So Cal has lost another paragon of diving ;~(

[Divebum Don]

RIP Capt. Patrick Smith! Good friend, diving resource and all around great guy! Ouch and Prayers.

Patrick Smith, known to many divers for his presentations on local shipwrecks, passed away last Sunday, May 28. Captain Pat was an avid wreck and bug diver, author of several magazine articles and coauthor of the book, Shipwrecks of Southern California.

Just two years ago, Pat married Cindy Shaw underwater in the Aquarium of the Pacific before hundreds of friends and family members.

Cindy writes:

My beloved Captain Patrick Smith made his final dive into the deep blue beyond. A rare neuro-degenerative disease, CJD claimed his body so quickly but he will be with us always in our hearts and memories. Please share this with others for me. Patrick did not want a formal service but rather gatherings of friends wherever you may be to enjoy life and each other to the fullest. Our grown children have surrounded us with love and support the past weeks. We are all cherishing the memories so many are sharing. Love the ocean as he will always be there with us.

His mermaid,

Cindy

Please honor him with loving thoughts and memories sent to cindydives@gmail.com

 

[northernone]

Saddened by his passing. My condolences from Canada.
Respectively,
Cameron

 

[Bubblesong]

Sad to hear of your loss, but glad to hear you have beautiful memories!

 

[Cali_diver]

I was lucky to hear him speak in Long Beach a couple years ago! RIP thoughts and prayers to family and friends...

 

[Divebum Don]

Loved Capt. Pat! Prayers on you all Cindy ;~)

My Best memory from Patrick: (first meet)
...one mid week afternoon, while mentoring two PV High students for their Senior Project(Artificial Reefing) we were gearing up @ the Old Marineland site to dive and place out 3 heavy concrete building blocks to about 30' deep. At about this time an 'old timer' comes by, he respectfully observes and offers good advice for the lift bag and blocks. The dive went safe and to plan. Great. (at this time I only knew Patrick Smith from having read SSC, he was a local adventure diver and author, but I didn't recognize him)...
...ascending safely to the parking lot, I was grateful to the 'stranger' who knew how to rig a lift bag proper and understood my motives to get those kids out and in love with the ocean. ...weeks later I received an E mail from Patrick who knew me from one of the dive forums. He'd read my report about helping these students make a cultured reef and study concretion, and mentioned he was the diver just hanging out there that day. Friends ever since ;~) RIP Capt Patrick!

PS, I hope someone organizes a memorial 'paddle out'... it's just not for surfers, but for all watermen and women.
__________________

 

[Sam Miller III]

A tribute from the great Ellsworth Boyd, THE east coast Ship Wreck historian and author

From: Ellsworth Boyd
To: cindy
Sent: 5/30/2017 9:57:35 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time

Subj: I just received Sam's sad message.

Dear Cindy:
I am so sorry to hear the news. I just received Sam's sad message.

I met Pat once, about 30 years ago when I was the speaker at the California Wreck Divers banquet. He was the sort of guy whom you meet, and if he likes you & you like him, it's as if you had known him for many years. He was that way, so easy to like and so very cordial. and he had some great diving stories. We stayed in touch over the years, not a whole lot, but most often when I needed some info on California wreck diving. Between Sam and Pat, I had two of the best resources for diving in the entire state of California. and as I mentioned to you, Pat had helped me recently on my research of the Star of Scotland that he had explored so many times. May God bless and keep dear Pat. He was the greatest.
Sincerely,
Ellsworth Boyd

 

[drbill]

I was saddened when I heard of Patrick's illness and shocked when I heard he passed so quickly. He was an ardent and articulate authority on our shipwrecks and we had recently shared information I had about the highly invasive Asian seaweed Sargassum horneri (which I dubbed "devil weed" a decade ago) and its impact on SoCal ecosystems.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Loved Capt. Pat! Prayers on you all Cindy ;
.....
RIP Capt Patrick!

PS, I hope someone organizes a memorial 'paddle out'... it's just not for surfers, but for all watermen and women.
--------------------------

----------------------------------
Pat and his family did not want a memorial service
>>>>>>>>>However>>>>>>>>>
Your suggestion of a swim out is a very valid suggestion
WHY don't YOU organize it ?

It would be a fitting tribute to an individual who devoted his entire life to the sea.
I would suspect the family members would not object

SDM

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

My sincerest condolences.

 

[fish149]

Sorry for your loss...