Margo Peyton

Philippines: The jewels of the visayas sea

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Kids Scuba, Family Scuba Diving Adventures, Kids Sea Camp, Margo Peyton, Whale Sharks, Family Scuba Diving Vacations, Family Dive Adventures, The Philippines

Welcome to the jewel of the Philippines

Our children’s world has become much larger as today’s technology helps us to engage “virtually” in ways we never dreamed possible. However, beyond our smartphones, there is still a big, beautiful, real world out there. It’s filled with the kind of learning and adventure that expands our hearts and minds in a way technology cannot. The adventure in the Philippines is a jewel of a diving vacation.

When we travel with our children, we provide them with personal experiences that they’ll carry with them for the rest of their lives. If you’re eager to plan your next scuba diving adventure as a family, here is the latest off-the-beaten-path treasure that Tom and I have just explored and that Kids Sea Camp has approved.

Islands in the Visayas Sea

Upon landing on the main island, Cebu, we were met with friendly smiles and helpful hands. Biggs Eggert with Sea Explorers provided us cool face cloths, bottled water, and hugs. We quickly headed to board a Banca boat, which reminded me of a giant bamboo water spider; it was spacious and smooth sailing, like a mystical chariot to our first dive location.

Malapascua has become well known as a premier dive destination fairly recently

This tiny island, just a little more than a mile long, is home to several villages that exist either directly or indirectly to support the growing dive tourism industry.

I have read that Malapascua is the only known place on Earth where one can dive with the endangered thresher sharks and, as I prefer, in a natural setting on seamount cleaning stations at Monad Shoal. Biggs said we would dive with the sharks at sunrise, and as crazy as that sounds, it was not hard at all. Jet lag combined well with the time lag, and we were wide awake and ready to dive at 5 A.M.!

Thresher sharks

Thresher sharks have been on my wishlist for many years, and seeing them on every dive far exceeded my expectations. The shoals also attract devil rays, pelagic fish, and hammerheads; more than enough to thrill any diver. Families can enjoy diving the coral gardens, coral walls as well as further-out sites including Gato Island and Kemod Shoal.

Malapascua has at least 20 dive operations and hotels situated along Bounty Beach; however, Tom and I found only two properties we would deem as family-friendly. Ocean Vida and Buena Vida both have connecting rooms, family-friendly food, and kid-friendly staff. Ocean Vida is oceanfront, and Buena Vida is right in the middle of the local village, hosting an amazing spa and restaurant that would please any palette. Gourmet breakfasts, vegan and vegetarian dishes and fresh seafood are featured.

Sea Explorers a PADI five-star IDC

Sea Explorers, a PADI five-star IDC, is our No. 1 pick for diving and island hopping throughout the islands of the Visayas Sea. Exceptional service and knowledge, smaller dive gear, tanks sized for kids, and a well-trained staff for all levels of divers. They easily accommodate big-rig photographers, single families, and large groups like ours. Each Banca boat offered hot coffee or tea, warm face cloths, fresh fruit, and baked bread upon returning from our dives. To top it all off, I never touched my gear; it was rinsed and set up perfectly adorned atop my nitrox tank, awaiting my return. Heaven! I have to say, nothing made the staff happier than to see the smile on our faces, and I guess that’s why the Sea Explorers’ tagline is “Dive with a smile,” because we certainly did.

Negros Island was our next stop

We were beyond surprised when we arrived at Pura Vida Homes. Fourteen luxurious two-bedroom villas are handcrafted with rich hardwoods and have breathtaking views of the mountains and sea. The resort sits on a beautiful beach with three infinity pools, a restaurant, a gym, a spa, and a wedding chapel.

Being that it was our 10th wedding anniversary, we could not resist the opportunity to renew our vows at sunrise. Owner Chris Heim was delighted to give me away. Biggs accepted as my maid of honor, and the local pastor presided, as his lovely daughter sang. I have no words for how special Sea Explorers made us feel throughout our trip. They treat everyone like family.

There were mountain villages to explore, and infinite pristine reefs teeming with fish to dive, like Apo Island, which provided endless views of colorful soft corals, punctuated with my favorite, turtles! We could have stayed a month and not been bored.

