BELIZE KIDS SEA CAMP 
PARENT POEMS
June 26-July 3, 2010

It was so fun to celebrate our 10 year anniversary with some really great families this summer in Belize. This was the perfect way to start off our 2010 Kids Sea Camp season. We are just sad that it all went by so fast. We had a wonderful time with all of the Kids Sea Camp families and these poems bring back great memories and make us smile. It is amazing how many poets attend Kids Sea Camp each year (and some get started as young as age 6!). There were some really amazing prizes given out this year including a SeaLife DC 1200 Digital Underwater Camera which was awarded to our first place winners! We cannot wait to see everyone again next year! Our 2011 Belize weeks are June 11-18 & 18-25. Call us today to find out more- 1-800-934-3483. Is your poem missing? If so, be sure to email it to us (kids@kidsseacamp.com) so that we can post it! See you all again very, very soon!

Week 1  Grand Prize Winner!!! 

Kids Sea Camp Rap  

We left our home – our first time –
Heading off to kids sea camp
But when we final –ly touched down 
Everything was very damp  

Due to rain – and hurricanes
We could not leave – from Belize City
With no hot water – and no A.C.
Man, this is really…. Lame  

We finally left – and made it to
Our private island paradise
Where everyone — is catered to
And, boy, the staff is oh so nice  

On the island – there’s soaring birds
And hermit crabs are everywhere
The only crabs – the Princess has
Are those found in your underwear  

At Kids Sea Camp – the food’s first rate
And all the meals have all the trimmings
But late at night – when shots ring out
Beware! You might see Michael swimming  

Every morning – at 8 o’clock
The boats are loaded up with gas
And at the elbow – you best take care
The current might just kick your … butt  

But now it’s time – for us to go
Let’s pack up all our gear and tanks
And at this time – I’d like to show
Our deepest gratitude and thanks  

To Margo, Sven – and Tabitha
And Nanette and ex-banker Matt
Each of you is just so cool
It’s true that you are just all that  

To Island Matt – and all his crew
Always smiling and never flustered
Your attitude and constant care
It’s clear to me you all past muster  

So thanks again – to one and all
I feel my eyes are getting damp
There’s nothing left – for me to do
‘cept plan my next trip to – Kid’s – Sea – Camp  

By: Josh & Nate Comay  

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Second Place Winner!!!  

Life is good  

Life is good when you stay at the Princess Hotel due to Tropical Storm Alex. Yes, life is good when your AC goes out, shower is out, TV is out and you find that everyone is still alive after one night and not killed each other.  

Life is good when you arrive at Turneffe Island to see familiar faces and know that this is now home for one week. From the fresh cut flowers on our bed, to the view to die for, and a bonus that the AC worked, shower worked, and there was not a need for a TV!  

Life is good and got better when we found out that we did not have to clean our BC’s, do any laundry, or even shave.  

Life is good even if your someone gets seasick or drinks too much! The reason life is good is because each challenge and opportunity makes us realize that it’s good to be alive!  

By: David McKee  

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Honorable Mention!!  

As the sun starts winking at the tallest palm
I am still from dusk to dawn
I extend my welcome to the day
To the cobalt blue and amber gold turquoise rays 
The sea is my constant companion at once my friend and my foe
She soothes and rocks me to and fro.
But when she and the driving wind conspire
They beat, battle with and injure me dire
But alas I am wiser than their folly
And I know full well we need & are nothing without each other
Day after day, I am constant while the island evolves
I watch as trees grow tall and coconuts fall
As children play & the faithful pray
As cormorants nest and Jr. Open Water kids do their best.
I am blessed with wonderful companions
Tarpins, tangs, parrots, manatees
Dolphins who glide by and entertain me
As for the stealthy and slithering crocs
Well, I am bound to silence as they stalk
I listen by day and by night – I’m all knowing
I try to sooth as mothers pace and await their brood.
I smile as lovers kiss and dangle their feet
And make plans where the sea and stars meet
I am your gateway to diving wonders
And your welcome when the air is spent
I feel sad when Bella departs for a farewell dive
But offer up my warmth when new friends arrive
But of all the island wonders why am I the least appreciated
I am your bridge to the magical sea
I soak up your fears & joys as you walk on me
I am the first to open myself to you
and the last to say adieu
That you never notice me, I fret not.
For I am only so honored, so happy I can be your dock.   

By: Corinne Dufka  

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Honorable Mention!!  

