Scuba diving

Scuba diving was definitely not on my list.

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Kids Scuba, Family Scuba Diving Adventures, Kids Sea Camp, Margo Peyton, Family Dive Adventures, Scuba Diving, empty nester travelers

Kids Sea Camp mom learns to dive at age 61 and logs 90 dives in 6 countries in two years

By Betsy Meade

Scuba Diving, no way! My husband, Doug, and I recently retired after raising our four children. We both enjoy traveling, so we started to think about what the next stage of our lives together should look like. Doug is an active sportsperson who loves adventure, biking, and scuba diving. My travel habits favor sightseeing, beaches, and relaxing. I am willing to try new things, but scuba diving was not on my list.

I am not fond of swimming in the ocean at all. As a child, I was content to sit in the sun and play in the sand. As an adult, I occasionally ventured out into the waves, but I feared all the “creatures” I suspected would be waiting to torment me. On several trips, I attempted to snorkel but never quite got the hang of blowing water out of the snorkel and keeping water out of my mask. As an adult, I was still not interested in encountering any sea life. Scuba diving was not on my list of things to do.

Doug, on the other hand, has been scuba diving for over fifteen years. I spent many vacations happily sitting on beaches, while he scuba-dived during the day. He returned with great stories and pictures of his dives, and I was entertained by learning about his time underwater. Doug enjoyed diving but had mixed emotions, always leaving our family and me behind while on vacation. He often suggested that we get certified and join him, but I didn’t think the kids could do that. I certainly had no interest. So we remained content sitting on the beach until now.

I believed I could not enjoy scuba diving for many reasons; I am claustrophobic, and being underwater would scare me. My fear of not having immediate access to fresh air, and could not wrap my head around the idea that all I needed would be provided in a small metal capsule on my back. I was not a strong swimmer, so I thought currents and waves could be a problem, and the most significant piece of the pie was that I am afraid of sharks, fish, eels, or anything else that moves, stings, or bites.

My mentor, Margo Peyton

Margo Peyton, my neighbor and close friend, is the founder and owner of Kids Sea Camp. Mrs. Peyton would talk to me with so much passion, understanding, and determination about diving. Her beautiful pictures helped me debunk all my fears with her knowledge and experience. And she explained that having well-fitting, comfortable dive gear can make a huge difference in comfort, confidence, and the overall diving experience. She gave me a soft Scubapro mask called a Synergy TrueFit, sized just right for my small face.

Even the mask strap was necessary. She added a sports band that ensured the mask was easy to slip on, remove, and adjust—even underwater. She provided me with a smaller mouthpiece that was more comfortable. Then she outfitted me with comfortable, longer fins that prevented leg cramps and let me move through the water with scuba gear. I had no idea what a difference a fin could make. I was provided a comfy two-piece wetsuit that was easy to get in and out of, stylish, kept me warm, and protected me from stings and sunburn. The BCD was the key to my ultimate comfort. The fit was perfect and easy to use, and it supported my back as needed in the water. Having dependable, comfortable equipment I learned to use gave me so much confidence while I was scuba diving.

Facing my scuba fears

I booked my PADI Open Water class for July 2023 in Roatan, Honduras. I was still terrified of marine life when I arrived in Roatan. The night before my first class, I had tried to convince myself that scuba diving was not for me; all my troublesome thoughts, concerns, and excuses came rushing back. I didn’t want to disappoint Doug or Margo, so I got into the pool. It was my first class. Margo personally hand-picked my dive instructor to fit my needs and fears. I had the most patient, kind, and just wonderful instructor, Kiley Thueson, she was perfect for me.

Some skills were more challenging than others, but Kiley was patient, and I completed the requirements of my confined-water dives. I was excited but extremely nervous for my first open-water dive, as I would see fish. I took a giant stride into the ocean.

There was so much to think about—equalizing my ears, not holding my breath, monitoring my air, the dreaded mask removal skill, and swimming with fish. As I descended, the beauty of the corals and the blue hues of the ocean water amazed and calmed me. I was not afraid of those fish! They also seemed entirely uninterested in me.

