Dear Pirates,

Sad news to report today. Our friend and dive shop owner Tom Bartley passed away. Just last month he was talking about taking some time to go blow some bubbles in Cozumel, one of his favorite places. That's where this fun blast from the past photo is from, weight belt and all...

Tom started working at Dive Masters of San Antonio in 1976, and then purchased the business in the early 1980's. It is the oldest dive center in San Antonio and one of the oldest in the state of Texas. In the dive business 46 years, he has certainly made his mark on many a diver starting his or her diving adventure.

Tom was one of our first chapters. No stranger to teaching people of any and all abilities, he had been teaching adaptive diving through HSA since the late 80s - early 90s, and he welcomed a foundation who would work with him to bring diving to more and more people who thought their mobility was a barrier. He welcomed injured veterans and others into his store for try scuba opportunities and networked with the medical community to offer adaptive diving to those with spinal cord injuries. He has always had a passion for adaptive scuba.

Organizing fundraisers at Sam's Burger Joint, the dive store and local hang outs he supported his Dive Pirate recipients and helped us grow as a foundation. He also introduced us to many great pirates along the way, the Fredericksons, the Wentworths, the Connors, Dave Allen, and many, many more.

A staunch believer in the only way to make a rum and coke is with glass-bottled Coca-Cola and Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum, and the only beer worth drinking is Coors Banquet, this man was a true pirate, a true lover of the sea. May we all take a moment, raise a glass, and continue sharing diving with others as he did.