I was so excited to come to Belize
And Turneffe Island made me so pleased.
My dad was upset about the England score
But at least the USA went out the day before.
Margo said hermit crabs were plenty to see
I found one that fit just right with me.
My SASY training was a great adventure
with Jet, Andrew, Tristan and Spencer.
Carlos was great at the snorkel tour
And Gorges bar tricks had my mom in awe.
The staff was great to my parents and me
Thank you Matt, Morag, Deb and JT.
So to my new friends, Cheerio
Tough luck, buddies, I have another week to go.
But don’t be sad and have good cheer
I am sure I will you all next year.  

By: Sophie Purdon  

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Day by Day
Kids Sea Camp – Belize 2010

Rain, Rain — please go away,
Matt and some guests — will just have to stay.

The Manager says — “yes, it is done”
Again and again — to every one. 

Nothing is done — everything is broken
But you can go bowling — and have a game token 

A long night — with no AC to be had
We do not sleep well — and we get very mad.

 A breakfast buffet — the Island still far away . . .
What’s this? Hooray! — We will go today! 

We climb on the boat — with hopes in the sky,
Turn to the Princess — and wave happily good bye.

After a while — an island comes into view . . .
I’m so excited — how about you?

Met on the dock — with bright, smiling faces
A friendly manager — showed us our places.

A good hearty lunch — prepared with grace,
Then off to go diving — to dock how we race. 

In the ocean — the fish do abound
And back on the boat — there are smiles all around. 

Dinner is served — and the pasta is grand
Then the adults all relax – with their drinks in hand. 

George is the man – in command of the bar
And at the ring toss — he is king by far. 

Sound asleep in a room — that is as cool as can be,
Dreaming of all — the things we will see. 

Good coffee and chatting — and new friends to be had
The kids off to camp — with the parents so glad.

Diving again — we just can’t get enough
Turtles, rays and spadefish — man this is tough.

Back to the lodge — and a peek at the pool
Our kids in SCUBA gear — is so very cool!

Sven and Matt in control — and driving the bunch
I think they’ll learn diving — I just have a hunch. 

A new Matt arrives — after many tough hours
He dives right away — for all its healing powers.

Marcel and Brad — lead the troops underwater
For the lion fish out there — the stakes can’t get much hotter. 

Fraiser is happy — to keep cameras on hand
And downloads the photos — when we get back to land. 

The ladies in the kitchen — keep us fueled up with food
Always smiling and laughing — with good attitudes. 

Carlos is the best guide — on the snorkeling boat
He finds all the lobsters — and keeps the kids afloat.

Friends like Michael and Monty — keep the pace nice and light
As we chill and relax — after dinner each night.

The little ones chase crabs — race and run all around
But funny, not one — single teen can be found! 

JT is the master — with fishing pole in hand
And I’m sure that he knows — Nate’s his biggest fan! 

Matt and Morag – run a tight ship
They keep us happy and safe — even when they take some lip. 

Margo’s the one — to make Kids Sea Camp fly
And I still can’t believe — how fast it all flew by. 

To all of our new friends — we’ve enjoyed meeting you so much
Hope to dive with you some day — and do keep in touch. 

Thanks to Kids Sea Camp staff — and the whole Island crew
It wouldn’t be half as good — without all of you.

By: Liz & Melea Comay

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Belize Kids Sea Camp  

On Arrival:  Welcoming, Beautiful  
The Resort: Pampering, Wonderful
The Diving: Explorating, Spectacular
Kids Sea Camp: Educational, Exemplary
The Week: Love of Family, Love of New Friends  

Betsy and Joe Bachety  

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Alex changed our plans
Blue Hole was elusive
Crabs were plentiful
Diving done well
Eagle Ray spotted
French Angelfish found
Grouper gazed at
Hot days, cool nights
Imaginations stirred
Junior Open Waters passed
Kids laughing
Lionfish hunted
Made new friends
Nudibrachs noticed
Often eating good food
Princess wasn’t fun
Quintessential Kids Sea Camp
Reefs visited
Sunburn gotten
Tubing in the caves
Underwater world
Visions of next year
Windy days changed plans
Exactly as desired, if not quite as we thought
Yellow sponges seen
Amazing time for all  

By: David Binns-Loveman  

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Kids Sea Camp 2010
Belize it or not  

We all climb on planes from near & far
For rest and relaxation, we only go 5 star.
To Turneffe Island Resort
For fun-in-the-sun and a little SCUBA sport.  