Upon completing my first day of scuba diving, I was so proud of myself and started looking forward to the next day. However, after dinner, doubt and fear crept in again. I had to keep reminding myself, “I can do this!” Each day, I again forced myself to return to my class, determined to succeed and overcome more of my fears.

It took three days to become a PADI-certified open-water scuba diver at age 61. I was proud of myself for pushing through and enjoyed diving with Kiley and Doug for the rest of the trip. I enjoyed diving so much that five months later, we called Family Dive Adventures and went back to Roatan, this time to complete my Advanced Open Water certification with another Kids Sea Camp Instructor whom Margo hand-picked, Peter Kockisch. He is from Germany and worked with me on buoyancy, weight placement, fish identification, boat diving, navigation, and a deep dive.

Doug, my diving buddy

Then Doug and I went to St. Eustatius, and after that, we felt prepared for Indonesia. So we went to Lembeh Resort in Indonesia and then to Komodo aboard the Arenui with Margo and Tom. Again, we had private guides and learned so much. We did our first muck dives in Lembeh. Doug and I had to practice keeping our fins up, not stirring up the bottom, and destroying all visibility. And there certainly was a lot to see! We both started taking photos and having fun. In Komodo, we saw dragons on land and had private dives with whale sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, and even some reef sharks. Going on a few night dives required me to overcome a few more fears. Again, with proper equipment and planning, these were fun, too.

How’s that for overcoming fears? I am so very proud of myself. Doug and I are really enjoying this big blue new world we are exploring together. After Komodo, we went to Anse Chastanet in St. Lucia, dove wrecks, and learned to drift dive. Next, we are taking our daughter to Belize with Family Dive Adventures this spring to Blackbird Caye. I’m very excited for our daughter and looking forward to more new experiences, and I now love scuba diving.

Structure and attention to detail—particularly safety—are most important on Margo and Tom’s trips. This was a huge part of my success. Being part of that group and realizing that the instruction specifically addressed many of my concerns played a considerable role in building my comfort, confidence, and enjoyment of diving. Margo uses the same philosophy with her children’s programs.

Becoming certified scuba divers has changed our lives in so many ways. Doug and I explore the underwater world together as buddies. We have fun, travel, and meet new people.

Constantly blowing bubbles — now.

Experiencing this new world with my eyes was much better than looking at Doug’s pictures and listening to his stories. In the past year, I logged 90 dives in 6 countries and experienced a wide variety of sea life, including endless types of corals, sponges, and critters.

I am obsessed with diving now. With every dive, I am becoming a better, more confident diver. With each trip and each new experience, I learn more and overcome more fears. Having Doug as my dive buddy gives me more confidence because he always has my back.

Our calendars for 2025 and 2026 are already filling up with more Kids Sea Camp / Family Dive Adventure trips. We are off to Belize with Tom and Margo in the spring and then getting excited to be back on the Arenui with their Forgotten Islands Trip. While we regret missing out on 15 years of diving together, the last year has been so much fun, and we plan to continue to create new memories on future trips with Margo and Tom. In addition, we look forward to introducing our children and grandchildren to scuba diving with Kids Sea Camp.

I am so grateful to Margo for encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone and try something new. I never thought that at age 61, I could learn to scuba dive or that I would enjoy it so much.

Finding a perfect place to dive as a family

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Kids Sea Camp, diving with Kids, diving with family

​“Our only option for getting our kids certified to scuba dive was in the dark, kelp-filled, cold water​.”

​Michael and I, both raised in scuba-diving families, could not wait until our son, Trey, and daughter, Hutton, turned 12 so we could get ​them both SCUBA certified. We didn’t realize that the certification for Junior Open Water ​with PADI had changed to age 10!