Whale sharks

On our way to Bohol aboard our Banca boat, Dako, we were able to dive in 35 feet of warm, clear water and observe these gentle giants feeding on krill. I had only been diving with whale sharks in the Galapagos, and it was fabulous in these much warmer waters. Kids and families can snorkel or dive anytime during their stay.

Amun Ini is a small 16-room, five-star dive resort and the most luxurious little gem we found yet. Family-owned and family-run.  Amun Ini means “This is mine,” and I can understand why, as anyone would want to claim it for themselves. A beautiful, private white sand beach, infinity pool, and large, spacious rooms greeted us at this eco-friendly, holistic, and organic scuba retreat.

Did I mention it’s kid-friendly?

The owner’s daughter and her husband are the gourmet chefs, who create local dishes that will tantalize your taste buds and make you feel like you’re dining in one of the top 10 restaurants in the world. Did I mention it’s kid-friendly? The chef’s two little girls, ages 3 and 5, joined us each day. I loved seeing the smiles on their faces when I told them about Kids Sea Camp and all the kids we would return with to play together in the ocean.

Beyond diving, I must mention the things Tom thought were more than noteworthy. Everyone in the Philippines plays basketball,  and they are really good at it too! Tom played a few games after diving with the dive team, and it was almost as good as the diving.

In addition, there are sunset massages, culinary classes, yoga, and kayaking. We also enjoyed the many hugs from some of the happiest children we encountered throughout our trip. These are humble people who prize family and each other above all things.

The diving had the most incredible, healthy, and vibrant reefs I have ever seen. Biggs asked me if I wanted to do some muck diving. I had read about this type of addictive diving, hunting for the tiniest of critters on the sandy bottom. I found tiger shrimp the size of a grain of rice, multicolored frogfish the size of a gumball, and pygmy seahorses, all well camouflaged to the eyes of any would-be predators.

Cabilao Island, our next stop via the Chocolate Hills

The hanging bridge and a zip line to stay at Pura Vida Cabilao. Another spectacular Sea Explorer resort with 2O spacious oceanfront suites, more breathtaking views, and completely surrounded by endless coral walls. The unlimited shore diving offered many opportunities to encounter a wide range of tiny critters, turtles, rays, sharks, and even schools of wild dolphins.

This boutique island resort offers a personal closeness that is perfect for small groups and the Kids Sea Camp. The dining offers a personalized touch with a menu prepared to please.

A welcoming, safe, and smile-driven island

All in all, we have given a good chunk of our hearts to the Philippines, as we found it to be one of the most welcoming, safe, and smile-driven places we have encountered to date. If you’re ready to take a break from your virtual world, I invite you to taste experience to the utmost, to teach your children to reach out without fear to explore a world that will bring their imagination to life.

Join us for an extraordinary journey to the Philippines. I encourage you to open your children’s eyes to humility, happiness, and a new way of looking at life that they will remember forever.

By Margo Peyton, President of Kids Sea Camp Inc. 

Tips for better buoyancy and air consumption

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Buoyancy, Kids Sea camp, scuba training for kids

Keys to better diving

  • Good buoyancy is key. Make sure you are neutrally buoyant, trim your gear so nothing is hanging or dragging below you, and try to evenly distribute your weights. 4lb on the left, then 4lb on the right. Move them around, ankle weights are also used, I use 1lb on each ankle when diving with my camera. Some BC’s, like my ScubaPro Lady Hawk, have pockets up high in the back. I often put a 1 lb in each of those pockets. A Peak performance buoyancy class will be a fun continuing education class, as it will teach you more about good buoyancy control.
  • Breathe slowly and deeply when you’re diving; don’t ever hold your breath. Short and shallow breaths can be dangerous and create dead air spaces.

