Ten years of travel have given us so many incredible moments, but nothing quite like this. In this video I get to take you deep under the ocean’s surface as I try something new with my kids that I’m calling tandem parent–child scuba diving.
It all started with Cali, my youngest, reaching for my tank as I pulled him just low enough to share my air. Then Dorothy, with a kettlebell in her hands to help her sink, learned how to balance bubble rings and her own buoyancy at the same time. Manila free dove without a tank, racing us to the ocean floor, and later walked with me across the reef while I held his weight with my toes. We even found ourselves staring up at the massive hull of our boat drifting slowly above us, surrounded by schools of fish and a curious barracuda.
This wasn’t just an underwater adventure. It was a parenting lesson too. Watching Cali try to equalize and then pause, staying calm before deciding to go back up, reminded me that growth often comes in those moments of discomfort. And then came one of my favorite memories of all: three of us — me, Dorothy, and Manila — sharing just two regulators and learning how to breathe together selflessly, one breath at a time, until we reached the bottom of the sea as a team.
From bubble rings and seashells to parenting lessons and powerful metaphors, this trip reminded me why I love both scuba diving and being a dad. It’s about trying new things, staying calm under pressure, and learning to let your kids be brave.
Stick around until the end for a surprise glow-in-the-dark dance party with friends, because adventure is always better when it ends in celebration.
Love, Garrett and The Bucket List Family
00:00 - Yep, That's Me 01:25 - Still Underwater 03:03 - Tandem Scuba Diving 04:57 - A Moment Between Father and Son 06:31 - Something in the Distance 08:29 - Cali's Turn 10:34 - Cali's Song 13:05 - How to Communicate Underwater 15:03 - Glow in the dark DANCE PARTY