But Tropical Storm Alex had another plan,
Your vacation now goes down the can.
Accomodations were 1 star at best,
But, at least (maybe) it is a place to rest.
Belize City’s only entertainment center,
The Princess Hotel-
Wasn’t the stay really just swell?
And, oh by the way, what was that smell?  

The next day, the sun shone over the blue
Maybe dreams really can come true.
The ride was a bit choppy, but alas,
A little Dramamine helped the time pass.  

Dive gear, luggage, Don’t worry, Don’t fret.
Let’s get everything together quick, it was time to get wet.
Through trials and training, they went through the paces;
But in the end, Jet won all the hermit crab races.  

The week went on with-Seal Team and SASY who could want more
With Margo is charge Kids Sea Camp’s never a bore.  

Jr. Open Water students studied hard, they can’t miss
They’re revved and ready to explore the great abyss.  

The teens bob around on the Eagle Ray
For in one place they can never stay.  

Miss Bella rocked us adults to and fro
And from her stern we jumped right in.
Hey Josh- don’t forget your fin!
Marcel and Brad guided us below
Follow drums to morays it was always a show
And at seven minutes deco, it was up we go.  

Sad are the lionfish, what a terrible plight.
They want to live, they want to fight.
But in these Caribbean waters
It is shot to kill on first sight.
Liz was ready for the hunt
Kill one, kill all, even the runt
Seven in one dive,
And yet they survive.  

A jail fish and candy cane shrimp
What can these strange creatures be
A grunt of some sort and red banded
Coral shrimp- quite obvious you see!  

From SASY to SCUBA and time in the pool.
We really stay in the water just to keep cool.  

The kids watched “Up” while we went down
At night the reef becomes a different town.
Slipper lobster, blood worms, and urchins
Seem like creatures from the past.
The dives, the day have gone by so fast.  

Strangers we came to the Caribbean Sea so blue,
Friends we became, the old and the new.
Now is the time to depart,
However, please take heart.
Though we say Goodbye, Adios, and auf Wiedersehen
It is not the end-
Simply farewell, ‘til we meet again
My dear friend.  

By: Karen Binns-Loveman  

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The sharks are swimming
The lights are dimming.
The crocs eyes glow in the night.  

By: Spencer Henry  

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We saw lots of fish in the sea
A few even saw a manatee
Drums, angels, jaws and a doc 
Permits, trumpets,  trunks and a croc
Departing will cause great misery.  

By: Shellie Sandel  

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Day one of our trip began,
Four fair travelers looking for tans.
The Belize flight so smooth and so nice
No need, really, to think twice.  

Hmm, well… the luggage is here,
But what of our dive gear??
No worries, or frowns for equipment not found,
Only smiles all around.   

On, on to the Princess we go,
With Matt and JT whom we now know.
Alex met us with blowing gales,
And what to think of those 8 foot swells?  

One room with hot water, but no sign of air.
In another the smell was beyond compare.
But all met and laughed and made the best
Of what some would say was a royal mess.  

The blues, the greens of the ocean scene
Erased the nightmare of the Princess dream.
Sand crabs on the run from kids having fun.
Why even manatee and crocs come here to enjoy the sun.  

Real enjoyment comes after the breakfast bell has rung
We ride, we splash, we dive to thrive
Because it makes us feel so much alive.  

What surprises await us under the sea
We anxiously want to see.
From the minute we enter till the moment we leave
God’s creatures come out and greet us with glee.  

Back at the island with tummies so full,
The grown ups gather and shoot the bull.
Morag and Debbie tend to the guests
Making sure to give their best.   

Jorge and Omerylon serve up the drinks
To refresh the weary divers and help them to think.
As we drift off to sleep to the sound of the waves,
Thoughts of Kids Sea Camp fill kids’ brain waves.  

By: Mark Brown  

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Margo and the crew
Have taken us some place quite new
A private resort
Or something of that sort
An awesome paradise
That’s amazingly nice  

Beaches of sand
That when you hold in your hand
Remind you days of full of fun
Except the fun is here in the sun
With palm trees California wishes they had.   

The staff is very polite
You come home to a clean home each night
And food almost as good as a mom’s
Spectacular diving  

The fish here are thriving
Theres so many species to go “Woah!”
Hermit crabs at night
Give some quite a fright
But truly they aren’t all that bad  

Where the teens go
No one really knows
Sometimes we wish we had an intercom  

The bugs are pretty bad
But that doesn’t make me mad
I can deal with a few mosquitoes.  