​Michael and I went to our local Dive Shop in Hermosa Beach, CA, and our son, Trey, quickly completed the e-learning, confined, and pool work. All that was left were the ​four open-water dives. Now let me explain: it would ​have to be ​done off the coast of Palos Verdes, CA, in January – in dark, kelp-filled, cold water. ​(This is not the definition of kid-friendly, and not the perfect place to learn to dive.) While Trey was very comfortable in the ocean and a strong swimmer, he would also have to wear a thick 7 mm wetsuit, a hood, booties , and a great deal of lead weight. Well, ​he was not having ​any of it! We knew right away that this wouldn’t be the ​place for either child to learn to dive. The search for our family’s dive vacation began.

We found Kids Sea Camp

Kids Sea Camp, Kids and diving

Not giving up, we decided to look into group scuba trips to help us navigate and find kid-friendly dive sites around the world that would provide a safe, comfortable, and fun option for our kids to complete Jr. open water certificationsfor ​our kids.

That’s when we found Kids Sea Camp! It was exactly what we needed. A group of top scuba instructors arranged trips for ​families who wanted to explore the ​underwater world together. As a bonus, they were focused on families and ​offered incredible youth dive training programs and continued environmental education for all. Done. Is Kids Sea Camp the perfect place?

Kids Sea Camp has exceeded all our expectations. Both of our kids ​have been successfully certified​ at Kids Sea Camp, and we have  been on two one-week-long dive trips ​to Little Cayman​ (Little Cayman Beach Resort and St. Lucia​ at Anse Chastanet Resort) 

With each trip, we all become more confident and comfortable. Our family loves the balance that these trips give us as well. We get to have quality family time together, hours of diving, great meals, getting to know other families, and stolen private moments alone. ​Margo and Tom provide professional photographers throughout the week to capture each memorable moment of our family diving and the kids’ newfound friends.

Little Kids and Big Kids are everywhere

Scattered throughout the week, everyone (both big and small, young and old – like Tom, haha) has the option to enjoy activities such as jungle biking,​ sunset cruises, chocolate tasting, paddle boarding, treasure hunts,  hiking, volleyball (a family favorite!), karaoke (start practicing your song now!), various​ culinary delights and art classes.​

There is time together and time for making new friends with other like-minded families. We are so happy that our kids love diving, and as a family. The family can unplug and reconnect by exploring the underwater world together. 

We cannot recommend Kids Sea Camp enough! It’s one of those perfect vacation gems you almost don’t want to share with others lest they take your spot! But no, all jokes aside, we were always blown away when speaking with other KSC guests regarding how many years they have been diving with Margo and Tom. Some have been with KSC for more than five years! And I know we, too, will be among them. Now we have to agree upon the next perfect place for our family!

Thank you for all the memories (and incredible photography!) Margo, Tom, and the entire Kids Sea Camp crew!

Much love, The Morris Family (Kati, Michael, Trey, and Hutton​)

By Kati Haack Morris, KSC mom

KSC by the numbers

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13 years and 18 kids sea camps,(KSC) Ago, we arrived in Bonaire with two 5-year-olds.

As we molded them into young men, Margo, Tom, Woody, Josh, Patric, Tina, and many others created scuba divers. At 15, they survived Lars’ Rescue course and, during a pandemic, tackled the currents around the Galápagos.

As our boat pulled away from this dock 13 years ago, we nervously watched our 5-year-olds, with Tina, feeding parrot fish off this dock, and we didn’t know what an incredible gift Margo would give us year after year.

Soon, our SASY divers will go off to college, and again, we turn to Margo and ask, “What do you have planned for us?”

Patti S. Snyder (Hopkins) See story

Wolferberger: Beach Party Bonaire

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Rockin song, diving in Bonaire at Kids Sea Camp

Wolfersberger family (Song by Trent):

Hopped off the plane at BIA(Bonaire International Airport)With my snorkel, mask, and fins

Welcome to the land of dive excess

Am I gonna fit in?