Gear is important

  • Streamline your gear and have property-fitting equipment, nothing dangling or dragging. Make sure your equipment is in good working order and has been serviced regularly by your local dive shop.
  • Use proper kick cycles and don’t swim while diving (no hands needed). Make sure you’re using Scuba fins, not snorkel fins. Dive fins should be longer and fit comfortably. Go to your local dive shop and try on a few pairs. Some adults like me prefer full-foot fins; for kids, I recommend fins with straps for growing feet.
  • Make sure to be suited up as conditions dictate. Stay warm, choices of a shorty or long wet-suit, 2 mm, 3 mm, 5 mml and more are available depending on the temperature of the water your diving. In the Galapagos, I use a 5- or 7-mm long suit; in Bonaire, I use a 2-mm shorty. New wetsuits are more buoyant than older ones, and thickness makes a big difference as well. The thicker the suit, the more weight is needed. Long suits will require more weight than a shorty.

Be in good condition

  • Be in good physical health, and never dive when you’re not feeling well. Always consult your doctor about any medications you’re taking, as they could have different effects while diving. Make sure to fill out waivers truthfully so that, if something does happen, it will be easier to determine what is going on and to provide help faster and more efficiently.
  • Dive often. The more you dive, the more confident and comfortable you will become, and buoyancy will become easier.

Be a good buddy

  • Stay close to your buddy. Constantly chasing your buddy can use up more air on a dive and create stress.
  • Dive into a current at the start of a dive when you are not tired, so you can then dive with the current returning at the end of your dive. Make sure not to dive in strong currents. Check with your local dive shop or dive professional before entering the water to determine safe dive conditions. Always let someone know you are going diving, and never dive alone.

Relax, it’s just diving

  • Relax, enjoy your dive. Take only photos, leave only bubbles. Observe marine life and don’t touch anything living.
  • Take an advanced open water class, which covers a navigation dive, a deep dive, a buoyancy dive, a night dive, a photography dive, and a Fish ID dive. All of which will make you feel more confident in your direction, buoyancy, and knowledge of marine life, allowing you to feel more comfortable diving. There are other specialty dives you can take in an Advanced Open Water Class, such as Underwater Naturalist, Wreck, or even zombie dives. Visit www.padi.com for more information about courses.
  • Don’t overthink air consumption; the more you think about it, the more anxious you become, and the fewer chances there are for relaxation.
  • Take your family diving and enjoy diving with your kids. They will look to you as role models and strive to dive as you do. Be a good role model.
Have fun and be safe! I look forward to diving with you.
by Margo Peyton, President of Kids Sea Camp, PADI Instructor #57474

The New Kids Sea Camp Diver!

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The Kids Sea Camp diver, PADI, kids sea camp

Big news for our company: The Kids Sea Camp Diver!

PADI has approved its first Kids Sea Diver Specialty course. This certification, developed by PADI and KSC founder Margo Peyton, is designed to help families who dive together become better dive buddies.

Kids Sea Camp, Kids Sea Camp diverThe certification is to assist parents and other adult family members who want to update and refresh some of the basic skills learned during previous dive training. Also, part of the program is education and becoming more aware of the environmental issues and concerns affecting the regions they are currently diving in.

Upon completing the KSC reboot, a new Kids Sea Camp Diver will demonstrate mastery in both diving and being a well-trained, confident parent-child buddy team. Divers will have training and education in environmental stewardship and watermanship. Throughout the course, emphasis will be placed on safety, teamwork, and conservation.

The goals of the Kids Sea camp Diver distinctive specialty training

  • Reinforcement of the “Good Buddy” principles and practices.
  • Refresh basic signs and skills learned in their open-water courses.
  • Educate students about the benefits of continuing education.
  • Encourage interest in leadership roles that promote responsible diving.
  • Discuss local eco-issues and concerns, customs and traditions, and how this has impacted the environment.
  • Identify local environmental issues, discuss solutions, and create awareness.

PADI has recognized the value of our Kids Sea Camp families for more than two decades.

Kids Sea Camp is Elite!

