Page 61 - KSC Magazine 2020

KSC AMBASSADOR: HOLLY WAKELY
she conquered her fears.
That experience makes me want to be-
come a PADI dive master. I want to be able to help more people face their fears. I would love to encourage other kids to try scuba diving and explore the ocean. I want to edu- cate people about the underwater world so that they won’t be afraid.
Last summer, my family took us back to Palau, where Zeb got certified. I was 9 years old then and a PADI Seal Team diver.We all got to dive, see dolphins, sharks, manta, giant clams and nautilus; and I even snorkeled Jelly Fish Lake. It was so superb that I wanted to go back again and experience it as a diver, and it was 10 times better than I expected! The manta and sharks showed up, as did everything else.
Diving is a passion, and that means if you want to have a rare opportunity to dive with thresher sharks like I did in Malapascua, then waking up at 4 a.m. was the time to
go diving. I’ll admit, I wasn’t thrilled about 4 a.m., but watching threshers just above my head at sunrise was so worth it! If you don’t know what a thresher shark is, look it up. Their tail is the same length as their body, and they use that huge tail to stun the fish they eat.
KSC has given me tons of unforgiveable experiences.When I tell my friends that I dive with whale sharks and snorkel right next to them, they think I’m fearless.They can’t believe how large whale sharks are or that they don’t have teeth.
Going to KSC introduces great career possibilities for young divers too. For example, my brother, Zeb, is very interested in photography. KSC gives away SeaLife underwater cameras and helps nurture and encourage those with a passion for under- water photography. Zebedee’s picture of a ghost pipefish from our Philippines trip won the RSPCA Photographer of the Year award.
Meeting kids from around the world is also a special part of the trips. In the Philippines, a group of children would greet us each morning before and after our dives.We talked with them, took pictures with them and just had fun together.We looked for- ward to seeing each other daily. We played basketball and visited villages and schools. On our final day, the children ran beside our van, crying and waving goodbye. I loved the father-daughter trip we took to Dominica for spring break, and the family trip to the Galapagos Cayman Brac this past summer.
Thank you, Margo,Tom and the KSC crew, for some of the most memorable experi- ences of my life.Thank you for keeping us safe and being so much fun.
I’m so excited about joining you again for my second internship program around the world in 2020.
www.familydivers.com 803-419-2556 email: dive@familydivers.com www.oceanwishes.org