Teen Open Water SCUBA Camp

Escape to the vibrant world below the warm, clear waters of the Atlantic! If you’re drawn to what lies beneath the ocean’s surface, – Sea Turtle Camp’s Open Water SCUBA Camp is for you! Lessons begin in the classroom and then move to the pool for hands-on practice with master divers. Then, get a close-up look at rays, tropical fish, corals, algae, and other aquatic life on a series of open-water dives. After completing all the skills, you’ll receive your open-water SCUBA certification.

6-Day PADI Certification Includes:

• Self-Guided E-Learning prior to program start
• 1 Classroom session
• 1 Pool session
• 1 Lake session
• 1 Ocean session

11-Day PADI Certification Includes:

• Self-Guided E-Learning prior to program start
• 1 Classroom session
• 1 Pool session
• 1 Lake session
• 3 Ocean sessions

This adventure is designed for rising 9th graders – recent high school graduates passionate about the marine environment. A lifelong passion for many ocean enthusiasts, SCUBA diving opens the door to the world of marine biology research.

• Visit the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital and Rehabilitation Center
• Salt Marsh Exploration
• Sea Turtle nest walks along the beach
• Snorkeling & Boogie Boarding
• Stay in our Ocean-View retreat center steps away from the beach
• Earn 10 hours of community service credit

In addition, the 11-day program includes:

• Tidepool in North Carolina’s only natural rocky outcrop
• Visit the North Carolina Aquarium
• More extensive sea-turtle and marine science hands-on, feet-wet activities
• Earn a total of 15 hours of community service credit

**Please note that all activities are subject to change without notice**

Camp tuition includes lodging, all meals from dinner on the first day to breakfast on the last day, 24-hour access to camp staff, admission to all activities, all equipment, professional scuba instruction, transportation including pickup and drop off from the Wilmington International Airport (ILM), community service certificate, Sea Turtle Hospital donation, Sea Turtle Camp t-shirt, and memorable group photo. Campers are responsible for round-trip airfare to ILM or transportation to Topsail, mask, fins, and snorkel, and additional money for snacks or souvenirs.

2025 Dates

Coastal North Carolina is surrounded by rich marine ecosystems that countless aquatic species call home. From the expansive Atlantic Ocean, with its miles of white sand beaches on barrier islands to the fluctuating and dynamic salt marsh habitats, Sea Turtle Camp gives you the opportunity to explore and study these amazing ecosystems in depth. We strive to provide teenagers with the opportunity to learn more about marine biology and conservation through hands-on, feet-wet experiential education. Campers get the extraordinary opportunity to participate in some amazing daily activities designed to teach them through experience instead of out of a textbook.

During this amazing adventure, you will:

• Visit the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center
• Search for turtle nests during nest walks along the beach
• Receive PADI Open Water Scuba Instruction
• Take a Natural History Tour of the NC Aquarium (11-day program)
• Understand salt marsh and wetland sustainability
• Study Dune Ecology
• Kayak through the salt marsh (11-day program)
• Earn community service hours

* *  Schedule is subject to change. Please keep in mind that we try our best to adhere to this schedule but we cannot control mother nature. In the event of adverse weather, we have rainy-day activities in place. We cannot control canceled vendors. We will try our best to incorporate what was missed in later days, but it does not always fit into our schedule **

While at camp, students will be staying in the heart of the sea turtle action on Topsail Island. Pronounced Tops’l by the locals, this 26-mile long, quarter-mile-wide barrier island has a rich history filled with pirates, fishermen, and surfers. Since Topsail Island is one of the less developed barrier islands in the area, groves of maritime forest still dot the island and are rumored to hide Blackbeard’s treasure. Nowadays, Topsail is known as a laid-back beach town and a sanctuary for sea turtles.

Campers will be housed in a fully furnished retreat center with an ocean view and beach access just a few feet away. This is an ideal location, as we will only be steps from our outdoor classroom. Students will see the sun rise over the ocean during morning nest patrols.

Students will enjoy dining together in our very own dining hall.

The rooms are gender-specific and feature air-conditioning, comfortable common areas, and gender-specific bathrooms. Each participant will have his or her own bed. Sea Turtle Camp staff members are housed on-site and are available 24 hours a day for campers.

Campers will not only enjoy the breathtaking sunsets from the decks of the Retreat Center, but also private beach access, campfires, and outdoor activities such as volleyball, corn hole, basketball, and much more.

As we are only minutes from the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center and beach, we can have a more active role in providing care to the turtles at the hospital and assisting the Topsail Beach Nesting Patrol. More hands-on opportunities and nest watching means more fun for the campers!