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Kids Sea Camp, Margo Peyton

. . .and so is Margo Peyton

Margo Peyton has been awarded a PADI Elite Instructor award for 2014. To receive the award, an instructor must have over 150 certifications during the calendar year. PADI’s award is in recognition of outstanding accomplishment in PADI Diver Training. The number of certifications attained by Margo during the Kids Sea Camp training weeks was 282 in 2014. Kids Sea Camp contributed 402 new certifications in 2014, bringing the running 14-year total to 5402. That’s a lot of new divers!

elite, kids and diving, Kids Sea Camp, Margo Peyton

“I’m honored that PADI is seeing all the wonderful work we are doing, getting children and their families diving together. It’s a personal joy of mine. I would love to get everyone I meet under the water and experience diving. I can honestly say I think everyone would be a happier and healthier person if they all learned to dive.

Margo Peyton is awarded her first PADI Elite Dive Instructor award.

I also want to thank PADI for all the support since the very beginning of Kids Sea Camp, some 15 years ago. They have also been there for me and my little company, helping us in any way they can.” 

Margo Peyton, founder and owner of Kids Sea Camp and Family Dive Adventures 

Toothpaste and new dive mask

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Bonaire, Diving with Kids, Tom Peyton

Preparing a new dive mask

The foggy mask: I had a client buy a new dive mask this week, and I told him to make sure to rub toothpaste on both sides of the mask lens before jumping into the water. It will help prevent the lens from fogging up.

He then asked a very simple question, “Why?”

I had no answer for him—I said it was tradition. He then asked, “But why is it the tradition?

I smiled and thought to myself how living with a Hall of Famer who really is a diving professor, Professor Margo of the department of Oceanic Adventures at Kids Sea Camp, makes me a little dumb at times. I have watched Margo put toothpaste in our new dive masks for years — she even puts it in the old ones at the beginning of the summer. And the dumb part  — I never once asked why. Not once did I ask why we are putting something I put on my teeth every day on an item that has no teeth? I just knew that when she didn’t use the toothpaste, my mask would fog up — very quickly — and I hate a foggy mask.

One good thing about myself is that once I realize just how stupid I’m acting or thinking, I tend correct my behavior, and I do this by gathering information. So here’s why my Oceanic Professor puts toothpaste on the lens of our mask almost every year, at the beginning of our diving season— new or not.

Toothpaste is a mild abrasive

Most newer masks, frames, skirts, and straps are made of silicone, which creates a film on the mask’s lens. The film on the lens blocks the defog from working properly. In fact, if the silicone residue is not removed, any amount of defogging work on the lens.

After the toothpaste

After you have cleaned off the toothpaste and you are heading to the boat, make sure to have some defog. There are many brands, and with the silicon residue removed, most of them will work. The fact of the matter is, all the dive boats have some form of defog, though most use a watered-down J&J baby shampoo.

Other forms of defogging

Spit: Real divers don’t use defog; they spend a lot of time draining their mouths, building up a large quantity of saliva, and projecting it into their masks. Many divers say this is the best form of defog, but the idea of my eyes breathing in all the wonderful germs from my mouth — just doesn’t work for me.

SeaDrops: Clean, quick, and easy to use — a few drops on the inside and the outside of the mask has gotten me close to a decade of “no fog” mask. Just remember to wash the drops out right before you jump off the boat. If you don’t clean the drops out of the mask properly, you could experience a severe burning sensation in your eyes — and the eye burn can really ruin a great dive. Why? Because all defog is a form of soap. That’s why most dive boats and shops use J&J Baby Shampoo  — it’s easier on the eyes.

Burn it off: Don’t do this at home unless you know a professional mask burner who has done it many times. You are basically burning off the thin film that protects the new lens. The danger, of course, is burning the entire soft silicone that makes your new mask so darn comfortable.

After the dive

Hit the dunk tank: Make sure you use freshwater to clean off all your dive equipment. Almost all our family of divers dunk their BCs in the sweetwater tub, but I have watched numerous divers forgo a quick rinse of their fins, mask, snorkel, and wetsuit. Remember, a clean mask doesn’t fog up as much, and clean gear lasts longer.

Tom Peyton, Vice President of Kids Sea Camp and Family Dive Adventures

How safe is scuba diving?

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Kids Scuba, Family Scuba Diving Adventures, Kids Sea Camp, Margo Peyton, Family scuba diving

Jerry Seinfeld is wrong. Scuba diving is safe.

