KIDS SEA CAMP ALWAYS OUR FIRST CHOICE KSC AMBASSADORS:THE CHAPMAN FAMILY
underwater photography, Mark had even traveled to the Bahamas to participate in shark photography expeditions, capturing incredible images of tiger sharks, hammer- heads, and even the gentle giants of the sea—whale sharks. In 2016, amidst the dazzling displays of dive gear and exotic destinations at the Long Beach Scuba Show, one booth stopped us.A banner proclaimed,“Give them a week; they will remember forever,” and we knew we had to find out more. It was Kids Sea Camp, and it promised family dive vacations that combined underwater exploration with cultural experiences and adventure activities. Our kids, Lucas and Lucy, were 12 and 6 then.We’d always left them with family when we traveled, but the idea of sharing our love of diving with them sparked an irresistible excitement.
By The Chapman Family When I first started dating my husband Mark, I remember one of our first dates and picking him up from Shaw’s Cove in Laguna Beach.The waves crashed against the shore as I waited for Mark to emerge from the inky blackness of the Pacific. He was night diving, one of his many “gear- intensive” hobbies that initially intimidated me. Snowboarding, mountain biking, scuba diving—activities that seemed a world away from my own.Watching his figure rise from the depths, I remember thinking, “I will never do that.” THE LONG BEACH SCUBA SHOW But never say never! Thirteen years and hundreds of dives later, we were seasoned divers exploring underwater worlds from Fiji to the Galapagos.With his passion for
OUR FIRST KSC WEEK Our first Kids Sea Camp adventure took us to Buddy Dive on the beautiful island of Bonaire in 2017.The island welcomed us with water that was so clear and blue that it felt like swimming in a dream. Lucas, all of 13, enrolled in the Kids Sea Camp PADI Jr. Open Water program with other kids his age.This Junior Open Water Certifica - tion allows kids aged 10-14 to dive to 40 feet with a PADI pro or a certified parent. Seven-year-old Lucy joined the SASY pro- gram, designed for kids aged 4-7 to master snorkeling on the surface and learn about the ocean with other kids. The Kids Sea Camp format was perfect. Each morning, we’d drop the kids off at their 8:00 a.m. scuba class with other kids their age, then hop on an adult-only boat for a day of diving with like-minded parents.The kids, meanwhile, were busy
www.familydivers.com 803-419-2556 dive@familydivers.com
www.oceanwishes.org
77
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator