RIP Marty

Rest in please my brother.:(

Sincerely, Don Paul

Marty Pasos Legends - YouTube

Marty Pasos died on Thursday. Pasos, 91, was the next-to-last surviving member of the Bottom Scratchers, a legendary freediving club from the 1930s that changed the sport of breath-hold diving and revolutionized the equipment used such as facemasks, fins and spearfishing guns.

Pasos’ wife, Lorna, had been at her husband’s side in recent days in hospice, according to Dan Walsh, who was known as the “Captain to the Bottom Scratchers,” and often took the pioneer freedivers on some of them on their bluewater adventures.

Pasos was the last of the members to be inducted into the famous and exclusive group that once numbered 20 and actually met for 72 years until 2005. James Stewart, chief diving officer emeritus of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, is the last surviving member of the legendary club. Others such as Glenn Orr, Bill Johnston, Jack Corbaly, Ben Stone, Bill Batzloff, Jack Prodanovich, Wally Potts, Bo Smith and Emil Habecker have passed.

“I had the honor of being Captain of the Bottom Scratchers for several

years on diving trips,” Walsh said. “It was always an adventure to see the contrast of dive gear they brought and used compared to what modern equipment

our younger passengers brought along to use. The ‘old guys’ always could swim circles around the newer breed of divers, and it was so much fun to see everyone together young and old enjoying what that ocean had to offer for us to see.”

Memorial plans are pending, Walsh said.

“I’m sure Marty’s love of flying and free diving will be a major part of whatever Lorna decides to do,” Walsh said. “My life was enriched by so many of the Bottom Scratchers members. It’s a sad day, but also a happy day for me knowing that Marty has now joined his pals Walrus (Jack) Prodanovich, Sand Dollar (Bill) Johnston, One Long Dive (Wally) Potts and the rest at the big free dive in the sky.”

Sincerely, Don