So thank you everyone
Its been so much fun
Don’t want to go
But we have our own lawns to mow.
Yet, I am glad for this once in a lifetime trip.  

By: Jeanne and Jane Colon-Bonet  

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Sitting nude in our cabana
Puffing on my big Havana
Looking out over the ocean,
I think to myself, “This is the life!”  

By: Michael Simmons  

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Hermit crab
Hermit crab
Scampering in front of our porch
At night I can only see you,
If I have a torch  

Hermit crab
Hermit crab
Races each and every day
You help make camp fun.
I just can’t wait to play  

By: Jace Hirsch  

 

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I was really happy that we came to Belize. The Kids Sea Camp was the best. I really loved seeing all of the hermit crabs crawling in the sand. I liked when we went Scuba Diving in the ocean. I loved it when we used the cameras and took pictures underwater. I am sad that we are leaving tomorrow.  

By: Hannah Geoffrion

Stay tuned for more poems….!

We return to the Ocean Blue

To see again a friend or two,

At Kids Sea Camp it is true,

We see animals old and new.

 

Fish in the sea are more than a few,

Kids at Sea Camp get a clue,

Dolphins, sea lions, sharks, turtles too,

And we end the day with Amstel brew.

 

We return to the Ocean Blue

We’ll be back next year, how about you?

 

~The Shepards

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The sea lion’s lost his manners.

There’s nothing more to say.

When belches and burps come out of his mouth,

He simply swims away.

 

~Cindy Sawyer

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The light is reflecting off of the sea.

It shines of the faces of children like me.

Revealing the wonders, the awe of the deep.

These things I will dream of when I am asleep.

 

~Cindy Sawyer

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An Ocean Dive Ditty – Corley’s First Dive

 

Here she sits, on the boat

Hoping that her BC floats

Thinking diving’s overrated

Wondering if the tank’s inflated

            Fins on, Mask on

            Step off of the back

Thinking of the news last night

Of a distant shark attack.

The Master gives the signal

And she sinks below the surface

There appears a brand new world

And now she’s not so nervous.

            Check her gauges, all OK

            Check her buddy, all OK

Look at all the fish!

Forgetting about the camera

And that she’s supposed to look at Trish.

            Fins off, mask off

            Tank back in the rack

Asking if we saw that fish

And wanting to go back!

 

~Jon Worthman

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So clean & white

Is what we write

Inking & Blotting

Staining & Spotting

 

Nothing but stains among

A vast white plane.

 

~Jon Worthman

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Ryan the Sea Lion

 

There was a sea lion named Ryan,

Who say on the rocks just a cryin,

“I want to dive in,

To swim with dolphin,

But I’m just too afraid do be tryin.”

 

A turtle poked out of his shell,

And said, “Here’s an idea that’s just swell,

Just slide on my back,

You’ll soon get the knack,

As buddies, we’ll do very well.”

 

Turtle said, “You’ll see I’m not lyin.”

Ryan hopped on his shell without cryin.

He let out a bark,

That scared a nurse shark.

They soared over reefs just a flyin.

 

They met plenty of whales far and wide.

Played with dolphins at every high tide.

Ryan said, “Oh, the sea

Is a great place to be,

But it’s best with a friend by my side!”

 

By: Caroline Courtney

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The Sea

Attractive and beguiling the amber & blue

Calling, coaxing, teasing to penetrate the surface

With but hours worth of breath the challenge taken

Awe now the intoxicants weave into our being

Visual, weightless, silent, meditative

Adventure of depth, current, creatures & self

Limitless air the topside promise

Surface interlude to toll to next dive.

 

~M. Healy

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First Dive

 

I sit on the edge of the boat, waiting for my turn to roll into the water. I’m not scared, well OK, maybe just a little. After all it’s only my first dive.

 

My instructor points to me and I nod OK, but I can’t seem to move off the boat and into the water. After all, it’s only my first dive.

 

Finally I manage to move, take a deep breath and roll backwards into the water. Bubbles are everywhere. I can’t tell which way is up. Now I really am scared.

 

But the bubbles clear and suddenly I’m floating in a magical place. Fish of every shape and color swim past. Blue fish, yellow fish, plain fish, polka dot fish. I feel like I’m swimming in a Dr. Suess book.

 

We do down to the bottom and do our lesson. I do everything like I was taught in class, and soon our lesson is done. Our instructor signals us back to the boat and I’m sad that our lesson is over so quickly, but I’m smiling, because I know I’ll be back underwater tomorrow. After all, this was only my first dive.