This morning, seeking inspiration to write, I listened to Seinfeld joking about scuba diving. He observes that scuba diving is the only activity where your main goal is simply not die. You spend the whole time thinking, “Don’t die… swim and breathe because living is good.” Comedy aside, let’s look at the numbers. While Jerry is a master of comedy, his take on diving falls short. Scuba diving is, in fact, exceptionally safe—even when sharks are involved. The reality is that diving ranks among the safest activities you can choose.
Scuba diving versus other human activities

By the numbers

Scuba diving death rate: 1 out of every 211,864 dives ends in death, according to DAN (2010 workshop report). For example, with about 2,000 dives in my scuba career, my statistical risk is roughly 1 in 106,000. Margo, with 7,500 dives so far, would have a statistical risk of approximately 1 in 28,000. However, these numbers show that scuba diving remains statistically safe. In fact, a DAN study on DCS (Decompression sickness) states that from 1998 to 2004, across 105,135 dives, 95% were “uneventful.”
To clarify, this means that the vast majority of dives encountered no significant issues. Of the 5% who experienced problems, the most common, affecting 2.7% of dives, was equalization, which simply involves adjusting ear pressure to accommodate underwater changes. Buoyancy control, which is adjusting your body’s position in the water, was a problem in 0.9% of dives. The face mask was the next issue at 0.69%, with dive computer issues trailing at 0.4%. Overall, diving seems pretty darn safe.
Shark accidents: Just because it’s fun to talk about sharks and diving, and at one time, one of my biggest fears, sharks will kill me. It is simply not true. While the number of attacks fluctuates slightly year-to-year based on beach attendance and environmental factors, the overall danger remains minuscule: Average Attacks: Recent years (2020–2025) have averaged roughly 63–80 unprovoked bites per year. Fatalities: The global average for deaths remains around 5 to 6 people annually, which is incredibly low considering the millions of people who enter the water. Odds: The statistical likelihood of being killed by a shark is approximately 1 in 4.3 million.
  1. Human accidents: As far as the sharks that are reading this blog, well, our ” finned friends” need to stay away from us. Sharks vs. humans — humans win, we kill about 100 million sharks a year. Most of it is due to “finning”.
  2. Car accidents: I would advise not getting in your car today. To make this comparison fair, let’s look at it this way: for every 10 million car trips taken in the U.S., approximately 180 end in fatalities. This method makes it clear that, relative to scuba diving, the dangers of everyday car travel are notably greater.
  3. Birth: This is not the stat of the week at all, but giving birth can be risky. 1 out of every 7,692 women dies due to complications in childbirth (NCHS).
  4. Jumping out of an airplane: First, if you’re doing it, God bless you. Margo has done it, and she says she still misses skydiving. But ain’t no way I’m jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. Anyway, the rate is not as bad as I thought. 1 out of every 116,666 skydives ends in death. So I guess, keep “free falling”, without me. (United States Parachuting Association)
  5. Running: Being healthy can be dangerous. For comparison, 1 out of every 126,626 marathon runners died of sudden cardiac arrest during a run (1975-2003, NSC), highlighting how rare this event is.
  6. Falling out of bed: To put all this in a better light, falling out of bed is a real killer. In any single year, 1600 or so people will die by falling out of their beds.

The data is clear—Let’s go diving

So it seems that, based on available data, the risks associated with being underwater may be lower than those we encounter in our daily lives. All the more reason to jump on a plane and head to a Kids Sea Camp week and go diving. If you’re hesitant, why not start with a discovery dive class at a nearby dive shop? This low-commitment step provides a safe environment to experience the thrill of scuba diving without a major time or financial investment. Testing the waters can transform reassurance into enthusiastic exploration.
Being with Margo has shown me that “fear” is the real killer in life. And more than anything, it is fear that keeps us from doing what we love.
So, what do all these numbers and odds mean to me? Well, we really live in a fairly safe world. And even as we do all these fun and adventurous activities, we are more than likely going to live long and healthy lives.
If we keep living the “Kids Sea Camp” life, we’ll create stories that outlast us, and after years, you’ll see scuba diving is safe.