A DREAM DIVE ADVENTURE
NEW KSC FAMILY INVITED IN WITH WELCOMING FINS HEATHER SHELL, KSC AMBASSADOR
By Heather Shell If you’re reading this, our family’s story may resonate with your own. My name is Heather Shell, and I’ve been a certified scuba diver for over 30 years. Thirteen years ago, when I met my husband, Andrew, I gifted him a PADI Scuba Diving Course for his birthday. It would be a wonderful way for us to grow closer through a shared passion for diving. However, living in Arizona meant his initial dives took place in Lake Pleasant, which wasn’t was a better setting to showcase the beauty of diving. Nonetheless, he persevered, and over the next few years, we took diving trips to Mexico and Roatan. Our son, Ari, was very young, and we were unaware of programs like PADI SASY and Seal Team, so we left him at home during these trips. We longed for family vacations, so we set aside diving for pursuits we could all enjoy together. Consequently, when we considered enrolling Ari into a Scuba
Camp at age 11, my husband and I hadn’t dived in eight years. Last Hanukkah, we decided Ari wouldn’t attend another summer camp. Instead, we were envisioning a diving vacation together. We considered the impact of him missing summer camps with his friends against an incredible family diving experience. Consulting a travel agent, I initially thought Europe might be our starting point for diving adventures. However, planning a trip there quickly became overwhelming with challenges beyond just acquiring passports. I admit arranging family trips is stressful, especially with Ari’s Celiac disease. The fear of limited gluten- free options, language barriers, and explaining cross-contamination risks at each meal could quickly spoil our travels. One evening, over dinner with friends Dirk and Amy Leverant, I expressed our struggles about organizing a trip that accommodated
our dietary needs. They recommended a company they’d traveled with called Kids Sea Camp. Dirk and Amy shared their many family travel experiences with Kids Sea Camp, having explored places like Roatan, The Cayman Islands, and Curacao. They spoke of their children’s enduring love for scuba diving and the unforgettable memories made on these trips, emphasizing how easy and stress-free Kids Sea Camp made the planning process. Amy sent me a link to kidsseacamp.com. I spoke with Margo Peyton, the owner, and her son Robert the next day. They suggested we join the St. Lucia trip in July 2024. MARGO MAKES AN IMPRESSION Margo explained that she selects PADI 5-star resorts and thoroughly vets the dive shops and their staff to ensure they are family-friendly and adhere to best practices for kids and diving. Kids Sea Camp has an
www.familydivers.com 803-419-2556 dive@familydivers.com
www.oceanwishes.org
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