 

~By the Leverants

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Ocean Memory Masterpiece

 

Fragments of memories

Like grains of sand-

A dot, a speck,

A mood, a feeling,

Come together to paint a textured Seascape.

 

Sea critters crawl

From the ocean to my mind

Wrapping tails and tentacles

Around the deepest of my thoughts.

 

Surreal encounters with other worldly beings

Shine as vibrant hues against the mottled blue of my subconscious

And form a mosaic of memories from a fragile domain.

 

Just like a beautiful memory can slow dim and fade

So can this watery world that’s become such a part of us.

Let’s work to preserve it with the fondness and care of a cherished memory

And teach our children to treasure it like a masterpiece.

 

~Terry & Debbie Altmayer

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The Fluffanutter Pufferfish (a fictional poem)

 

I wondered if

A pufferfish

Would like a fluffanutter sandwich.

 

I might be tricky

Since it is so sticky

But I thought I’d give it a try

 

Since they have no hands

I’d also have to plan

Just how he would eat it…

 

With fluff & peanut butter

I made the fluffanutter

On 2 pieces of nice white bread

 

Then carefully placed it

In my BC pocket

And off to Ocean Encounters I went

 

While diving that day

On Curaçao’s Directors Bay

I offered a big puffer the sandwich

 

To my surprise

With joy in his big eyes

He gobbled it all right away.

 

It was so very grand.

He ate it right out of my hand!

Mixed with sea water it didn’t

Even look sticky.

 

Then off he happily swam

After a wave of my hand

And I named him fluffanutter pufferfish.

 

~By: Heather & Marc

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Oh how I wish I that I could be

 

-A seahorse- small and hidden

With the tiniest whinny and never ridden

 

-Or a turtle- ancient and alone

But always knowing which way is home

 

-Perhaps an octopus- master of disguise

To be any color, smooth or bumpy.

But, would my mother even know me?

 

-I think that I would rather be

A dolphin- master of the sea

Swift and proud, with a funny little grin.

Playing tag with the tarpon (they never win!)

Front flips, back flips, races with many friends

No matter how old I would become

No matter how my travels would take me far

I’d wink

And my inner childhood would shine

From my eyes to the stars

And all those stars’ creatures

Would wink back at me.

 

~Rebecca Conwell

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When dad said, “Let’s go to Curaçao!”

Mom & the kids said, “WOW!”

But when we got there

We all said, “OW!”

Our plane was delayed

Our luggage got lost

We slept in our clothes

We felt as though we had been tossed!

 

But first thing in the morning

To Ocean Encounters we ran

To buy bathing suits to lay

Out in the sand.

 

The boys couldn’t wait for

Kids Sea Camp, you see

And Dad couldn’t wait

To try out his new BC.

 

We jumped in the water

Tugboat was there

Drift diving was awesome

But jellyfish stings were a bear.

 

A good vacation it’s been

The boys have had fun.

One night we say out

And watched the setting sun.

 

We’ll miss you for sure

But picture’s we took

Good job Kids Sea Camp

You’ve got us hooked!

 

~The Maloney Family (Patrick & Cindy)

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The Meditation Date

 

Ah… to get wet and meditate

Where the world is quiet and still

No birds or planes will you hear

Only angelfish, turtles and eels.

 

The water ceiling blankets you

Enduring you into a trance

Your rhythm-breathing focus you

And your kicking is enhanced.

 

Your bottom time is over

It is time to ascend.

You say good-bye and begin to

Plan your next descend.

 

~By Elizabeth Neumann

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Silly Little Fishes

 

Tropical topside,

Aquatic wonderland,

Sublime subsurface

Forum fantastíque;

For silly little fishes.

 

Some hairy-scary critter flits

From a half-seen coral wall

And depths beyond

Make nary a sound

And then, there’s none at all…

 

To swim and sway

The day away

With the silly little fishes

A Rogestian thought that is not bought

But, lived in dreams and wishes.

 

~ P. Mottolese

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Sea of Gems

 

That little creature,

Hiding beneath

That coral stone,

 

Should not be placed,

In your suitcase

To take home.

 

If you must take

Some of that soft

Beautiful beach sand,

 

Make it no more

Than what can be held

In the palm of your hand.

 

Oh- the temptation

To take from that

Shining emerald sea,

 

These gems must be left

For those

Like you and me.