Jumped in the van, and here I am for the 2nd time

Look to my right and I see the Buddy Dive sign

This is all so crazy

The water’s so blue and wavy

My tummy’s turnin’ and I’m feelin’ kinda homesick 

Too much pressure and I’m nervous

That’s when the taxi man turned on the radio

And the yacht rock song was on

And the yacht rock song was on

And the yacht rock song was on

So I put my gear on, they’re playin’ my song

The flying fish fly away

I’m clearin’ my mask like yeah 

Movin my fins like yeah Got my gear on, they’re playin’ my song

I know I’m gonna be OK

It’s just the Kids Sea Camp way

Yeah, there’s a party underwater today

Yeah, there’s a party underwater todayGet to the class on my first day

Everybody’s lookin at me now

Like who’s that crowd rockin’ loud

They gotta be from out of town

So hard with my friends not around meIt’s definitely not a beachfront party

Cause all I see are wet suits

I guess I never got the memo

My tummy’s turnin’ and I’m feelin’ kinda homesick 

Too much pressure and I’m nervous

That’s when the DJ dropped my favorite tune

And the yacht rock song was on

And the yacht rock song was on

And the yacht rock song was on

So I put my gear on, they’re playin’ my song

The flying fish fly away

I’m clearin’ my mask like yeah Movin my fins like yeah Got my gear on, they’re playin’ my song

I know I’m gonna be OKYeah, there’s a party underwater today

Yeah, there’s a party underwater today

We Didn’t Start the Fire

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Palau, sharks, scuba and kids, family dive vacations, kids sea camp, Family Dive Adventures, Scuba Diving

We didn’t start the fire, It was always Margo since the year 2000!
We didn’t start the fire, It was always Margo out in Curacao!

Firewalkers, Kava Root, Soft Corals, Shark School
South Pacific, Rocky Island, Bequa Lagoon
Uncle Frasier, Had a Mission, The Cathedral Expedition
Bubblemaker, Fiji Islands, First KSC
Buddy Dive, Bonaire, Shore Diving, Low on Air
Woody, The Milkshake King, At the Surface Interval
Himahooker, Wreck Dive, Donkey Farm and Ice Cream
Scuba Diving, Caribbean, Barracuda, Goodbye!

Chorus
We didn’t start the fire, It was always Margo since the year 2000!
We didn’t start the fire, It was always Margo out in Curacao!
Sea Explorers, Spider Boats, Dumaguete, Philippines
Pura Vida, World Class Diving, Dive with a smile
Oslob, Whale sharks, Pigmy Seahorses, Deep Dive
Giant Frogfish, Down in Cabilao
Shark Man, House Reef, Cayman Islands, Cobalt Coast
Stingray City, Master Seal, Kittiwake, Moray Eel
Turtles, Crystal Caves, Karaoke, Hot Tub
Sunset Cruise, Peyton’s Place Diving in the Ocean!

Chorus
We didn’t start the fire, It was always Margo since the year 2000!
We didn’t start the fire, It was always Margo out in Curacao!
Volleyball, Bungalows, Horseback Riding, Playing Pool
Subway, Water Sports, Bay Islands Roatan
Monkey Tour, Eco Tour, Zip Line
Bearded Toadfish, Sitting on the ocean Floor
Mark and Holly Night Dives, Fly Fishing Mafia
Eagle Rays, Wreck Dives, Seahorses Everywhere
Trunkfish, Spotted Drums, Diving with the family Master Diver
Peter, Navigation.

Chorus
We didn’t start the fire, It was always Margo since the year 2000!
We didn’t start the fire, It was always Margo out in Curacao!
The Mermaid, Margo, Diving in a strange Land
PADI, Photos, Lots of Conservation
PADI Diver Hall of Fame, Lots of Conversation
SCUBAPRO Deep Elite, KSC sure to repeat
Ole Tom, The man, Coral Restoration
Diving with his family deep within the ocean
Ocean Wishes, Help save the fishes
KSC, Blown away! What Else would I have to say?

