By Rick Stratton
Publisher, Dive News Network
Kids Sea Camp Family Dive Adventures is a dive adventure that literally grows with your kids. My 12 year old daughter Amanda and I had a week in Bonaire recently where she and I not only spent family time diving but Amanda furthered her diving experience through the Kid’s Sea Camp program; she got to dive and I got to wear the cool dad hat for a while.
As parents who dive most of us want our kids to learn so they can experience the incredible sport that we all love so much. The problem is we are also parents, so we are concerned about safety and the quality of the training. For a long time there wasn’t a way to get your kids certified let alone a program that would grow with them but 11 years ago Margo Peyton completely changed the sport. She decided to make scuba diving and travel, a family affair. Peyton combined fun, safety, kid training and came up with a gift for scuba parents, and grandparents everywhere…a family dive vacation.
In July, Amanda and I packed our suitcases, stowed our gear and headed off to Buddy Dive Resort Bonaire with Kids Sea Camp. It was great and I was interested in what else I could do through Kid’s Sea Camp; imagine my excitement when I discovered the adventure for Amanda and I didn’t stop there. Peyton explained there is always something that comes next. “We have a program which follows kids through their dive experience from 5 years old right on through until they are young adults,” Peyton says.
“It begins with their first certification program called Sassy, for kids 5, 6 and 7 years old. Here they get accustom to the water and deal with that initial fear that everyone has. From there we move on to the Scuba Rangers and the Seal Team where 8 year olds start really diving in. Our next step is the Field Team for 8-10 year olds; here they get to have a lot of fun and are given missions to complete. At this level they are certified to 12 ft. with an instructor.
We also have a Master Seal Team at this level certifying up to 20 ft. with an instructor. We actually had the father of one of our kids get certified as an instructor just so he could dive with his daughter.”
At 10 years old kids can get certified with their Jr. Open Water and at 12 years old the kids get to move up to the big leagues with a Jr. Advanced Open Water certification that allows them to dive up to 70 ft. making it possible for them to take on those more adventurous dives with their parents. “We have an Open Water and Jr. Adventure certification which is where Amanda landed this year in Bonaire,” Peyton says. “And she doesn’t have to stop there…we have a number of other family trips that she would love.”
Peyton says that Kid’s Sea Camp Dive Adventures is what is next. “We are taking kids and their families to the Galapagos Islands,” Peyton says. “While this has historically been an experienced divers’ adventure we have chartered the Buddy Darwin and the Buddy Wolf just for families.” Peyton explains that the trip involved more ecofriendly, educational sites for the kids, such as seeing the whale sharks and sea lions.
“We do the calmer trips for families so that the kids get to experience this incredible place with their families,” Peyton says. She adds that they are also doing a Palau and Yap trip where kids are diving in 15-20 ft. of water with Manta Rays swimming over them and they are also learning about World War 1.
What happens when you grow past age 15? Peyton and her crew at Kid’s Sea Camp still have you covered. There is a Young Adult Diver Program that is geared towards kids who are 15-18 who still want to find people their age to dive with. This year Peyton is excited to give the older kids a DC 1400 Digital Sea Life camera. “We are really highlighting how amazing kids are with underwater digital photography,” Peyton says. “We take a look at the photos they come back with and it’s like they all have a natural talent.”
When Amanda and I were in Bonaire I was amazed at how much better some of the kids were than the adults at diving safely and in an environ
mentally friendly way. Peyton laughs, but agrees, with my summation.
“I have seen instances where the kids are better divers than their parents,” Peyton says. “The kids tend to be more safety conscious and also more aware of the natural environment. What’s even more fun to see is the kids are teaching their parents to be better divers. With Kid’s Sea Camp everyone benefits. It really is all about taking family diving to the next level too.” Peyton adds that every minute of the Kid’s Sea Camp experience is safety conscious as well.
“Parents can witness first-hand how safety is a priority,” Peyton says. “Kid’s Sea Camp has contributed to 4900 certifications with zero diving accidents….zero; that’s huge, we are doing something right.” For more info on KSC visit www.familydivers.com. ■
