six minutes or more, she circled around us.
We were so excited, we almost cussed.
He sailed gracefully away, great story for later,
A truly great experience above the equator.
We finished the dive and headed to shore.
More memories from Kids Sea Camp- we can’t wait for more!

The Diemer Family

A COUNCILLORS THOUGHTS

We’re tired and worn out.
Our muscles are sore.
We’re running on empty and can’t take much more.
But one thing is certain, most definitely true…
Despite it all, we had a blast with you!
We’ve shown you our island and the mysterty’s below.
We’ve taught you some new things and seen your confidence grow.
It isn’t too often that we get to be role models,
 who contribute to a younger community.
So thank you for letting us be part of your stay.
Your smiles and successes reminded us every day,
That no matter the many aches we have in our body parts.
The time spent with you keeps us young at heart.
Thank you!

The Wall Family

We came to dive all week in Bonaire

We came to dive all week in Bonaire,
No work, no phones, no carpool, only fare.
Blow bubbles or not, go deep or go shallow,
Meet new friends who may be anything but mellow.
Kids learn new tricks and new sayings
Dive buddies and friendships here for making.
A week of painting, lots of dots and swirls,
kept us all on our toes and heads in a whirl.
Kids Sea Camp Bonaire, went by so fast,
but we’ll all meet again and have a blast!

 The Gross Family

Mask, fins, and snorkel to

Mask, fins, and snorkel to, diving & swimming is what we do.
Kids Sea Camp is where we go, for kids to learn scuba, don’t you know?
On the boat and in the pool, everybody thinks it’s very cool.
The turtles and rays are very keen.
There are so many fish to be seen.
Here we come with a splash, nobody wants to be the last.
On the reef and in the deep, I think it’s so very neat.
The week has come and gone, but we will remember all we’ve done.

The Spichiger Family

I sent Margo my money to come to Bonaire, in search of the frogfish,
I knew they were there.
On the second day there were spotted, looking coy as can be,
But if you were tasty they’d slurp you with glee.
Red ones, green ones, but none of blue hue.
They hid in the sponges where I could not swim through.
While I was searching for some frogfish to see,
I spotted a green moray eyeballing me.
Perhaps he was thinking I was his next meal,
“no” I shouted, “I’m to tough to peel”.
“You might like my son, he’s tender and young,
just got his Jr.Open water,
he’s much more fun.
“Let me go get him, you wait right here”,
but my son had already seen him and wouldn’t go near.
So my son had learned something, it was quite clear,
when you see a moray do not get that near!

The Voris Family

MY WISH

My wish in Bonaire is to see, starfish and turtles looking at me.
My wish as I go down to the sand,
Is to look through my mask and see all that I can.
See octopus, frogfish, tarpon and more all looking at me.
From the bottom of the sea floor.
I’ve worked real hard to do my best,
I learned my skills and passed my test.
At Kids Sea Camp my wish came true, as a SEAL Team member
I can dive the deep blue!!!

The Ando Family

At last oh me!

At last oh me!
It’s great to be free.
Deeper, deeper, that’s for me.
Into the dark and cold salty sea.

This week went by really fast, too bad it can’t last.
Thank you Kids Sea Camp for a job well done.
You’ve made this week so much fun.
We hope to be back next year.
To great food and good cheer.

As we stepped off the plane & into the hot air,
We got a great look at the people of Bonaire.
They were smiling and laughing: (we couldn’t understand a thing they said)
But we soon got the drift and longed for a bed.
When we got to the resort, we unpacked our bags,
And met some new friends, though we all had jet lag.
We put on our scuba gear and jumped into the water
We floundered at first but soon swam like an Idaho otter.
We saw seahorses, turtles, dolphins galore
We longed to see octopus, bright coral, frogfish and more.
We slathered on sunscreen & headed for the pool,
in hopes that we’d see the wheat hair colored fool.
Ron taught us to paint with a brush in each hand, in hopes that our paintings would turn out just grand!
We’ve seen donkey’s, done blow carting, seen the sites, from a truck,
This entire week the food has been yuck, yuck, yuck!
But for our first time at camp we’ve had tons of fun, we hope to return to have even more fun in the sun.

The Chamberlin Family

We came to Bonaire to have fun with our boys…
And show them the world, of undersea joys.
Chris and Cameron played in the water like others…
and learned to dive in the islands clear waters.
The week went too quickly,
We leave with regret.
Will we do Kids Sea Camp again?
The boys say “you bet!”

The Fain Family

SEAHORSE

Mister seahorse, where can you be?
They say you live here, in this sea.
I search and search down deep below
Where your home is, I don’t know.
So quiet and sweet in a home so indiscreet
We finally meet.
Oh, what a treat!
Mister seahorse of the deep blue sea,
you are a sweet sweet memory!

The Bucher Family