Chorus
We didn’t start the fire, It was always Margo since the year 2000!
We didn’t start the fire, It was always Margo out in Curacao!
Reef Divers, Cayman Brac
Sister Island, Back again
Squid Squad, Flounder
Feeding rays, Pip hours
Ragnar spearing lionfish
Russian-warship wreck dive
Nassau-Groupers on the reef
Cleaning station all around
Island Dream Crew is the best
Spanish Omelet Specialty test
Turtles-eating, Lobster feeding
Coral Sister has our Kids
Now they’re Under Maritime Law
Kids Sea Camp is such a draw!
We love Kids Sea Camp nothing else to say.
We can take this any day

The Karenburg Family

The search for the perfect dive vacation is over

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Kids Sea Camp, Amazing vacations, photograpers

“Honey, I think we found our family dive vacations!”

In the spring of 2010, I sat at my computer late one night, searching for a family dive vacation. Sam was 5, and we recently adopted our son, Hunter, also 5, from China. My husband, Andy, and I were avid divers. While Andy’s diving background was drysuit diving in the cold ocean off the coast of Scotland, I preferred warmer waters. As avid cave divers, we loved diving in the springs in Florida, and having kids meant that cave diving was in the past for us.

While we enjoyed the beach and boating, our passion has always been scuba diving, so we set out to find the perfect family vacation. Unfortunately, we thought, kids and scuba diving would not go together very well.

As I sat at my computer, hopeful, I entered various words into search engines: “family diving,” “kids scuba diving,” and “family vacations.” Kids Sea Camp popped right up, and I turned to my husband and said, “Honey, I think I found what we have been looking for!”

Margo Peyton

I read everything about Kids Sea Camp and its founder, Margo Peyton. If you Google either of those phrases, there are pages of great stories and information, and it’s all positive. I called the next day, and Margo answered. We spoke at length, as I had many concerns because Hunter couldn’t swim, and he couldn’t speak English, and Sam, who has ADHD, is not one to sit through a course. Maybe it was selfish of us, but I just knew we had to go.

Margo assured me it would all work out, and we booked our first of many trips to Buddy Dive in Bonaire for June 2010. At this point, Hunter was not too enamored with the ocean. His first water event occurred at home when he fell in the pool and sank to the bottom. This soon was remedied with swim lessons, and by spring, he had donned a wetsuit and was playing in the waves in St. Augustine, Florida.

We have never looked back

When we arrived at Buddy Dive, we were apprehensive. What was I thinking going off diving while my two 5-year-old kids were left with the Kids Sea Camp staff? My fears were allayed when I watched the kids feed beautiful parrotfish off the dock. They were laughing and having the time of their life. By the end of the week, these two 5-year-olds were making new friends, learning about fish, and even managing giant strides off the dock in SASY gear. They loved their instructors and learned how to set up and use their gear. We have never looked back. My search for the perfect dive vacation was found at Kids Sea Camp.

Over the past eight years, our family vacations have been with Kids Sea Camp. There were challenges along the way. The hardest part for Sam was completing the bookwork for his Jr. Open Water class. But you put Sam in a wetsuit and scuba gear, and the little diver in him takes right over. Sam and Hunter love zero gravity, and that little kid who once sank to the bottom of the pool is now a varsity swimmer and triathlete. They want to experience life to the fullest, and nothing holds them back.

KSC all around the world

We have taken them diving at Kids Sea Camps on Bonaire, Grand Cayman, Roatán, Utila, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and, coming up this month, Belize. Then our first liveaboard Family Dive Vacations in the Socorro Islands is planned for December 2018. Some of those KSC places have seen our faces more than once. Each time we go, we reconnect with families we have met and meet new ones. We have watched as our kids (and other families’ kids) have transitioned from SASY to Seals to JOW to AOW divers. We are all divers; watching our kids become divers is a bond we share. I am the lucky one. I have three men who share my passion for the sea.

Margo’s muster text

Not all places Margo researches for Kids Sea Camp pass her muster because it takes a special family-friendly place, a special family-friendly PADI dive instructor, and a unique local family-owned operation for her to feel safe entrusting “her kids” in the underwater world. Margo is a PADI instructor whose whole life is dedicated to keeping kids safe while teaching them about the ocean. All of the resorts are PADI five-star dive centers.