 

~The Pardews- Nanette, Tom & “Boston Thomas”

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The sky was blue,

The water was clear,

I put on my snorkel gear.

Under the water I saw

What I thought were colorful fish,

Their suits like rainbows

But they came with a twist.

Snorkels for gills

And glasses that fit.

Some had beads in their hair,

Others had feet that could flip.

 

It’s such a strange

School of fish

But I discovered it

Was a school of

Kids Sea Camp fish.

 

~Gisela & Tom Raether

Good morning Margo – just got back from Bonaire and had a fabulous time.  Missed seeing you and your family.  Rogest did do a great job hosting the week and everyone seemed to have a really great time!!  We are all thinking about where to travel to next year.  We have quite a large group of people that are all interested in finding a place for us all to travel to next summer.  Many of us still have small kids so we really all want to still do a camp with Rogest.  The kids simply love him!!  Thanks for another great sea camp & look forward to another trip with you soon!
 
Thanks!!
 
Josh and Wendy

Margo –

I have always meant to write you a note to thank you for Kids Sea Camp.

We have now enjoyed Grand Cayman, Fiji, Honduras and Bonaire with our kids through you.  You have enabled us to dive with our children in wonderful locations that we would never have been able to do without Kids Sea Camp!  With  5 children in all the the age brackets our children have been able to enjoy SASY through Teen Diving and have been able to get certified through you. 

It is truly a wonderful thing to see how comfortable our children are with diving.  Coming from someone who didn’t start diving until I was older, it amazes me to see the ease at which the kids tackle diving.  They don’t blink an eye when they need to clear their mask, just whip it off under water (something I still hate to do!) and  the comfort they have with pulling their regulators out of their mouth if needed.    They do have the knowledge of all of the risks of diving and know that it is not to be taken for granted, but truly have fun also!

From a parents standpoint, it is also wonderful to know that I can get up, eat breakfast with kids and go off to dive with other adults and know that my kids are safe and happy.  I don’t worry about whether someone is being watched over…it is simply always taken care of.  The kids don’t feel like they are being “babysat” all day – they have a wonderful time and are simply exhausted by bedtime.  It is the best of both worlds to have a family vacation with your children  and have a diving vacation for grownups – not something that normally can happen.

It is also wonderful to get to meet and spend time with you and your family and with families that we have seen at multiple camps!

Thank  you again for everything that you have done for our family.  It is truly priceless!!

Take Care –

Wendy

Mike  & Natalie
Parents of Ian and Morgan
Kids Sea Camp allowed us as parents to enjoy great morning dives each day knowing that the kids were well attended to.

Upon returning to the hotel each day after diving around lunchtime, the kids were so consumed with the content of their programs, they barely recognized our return!

The afternoon allowed us adults to get out and enjoy some more activities before returning to get the kids at the end of their afternoon sessions. As if the scheduled kids’ activities weren’t enough, it wasn’t uncommon for the instructors and counselors to continue to interact with the kids well beyond the end of scheduled times, and quite often into the evening, as well!

Perhaps most rewarding was that by the end of the week we got to experience the wonders of the oceans with our newly certified Seal Team members together as family.

To quote the kids, “That was the most awesome vacation we’ve ever had!”

Indeed it was!

Tim & Jill
Parents of James, age 7

We have taken our son James with us on every dive trip we’ve taken — sometimes with and sometimes without babysitters — and it’s usually worked out for us. But when we learned about Kids Sea Camp, we knew it was exactly what we were looking for all along. So much so, in fact, that we began to wonder, “Could it really be as good as they say?”

Well, it was better than advertised! The kids were kept so busy with all the wonderful activities that the days just flew by! Animal encounters, ocean art, stories, snorkeling, SASY, etc., etc., etc.! Best of all, there were enough responsible and professional instructors to ensure that all the children got all the individual care they needed. Both kids and parents made friends instantly. The families had many opportunities to gather for beach cookouts, and the kids even had their own movie and pizza night. And yes, there is plenty to do for nondivers!

Do yourself and your kids a real favor and attend a Kids Sea Camp destination this year!

Trish
Mom of Corley, Then age 8 and now age 16
Curaçao KSC 2003 &  Curacao2004,  Curacao 2005,  Roatan 2006, Roatan2007, fiji2008, Palau & Costa Rica in 2009 and joining 2010 Belize
Thoughts as a mom on Kids Sea Camp

I had been debating whether to put down my deposit for our Kids Sea Camp in Curaçao. We couldn’t decide whether we wanted to try a new location or take a year off. But after speaking with Emily at Caribbean Adventures (formerly of Kid Sea Camp) and finding out what a special alumni week they had planned for us “oldtimers,” how could I not make our reservations!
 
