Dive Pirates celebrate 20 years of piracy in Cayman Brac
To help commemorate its monumental 20th year of serving the adaptive dive community, the Dive Pirates Foundation is once again returning to Cayman Brac with a new batch of students, adaptive buddies, instructors, and volunteers on June 15-22, 2024.
“This year we celebrate our 20th anniversary and are Back in Brac!” Dive Pirates President Tyler Brandes expressed, “I have had the honor of leading the Dive Pirates Foundation for the last three years as we have enjoyed trips to Key Largo, Bonaire, and Cayman Brac. We are returning to Cayman Brac Beach Resort and diving with Reef Divers as they have been an incredible supporter of the foundation over the last 20 years. We look forward to an amazing week of incredible diving, camaraderie, and fun events around the resort. Watching these new divers experience the wonders of the ocean provides all involved with a sense of excitement that defies description.”
Dive Pirates Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping those affected by mobility disabilities discover the therapeutic benefits of scuba diving. Over the past 20 years, Dive Pirates has helped raise funding for nearly 300 recipients and adaptive buddies around the US to go on life-changing scuba adventures. This year, to assist students with their fundraising efforts, Dive Pirates is hosting an online raffle as well as a diving challenge.
The Deep Down Challenge raffle tickets are $50 each with only 50 tickets sold, and the winner will become the proud owner of a Mares Quad Air Pro diving computer. For those venturing to the Brac, a friendly competition will be held amongst recipients to raise money based on the depth they dive. Anyone can participate in the Deep Down Challenge and help give back to Dive Pirates as they support their new divers.
One such diver is 16-year-old Deaken Ailshire, the youngest Dive Pirate recipient this year. Deaken was born with a condition called arthrogryposis multiplex congenital that causes a stiffening of the muscles and joints. Despite any physical limitations the disease poses, Deaken has never slowed down and loves to participate in sports and travel with his family. Scuba diving has long been on his list to try and thanks to Dive Pirates and Instructor Jean Jones, he finally has the opportunity! He and his dive buddy, father Luke Ailshire, eagerly anticipate the trip to Cayman Brac. They will be joined by 3 other new recipients:
John Martinson, along with his buddy John Stadler both training with Jon Christian of Madison Scuba in Madison, WI.
Bobby Russell was trained by Randy Wright of Diventures Dive Shop in Memphis, TN.
Ali-Zia Kerawala, along with his buddy Sadyia Abjani both training with Dive Pirate Instructor John Oldmixon in Houston, TX.
For trip updates, check out Dive Pirates on social media. A special thanks to our sponsors for making trips like this possible:
T-Shirt Sponsors
- Police Fire Dive
- PlayScapes
- TeamBS
- 9 Little Piggies BBQ
Boat Banner Sponsor
- Tyler Brandes
Nitrox Sponsor
- Mary and Russ Brandes
The Dive Pirates Foundation actively accepts applications year-round and welcomes anyone with a mobility disability to consider applying.
Find out more at divepirates.org.
The Dive Pirates Foundation
A non-profit organization that impacts the lives of its recipients. These recipients include injured military, first responders, law enforcement, and others with mobile disabilities. Adaptive scuba diving fosters accomplishment, self-worth, and community. The Foundation trains, equips, and conducts dive trips year-round. The trips are to calm, warm-water locations for the safety of those with spinal cord injuries. They also allow for networking with facilities willing to empower all participants with compassion and adaptation. This brings a positive experience of diving, team building, leadership, and relationship building. 