Then there are the included extras, like private boats, kids’ dive gear, private instructors, and even Margo and Tom. Other activities include zip-lining, chocolate tasting, spas, jungle biking, beach volleyball, fire dancers, sunset cruises, and cultural excursions.

The Poetry night is wonderful

Kids Sea Camp is more than just diving. Learning underwater sign language (yes, there is a useful course), learning to use Sealife cameras, learning about coral reef restoration, and understanding our impact and role as responsible divers. Then there is the tradition of family poetry writing. Inspired by the Sealife camera prizes, Andy writes about this magical journey at each destination, the highlights of the week, and the precious moments captured in the smiles on our sons’ faces each day.

These poems express overwhelming joy, as each trip creates lifelong memories for Kids Sea Camp families. When Andy reads his poems, he is always choking back emotion and tears, as is the entire group. You see, wreck diving off the coast of North Carolina brought us together 28 years ago, and Kids Sea Camp rekindles that with the perfect family dive vacation. My search for the perfect dive vacation is over with Family Dive Vacations.

By Patti Snyder

Paul Zanelli: Diving back into life

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Special needs, Handicapped divers, Kids Sea Camp, Assisted diving, Family Dive Adventures, Scuba Diving, Kids Sea Camp, Kids and scuba

Diving, no matter what

I am Paul Zanelli, a volunteer fireman and EMT for over 35 years, a husband, father, and now an amputee. I had spent 33 days confined to a hospital bed after crushing my right foot during a home project.

A tough morning

When I opened my eyes the morning of December 23, 2016, minus a leg. Looking up at the hospital room TV to see a one-legged superstar running a Spartan race. It was as if God were trying to show me a new world of possibilities. Christmas was spent in the hospital with my family and friends. So many people came to visit, and as much joy as that brought me, it was hard to see the pain and sorrow in their eyes. I was out of pain! Thinking to myself, I did not need them to feel sorry for me. So I became determined to stay strong and lead a normal life.

I came home from the hospital on December 27 with equal measures of hope and fear. One of the first people to reach out to me was Margo Peyton, owner of Kids Sea Camp, and her call was the start of a new and wonderful relationship with her, my family, and diving.

The KSC solution

I met Margo and her husband, Tom Peyton, the year before at Kids Sea Camp (KSC) in Roatan, Honduras. It had been a dream come true for us. Cindy Zanelli and I were avid divers for over a decade, but after having children, dive trips were replaced with Disney and water parks.

We stumbled upon KSC when the kids turned 10 and wanted to dive too. In Roatan, we dove and made friends with other adults, while the kids were getting certified and making friends of their own. It felt great for all of us to finally be diving together. We planned to dive, which is a big part of our lives, and had booked another KSC trip for Spring Break 2017 in Dominica, at the Fort Young Hotel and Buddy Dive Dominica.

While lying in the hospital bed in December, the doctors told me there was no way that I would be diving in April. It was only 4 months away, so I sadly told my wife to cancel our family vacation, and in perfect Cindy form, she said NO!

We are going diving

Keeping that trip scheduled was one of the best decisions ever. The Zanelli family needed this trip. I wanted to show my kids (and myself) that life would be as good or better than before. And what made it all come together was this unexpected call from Margo. She had been following my story on Facebook, with lots of love and prayers throughout.

Margo called to tell me she had made all the arrangements for me with a handicap room, an HSA instructor, some big, strong dive guides to help me in and out of the water, and anything else I could possibly need to make this work. She even arranged the land excursions that ensured no far walks for me or a path where I could be driven to the top of the fort or waterfalls. To top it all off,  she even purchased me a Sub Gravity underwater scooter through her not-for-profit foundation, Oceanwishes.org.

Margo the problem solver

The scooter was small, compact, and easy to use. It could be used with one or two arms. The scooter provided assistance diving if I got tired, and was a whole lot of fun. Margo loves challenges and is one of the most loving people I have ever met. She proudly proclaimed, “Paul, we got this!” and with that, launched me into getting back in shape and continuing to plan our dream dive trip to Dominica.

