Bert Kilbride passes over the bar

mad4wrecks

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Dec 20, 2004
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HERBERT "BERT" KILBRIDE:

Herbert "Bert" Kilbride, age 93, died in Etna CA on January 8, 2008. He was born March 8, 1914 in Springfield MA, to the late Thomas and Sylvia Duquette Kilbride. Bert moved to South Florida in 1945 and was in the construction business. He moved to St. Croix, USVI, in 1956 and moved to the British Virgin Islands (BVI) in1964, living there until 2005.

Bert called himself the Last Pirate of the Caribbean! He has been a diver for almost a century and a treasure seeker for over 5 decades. He was an inventor, a builder, a contractor, and an entrepreneur. He had bought and developed two barren islands and owned a SCUBA diving tour business for 30 years. In the 1960's he created the "Resort Course" for the beginners interested in SCUBA diving. It is now taught worldwide under the name "Introductory SCUBA Course." In 1987 he was awarded the NOGI Award for SPORTS/EDUCATION for the creation of the resort course. He was made the "Receiver of Wrecks" by Queen Elizabeth in 1967 and called a "Pirate" by others in the BVI Government when he would not produce a map of the shipwrecks he had found on Anegada Reef (138 wrecks). In the 1990's, the governor of the BVI called him a "Living Legend" in his speech on the radio. In 2004, for his 90th birthday, Guinness Book of World Records proclaimed him the "Oldest Scuba Diver" in the world.

(obit courtesy of Ellen at imacdigest.com)

Check out Bert's very cool website at: http://www.bertkilbride.com
 

Very sorry to hear of Bert's passing... super cool guy with some amazing stories!! Looking forward to the book coming out!! God Speed Bert!! Phips
 

I had the pleasure of diving with bert in 1984 on anagada reef. we dove the san ignacio,the greek wreck and many more. he was a legend indeed, and will be missed by many. this one included.
 

I met Bert in 2002. He was a legend, as well as one of the knowlegable divers I ever met. I could sit for hours and listen to his stories of diving and treasure hunting in the BVI. Happy Treasure Diving in the Great Beyond Bert.
 

I meet Bert many years ago with Tim S. down in florida. They were partners and almost always together. Bert's stories would last well into the night and were never ending. He was a great guy and full of energy. He will be missed by many, present company included.

God Bless Bert.
 

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