Page 22 - KSC Magazine 2020

GROWING UP WITH KIDS SEA CAMP HAS SHAPED MY LIFE
By Robert Peyton
As a kid, diving kept me far away from TV and video games for most of my summers. I made friends in many countries around the world. I’ve kept in touch with most of them, and some have become my closest friends.
Growing up at Kids Sea Camp (KSC) has shaped my life in so many ways and contributed to who I am today. I experienced diving with marine animals in the open ocean and learned over the years how to respect and protect them. I have learned how fragile coral reefs are and how hard it is to educate people about pollution and overfishing.
Through KSC, I have learned about endangered marine animals and that ingesting plastic is a major cause of death for many.Most people do not realize why it’s so sad to put citations in captivity. Dolphins and whales have families and friends just like we do. They have a sophisticated
language and human-like emotions. I had never given a thought to what it would be like to be taken from my home and put in a tank never to see my family again. I enjoy diving because I’m a guest in their world, they are not on display in mine.
I started my career as a SASY at age 6 and overcame any fears I had of the water. By age 8, a PADI Master Seal diving Stingray City in the Cayman Islands. Learning to dive gave me confidence in myself. Learning skills and good buoyancy provided comfort underwater.
My Jr. Open Water certification was in Curacao. At the age of 10, I had logged more than 40 dives.
The cool thing about traveling with my family is that each destination offered new adventures and continued training. Traveling with other families is never boring. As I grew up, so have all the courses, activities and other kids I have traveled the world with. Kids Sea Camp creates advanced itineraries in new destinations every year.There is so
much offered now, like jungle biking, zombie dives, liveaboards, Citizen Science weeks, photography and advanced training.
For 18 years, KSC has been giving away SeaLife cameras to kids, providing video and still Micro HD cameras along with in-depth photo classes. They document their trips as I have, taking fun photos of dive buddies and marine life over the years.
My passion is diving, obviously inspired by my mom. I became a PADI OWSI instructor in 2014 with over 1,000 logged dives. I completed my MSDT,Tec 40, 45 and 50 at Buddy Dive Bonaire in 2016. Now 25, I am completing my Tec 65 Trimix training this year in Bonaire at Buddy Dive.That is the highest Tec rating PADI offers in diving.
Technical diving means going beyond recreational scuba diving limits. But I say that it’s really about the extreme challenges and excitement of exploring places that few people have ever seen.
In Bonaire at Buddy Dive, we offer PADI PRO and Tec courses like I did. I am in
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