Margo and I connected in NJ at the Beneath the Sea Dive Show in March. She was elated to see me walking with my new prosthetic leg and introduced me to ‘Dive Heart’ to get neutrally buoyant fins to fit my new foot. I was excited about the Scuba Pro fins and meeting some great people who were already doing what I was still dreaming about.

Diving in Dominica

We arrived in Dominica just 4 months after my surgery. I was walking on my new prosthetic, carrying the underwater scooter, and a swim prosthetic (Aqua Leg) strapped to my backpack. Fort Young Hotel was beautiful and located right on the water, with our room overlooking the ocean. Buddy Dive was ready and waiting for me. I spent the first full day trying out my new Aqua leg, learning to use my new dive gear, and getting comfortable diving. Niels, who runs Buddy Dive, was ready to assist in any way, so  I jumped in for a checkout dive off the dock.  That was the greatest feeling in the world, my friends. I cannot describe the freedom and joy I felt getting back in the water and descending to depth, and diving again. After my awesome check-out dive, it was game on!

I had my family around me, and that family now included the Whites and the Peyton’s. The Zanelli family just got bigger. We were so fortunate to have the friends we met last year in Roatan, Jay & Lisa White, and their boys, reconnect with us in Dominica. They brought an extra scooter and a shared passion for hunting Lionfish. Cindy, Lisa, and Margo were focusing on underwater photography, and the kids were scootering around together and having a blast. Life was great again!

‘We Got This’ mentality.

Buddy Dive in Dominica accommodates every level of diver, and it was easy for the kids and me. We enjoyed diving with adults on our own boats in the mornings, then diving as a family in the afternoons. We had fun looking for Sperm whales, and I even jumped off the top of the Buddy Express boat with all the kids! Abby and JAZ took a digital photo class with Margo and shot some amazing underwater images. We ate fresh Lionfish fritters and ceviche each night.

Margo and Tom always put safety first, and that made our trip stress-free. It was just what my soul needed, and all made possible by Next Step Orthopedics and Kids Sea Camp’s ‘We Got This’ mentality.

It was hard to say goodbye, but we are busy planning our next KSC trip to Belize next March! The Zanelli family will be back in the water!

Story by Paul Zanelli, father, husband, diver, EMT, fireman, and all-around inspirational human being. See Paul’s profile in Sport Diver.

Intelligent Travel (Kids Sea Camp Palau) by National Geographic author Rainer Jenns

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Palau, Kids and scuba, Margo Peyton
Amazing traveling with your kids with Kids Sea Camp

Anyone with young kids certainly knows about the lifestyle changes needed to raise children. Among other things, you just can’t go out as much or stay up as late as you did before children (BC). And when it comes to traveling, most parents feel obligated to forgo their dream trips or favorite vacation activities in favor of more family-friendly destinations and accommodations that cater to kids.

This seems particularly true for scuba divers, who too often take a complete sabbatical from the sport while raising their kids. After all, how are moms and dads supposed to go diving with young children in tow?

Palau, family dive vacation, family vacations, kids sea campMy wife and I found ourselves in this boat after our boys were born, and although I still managed to finagle my way back in the water every now and then, Carol and I rarely”‘buddied up” underwater, and we certainly weren’t planning vacations that revolved around diving like we once did.

10-year-olds can now become certified divers

I learned that compromising our love of scuba diving for the sake of our two young sons proved unnecessary. Not only was I enlightened to the fact that children as young as 10 years old can now become certified divers, but I also discovered a tour company that catered to families like ours: parents who want a family dive vacation, and the kids get a chance to make new friends and participate in their own underwater adventures.

Kids Sea Camp (KSC) was started 14 years ago by Margo Peyton, a travel consultant, dive instructor, and mother of two who wanted to bring together like-minded people who love the ocean, diving, beaches, snorkeling, and travel. And she offers them the opportunity to share their passion as a family. After initially launching with just one trip and one other family. KSC now offers hundreds of kids and adults each year the opportunity to learn and enjoy scuba each year.

