Bret Gilliam

Role: Diving industry figure, author, publisher, technical diving pioneer, event host
First appearance: 2005 (Wetpixel coverage of Boston Sea Rovers)
Affiliation: Fathoms magazine (founder), TDI (technical diving instructor)
Location: Maine, USA

Biography

Bret Gilliam is a major figure in the recreational and technical diving industry who intersected with the Wetpixel community primarily through his roles as a dive show emcee, author, publisher, and industry personality. Based in Maine, Gilliam built a career spanning multiple diving companies and technical diving instruction before announcing his retirement from public industry involvement in 2006. He remained a familiar presence at dive shows and events well after that announcement, known for his outsized personality, generosity, and deep connections to virtually every major figure in diving history.

Gilliam’s most enduring contribution to the underwater imaging community was his 2007 book Diving Pioneers and Innovators, a 489-page collection of in-depth interviews with 19 pioneers of diving, which became a definitive historical reference for the industry.

His involvement in technical diving is documented by forum members who listed him as a certifying instructor for TDI semi-closed rebreather courses (^[1]).

Contributions

Diving Pioneers and Innovators (2007)

Gilliam’s major literary work was Diving Pioneers and Innovators, a 489-page, 4.5-pound volume consisting of 19 in-depth interviews with diving pioneers. The subjects ranged from 1950s actress Zale Parry to modern icons like John Chatterton and Wes Skiles. The book included separate chapters on both Howard Hall and Michele Hall, as well as profiles of Stan Waterman, Bev Morgan, Ron and Valerie Taylor, Chuck Nicklin, Peter Benchley, Bob Ballard, Greg MacGillivray, Bob Hollis, Dick Bonin, Al Giddings, Mike DeGruy, Paul Humann, and Ernie Brooks. Gilliam himself was the subject of the final chapter, interviewed by longtime professional collaborator Lina Hitchcock. Co-authors of individual chapters included Fred Garth, Douglas David Seifert, Danielle Alary, Michel Gilbert, and Eric Hanauer (^[2]).

Reviewer Eric Hanauer, whose own 1994 book Diving Pioneers inspired Gilliam’s work, wrote that “Bret Gilliam has taken my idea and run with it, beyond anything I ever conceived.” Hanauer described the book as being “like having a diving legend sitting in the chair next to you, and carrying on a conversation with an old friend,” noting that “the subjects don’t dance around the tough questions” and that “Bret isn’t exactly known for subtlety.” The review concluded: “Very few books have the ability to convey the soul and excitement of diving to that segment of the public that has never gone underwater. This is one of them” (^[3]).

The review was posted to the Wetpixel forums by Eric Cheng, generating discussion about the book’s focus on American (and honorary Australian) pioneers versus European ones. John Bantin noted that “British and European divers were completely non-plussed because it seemed to them to have omitted all the important (to them) European pioneers of diving.” Gilliam retorted that “he could hardly interview European pioneer divers since they were mainly dead!” Bantin also noted that “Advance sales have already put him well into profit” (^[4]).

At the 2010 Beneath the Sea show, Gilliam generously donated 1,250 copies of the book to film festival attendees (^[5]).

Dive Show Hosting and Emceeing

Gilliam was a fixture as master of ceremonies at major dive industry film festivals:

• Boston Sea Rovers 51st Clinic (2005): Hosted the evening film festival, introducing presentations by Stan Waterman, Norbert Wu, Ernest Brooks II, Mike DeGruy, and Al Giddings. At the Friday pre-clinic party at Gamble Mansion, Eric Cheng spent the evening chatting with Gilliam, Brian Skerry, Norbert Wu, Todd Essick, Mike DeGruy, and Mauricio Handler. Eric Cheng described Gilliam spending “much of his time up at the podium telling funny stories about Mainers (a right granted to him by his residence there).” Photos show Gilliam with Ernie Brooks, with Norbert Wu, and as MC at the film festival podium (^[6]).

• Boston Sea Rovers 52nd Clinic (2006): Part of the evening film festival alongside Wes Skiles, Emory Kristof, Stan Waterman, and Howard and Michele Hall. The film festival was hosted by Philippe Cousteau. At this event, Gilliam “formally announced his retirement from stage.” When forum member Mike Veitch asked for more information, Eric Cheng commented: “I don’t know what that means, since he’s now getting involved in publishing. But he made a big deal of it on stage.” Eric Cheng later shared Gilliam’s own explanation: “I decided to retire from any more public involvement in the diving industry. I made enough money and no longer enjoyed the constant travel and day to day responsibility of employees and managing my companies” (^[7]).

• Beneath the Sea 2007: At the black-tie evening film festival hosted by Zale Parry, Gilliam presented a tribute to Stan Waterman, surprising him with an 1,800-pound granite sculpture by the artist Viktor. Douglas David Seifert’s show report listed Gilliam among audience luminaries including Sylvia Earle, Bob Evans, and Phil Nuytten (^[8]).