We had such a wonderful time last year, we learned that one week was not enough, so this time we signed up for a two-week stay.

I highly recommend that any family go to camp and take time to enjoy the Ocean as a family. My dolphin  swim will always be a treasured memory. Our second week of camp was a great diving experience. Corley began her junior open-water certification. Getting to dive with her on the final day on the Tugboat dive was such a thrill — seeing how she had learned to operate her equipment and be a responsible diver made me realize what a wonderful teaching dive crew they have at Kids Sea Camp weeks.

All these experiences and so many more — from taking a daytrip or diving , meeting new friends and renewing friendships made the year and, of course, golfing  made it easy to come back.
 
On another note, it’s amazing what a small world we live in. Part of our vacation plan was to bring my older daughter, Sara, along with us. She was certified six months before she was sent overseas to do a tour in Afghanistan and then in Iraq, and she had never gotten to dive in the ocean.

While we were waiting for her to arrive, my husband, Jon, overheard a diver talking about his dive buddy who was a paratrooper. Sara is a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division, and of course it made me curious. I introduced myself to him and asked where he was stationed; to make a long story short, his name was Rick MacIntosh and he and Sara had been in Ramadi, Iraq, together. This made for quite a reunion later that week when she arrived and an interesting “You’ll never guess who I ran into while on vacation” story. The beautiful waters of Curaçao made for a very memorable first ocean dive experience for her, and she now understands why we are so hooked on Kids Sea Camp Family Dive Adventures!

Kathleen
Mom of Kelvin , age 8

Last winter, as I was beginning to plan my annual summer dive trip, I encountered some roadblocks. As the single divorced mother of an eight-year-old boy, I had to make sure he would be cared for while I was away. His father recently moved out of state and was inaccessible. My parents, 74 and 84, offered to watch my son, but admitted it was becoming more difficult to entertain an active boy for an entire week, especially with no other kids in the neighborhood to play with. When I logged onto the Kids Sea Camp Web site, I immediately contacted Margo she was fantastic to talk to and very informative. I soon received the information packet and knew that I had found the solution to my problem.

When I go on a dive trip, I dive as much as I can. For me, it’s a once-a-year endeavor that I literally submerge myself in. How could I be a mother and dive at the same time? I decided that attending Kids Sea Camp would provide the answer. By week’s end, I had logged thirteen dives, made friends with several other divers and had quality vacation time with my son. While I was diving, my son had great instruction with well-planned daily activities. He was well cared for and made friends while at Kids Sea Camp. The additional bonus of Kids Sea Camp was having a night of during the week with kids pizza movie night so parents can do a night dive!

Gloria
Mom of Michael and Megan

We got to Curaçao Kids Sea Camp a day early to spend a little time getting used to the place. My kids, although avid swimmers, had never really felt comfortable in the ocean. Kids Sea Camp changed everything. The first day in Curaçao, my kids wouldn’t go past where they couldn’t touch the bottom of the water. By day two, they were swimming the channel with local kids, back and forth. I was thrilled.
 
I had spent my whole childhood enjoying the ocean, and I’d always watched Jacques Cousteau and even got to go to some of his lectures through Cal Tech in California, but after seeing Jaws, I was terrified of getting eaten. Years later, after a really wonderful impromptu snorkeling shark experience with about 50 wonderful leopard sharks, I finally became a scuba diver, a rescue diver and then a divemaster. I finally realized many of my dreams of interaction, observation and the amazing feeling of being in what I think is heaven that scuba diving has to offer. I thought my kids would never see it that way. They were always nervous because of the shark movies they’d seen, whether we were snorkeling or kayaking. Those days are over now.
 
My son, who really had an aversion to studying, read his scuba certification book nightly with an enthusiasm I had never seen. He worked hard, and his instructor, Steve, worked with those kids in amazing ways. Every day, I saw a personal and intellectual growth in both kids that I could never have imagined. The best part is, they were just having fun and had no idea what huge obstacles they were overcoming.
 