Margo is a Hall of Famer

In honor of her dedication to helping kids and adults gain a greater appreciation for our oceans and to creating family diving events around the world, Margo was inducted into the Women Divers Hall of Fame in 2009. Kids Sea Camp has trained 8,100 certified divers as of 2026.

It didn’t take much persuasion to get Carol and the boys on board. After perusing The Kids Sea Camp list of itineraries, which now includes destinations like the Cayman Islands, Bonaire, Yap, Utila, Fiji, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Roatan, and the Galápagos. We decided on Palau, which I had been told by the famous underwater photographer David Doubilet has some of the best diving on earth. We called Margo and booked the Palau family adventure.

Get your kids trained by the best

One of the biggest draws of KSC is that they can fully train and certify any adult or child 10 years or older during their trip. Our original plan was to have the boys (now 11 and 13) complete the PADI certification program as part of the trip. After all, how cool would it be for them to become certified in the waters of Palau, teeming with marine life and practically unlimited visibility?

We certified the kids over the summer so they could join the other teen divers on the trip. This allowed them to take full advantage of the amazing reefs surrounding this Micronesian island. Our kids had a fantastic time experiencing their first ocean dives with their fellow certified teen divers; however, I did note that the kids who were getting certified during the trip had completed the PADI e-learning prior to arrival and didn’t miss a beat.

Even little ones can dive — sort of

For children under ten, Kids Sea Camp also offers programs: SASY (Supplied Air Snorkeling for Youth), with lots of underwater pool adventures and fun, educational ocean activities. Children ages 8-10 can participate in the PADI SEAL Team Program, a course that, unlike other programs, includes ocean dives where they learn the basics of diving. But regardless of how old they are, the whole point is not just to supervise them, but to get them exposed to scuba diving and have them share the experience with their parents and other children their own age.

Palau has some of the best diving in the world, and the good news is that the hassle of getting there is more than worth it. Since we were traveling with Kids Sea Camp, the long flights and three layovers allowed us to get acquainted with some of the other families in our group. Since KSC has been in operation for 14 years, most of the dozen or so families represented had been on one of its trips before. It didn’t take me long to realize why they returned.

The kids, regardless of age, seemed to bond immediately, while the adults shared a quick camaraderie. This really was the best of both worlds for Carol and me: fun with the kids combined with the freedom to pursue our passion for diving.

Amazing Palau

One of the beauties of Palau is that its premier dive sites are not particularly challenging; in other words, you don’t need advanced open water training or Nitrox tanks to enjoy them. The water temperature was a balmy 84 degrees. While the visibility on most dives was easily 100 feet. Even when it rained, which could happen quite suddenly in this tropical region, it didn’t bother us too much since we spent most of our time underwater.

We signed up with Sam’s Tours to explore the islands. Our first stop as a group was Jellyfish Lake. The marine lake is the bizarre consequence of thousands of years of evolution–over time, millions of golden jellyfish were isolated in its waters. They migrate horizontally across the lake each day following the sun’s rays to capture their nutrients. What makes these jellyfish so unique, however, is the fact that you can swim freely among them, since they lost their stingers from never having to fight off any predators.

Blue Corner

But perhaps Palau’s most famous dive, and thus most visited site, is the Blue Corner. Before swimming out to the corner itself, we descended to about 90 feet (the kids were limited to 45 feet) to see magnificent gorgonian fans, anemones, giant clams, and soft corals along the sea wall, which stretches for thousands of feet.

We were immediately greeted by a cruising gray reef shark, a precursor of things to come. We floated with the current like a bunch of kites in a strong wind. The concentration of marine life, including large schools of jacks, trevallies, and barracuda swimming all around you, was just incredible.

KSC is a regular family activity

Perhaps the only downside to our first family dive trip was that it set the bar incredibly high for the kids. We reminded them not to expect marine life like that every time we go diving, which we all hope, thanks to Kids Sea Camp. We will make it a regular family activity from now on.

Intelligent Travel (Kids Sea Camp) by National Geographic author Rainer Jenns