I have to say, the most exciting day for my husband and me was the day we dove with them for the first time. I dove with Megan in PADI Seal Team, as she wasn’t old enough for the full PADI open-water certification . She actually showed me around the “In Ocean lagoon” and knew what animals hung out where, what their personalities and tendencies were and how to interact with them. She took me to all the different areas so I could experience all her new friends: the friendly stingrays, the enormous goliath grouper and the blowfish that just loved to hover right in front of your mask all the time. We laughed and giggled underwater at all their personalities as if it was the most natural thing in the world. She monitored my air and me as if she had to make sure I would be OK in her newly found playground. It was great!
 
My husband went with Michael on his PADI open-water dive. My son had done it. He was certified. He could go out off of the rocks with his equipment and make good decisions about the current and depth; he was really good at buoyancy and was a natural at looking out for others. There he was in the open ocean, loving and appreciating its vast, amazing beauty with respect and awe, just as I had always dreamed he would get to do.

Michael’s always been like me, feeling close to animals and nature. I used to try to describe to the kids the amazing and beautiful experiences I’ve had as a diver, how it feels to lay on the sandy ocean floor and look up through the kelp with the sun shining through, how it feels to play copycat with the sea lions, what to do and what not to do so you can enjoy being a guest in their world. Now when we talk about it, Michael gets that same look, that one only divers know and share.
 
This experience wasn’t available when I was a child. We could only watch the occasional Jacques Cousteau special and dream of what it might be like. But now, my children and I have a world of exploration, beauty and heaven to explore together. It would be impossible to describe the feeling, as a parent, that I have every time I think about the joy on their faces at their own accomplishment, and whenever I remember the relationships, both human and animal, that they developed through Kids Sea Camp. We’re going again, for two weeks, to do different programs. My kids, who love piles of presents under the tree, were ecstatic when I asked them if it was OK if we did a really small Christmas so that we could go to Kids Sea Camp instead.
 
Nothing in the world has given them what Margo’s Kids Sea Camp gave them, and we are so fortunate that we have the opportunity in today’s world to give our kids this gift that will start them on a path that will last a lifetime. I am so grateful to Margo for having this dream for her and her kids and making this program a reality for those of us who see the great value in it but never really thought it was a possibility. Not only is it a fun thing to do, but it makes a huge change in the children and the parents who have done this.  Our lives will never be the same, and we have been truly blessed by the experience.  Margo is a mom and a diver, so she has high expectations as a parent and that makes me as a mother feel safe and comfortable at her Kids Sea Camps.  This was an amazing family experience that we will treasure for ever and hopefully will continue to create new ones each year.

THE FIRST TIME I WENT SCUBA DIVING
By: Jack 

     I’m going SCUBA diving for the first time in all my life and I’m only ten!  I’m so excited.  My mom tells me all about it after she comes back from one of her diving trips.  It’s going to be my mom, my brother and me going on the trip.  We are leaving tomorrow!
     We are at the airport now and we are just sitting here bored as can be.  It was kind of starting to take the fun out of the whole trip.  I’m just sitting here playing on my laptop again and very bored.  My mom told me to start packing up because we were about to leave.  So with that, I’m packed up and excited to leave one of the most boring places in the world.
     We are FINALLY landing on the dry soil of the Grand Cayman Islands.  I was shocked at how little their airport was but man, it was a lot more fun than the one we took on the way here.
     We are now at our hotel, Cobalt Coast.  The ground looked dry and the bricks felt rough.  I met all the people in my group…there were only four people in my group!
     Today was the first training day for our class.  At first we trained in the pool.  I soon found out that that was the easy part.  The next day we started to review, but this time it was in the ocean!  I should actually be kind of glad that I was in the ocean, even though it smelled like nasty salt water.  Either way, the sights were glorious.
     Today was the day that I had to take the final deciding test.  I’m taking the test and I can’t hear a sound.  I’m so nervous.  The test was fifty questions and I passed. 
     We then used this tiny computer that told you how long you could stay underwater for certain depths.  I’m taking the diving test and I couldn’t be more nervous.  The next day I got the results back…I PASSED!!! I can’t believe it, I was now a CERTIFIED SCUBA diver!  Me, Jack, a certified scuba diver…I’m sooo proud of myself!
     Since the tests were over and all four people in my class passed, we decided to just go free dive as much as we could.  Whenever I came back from a dive I could still taste the salt water from the ocean on my lips.  The water seemed so much more blue and the fish more colorful.  It was probably since I didn’t have to focus on my dive masters and I could roam around with the group.  Whenever I saw my favorite fish, the Hogfish, I always got overjoyed.  This is probably the proudest moment of my life.