• DEMA 2007: Attended the Gates Housings private event with Stan Waterman, where he and wife Gretchen socialized with Berkley White, Eric Cheng, Jim Decker, and others. Eric Cheng noted the attendees “sampled fantastic food” and that Stan Waterman referred to the gathering as “first-class” (^[9]).

• Beneath the Sea 2010: Gave a “15-minute version of a 3-minute speech” announcing his book donation, then surprised Eric Cheng by calling him up onto the stage to stand with “a half-dozen of the world’s true diving pioneers.” Cheng reported being “humbled, and looked pretty silly standing there in my fleece jacket and cargo pants; everyone else looked distinguished” (^[10]).

• Santa Barbara Underwater Film Festival (2013): Provided special introductions at the tribute to Ernie Brooks, alongside Wyland, Dan Orr, and Doug Cummings. The event was held at the Arlington Theater on September 14, 2013, benefiting the Historical Diving Society USA and the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. Confirmed presenters included Zale Parry, Stan Waterman and Rodney Fox, David Doubilet, Howard and Michele Hall, and others (^[11]).

• SDUFEX 2017: Served as a judge for the San Diego UnderSea Film Exhibition, alongside Amanda Cotton, Bob Gladden, Jay Ireland, and Georgienne Bradley. The master of ceremonies was Andrea Stockert. The exhibition took place October 6-7, 2017 at the Irwin M. Jacobs Qualcomm Hall in San Diego (^[12]).

Publishing: Fathoms Magazine

Gilliam founded Fathoms magazine, a premium diving publication. Mike Veitch described Gilliam’s editorials as “the most entertaining out there bar none” (^[13]). Forum member divemastermark noted the magazine was “Started by Bret Gilliam recently sold to others with his oversight still there” (^[14]).

The magazine was later published by David Fishman under Ascentia Group, Inc. In October 2008, Ascentia announced that it had suspended operations due to “a ‘perfect storm’ of difficult market conditions, rapidly rising paper, production and distribution costs, along with management health issues.” Subscribers’ remaining issues were transferred to Undercurrent (^[15]).

Eric Cheng noted Gilliam’s connection to publishing as early as the 2006 retirement announcement, observing that despite retiring from stage, Gilliam was “now getting involved in publishing” (^[16]). Gilliam also wrote articles for Undercurrent magazine, including a piece on film versus digital photography that John Bantin referenced approvingly (^[17]).

Writing and Industry Commentary

Beyond his book and magazine work, Gilliam wrote articles for Undercurrent magazine. John Bantin described a piece Gilliam wrote about film versus digital photography, noting “he and I seem to be in agreement” on the topic. Bantin quoted Gilliam’s argument that photographers “rushed to upgrade their hardware when they should have been upgrading their photography skills” (^[18]).

Gilliam also gave diving and travel presentations at shows, including Indonesia presentations at the 2005 Houston Underwater show (^[19]), and led group dive trips — John Bantin mentioned traveling to PNG with “a big party of Americans” led by Gilliam in 2008 (^[20]).

Industry Connections

Gilliam’s social network encompassed virtually every major figure in the diving world. Wetpixel articles and forum threads capture him in the company of Eric Cheng, Stan Waterman, Brian Skerry, Norbert Wu, Howard and Michele Hall, Ernie Brooks, Sylvia Earle, Phil Nuytten, Berkley White, Philippe Cousteau, Todd Essick, and many others. His wife Gretchen frequently accompanied him to events (^[21], ^[22]).

The Ron Taylor memorial thread on Wetpixel referenced Gilliam’s book as a source for Taylor’s life story, with forum member dhaas noting that “Diving Pioneers and Innovators edited by Brett Gilliam has lots of great details on this adventurer’s life” (^[23]).

Timeline

• 2005-03: Hosts the Boston Sea Rovers 51st Clinic film festival; photographed with Brian Skerry, Norbert Wu, and Eric Cheng at the Gamble Mansion pre-party (^[24])
• 2005: Gives Indonesia diving presentation at DEMA/Houston show (^[25])
• 2006-03: Announces retirement from public diving industry involvement at the Boston Sea Rovers 52nd Clinic. Presents alongside Emory Kristof, Stan Waterman, Wes Skiles, and the Halls. Film festival hosted by Philippe Cousteau (^[26])
• 2007-03: Presents tribute to Stan Waterman at Beneath the Sea 2007, surprising him with an 1,800-lb granite sculpture by the artist Viktor (^[27])
• 2007-11: Attends Gates Housings private event at DEMA 2007 with wife Gretchen, Stan Waterman, and Berkley White (^[28])
• 2007-12: Diving Pioneers and Innovators reviewed on Wetpixel by Eric Hanauer (^[29])
• 2008: Leads group dive trip to Papua New Guinea (^[30])
• 2008-10: Fathoms magazine suspends operations under publisher David Fishman / Ascentia Group (^[31])
• 2010-03: Donates 1,250 copies of his book at Beneath the Sea 2010; calls Eric Cheng up on stage with diving pioneers (^[32])
• 2013-09: Provides introductions at the Santa Barbara Underwater Film Festival tribute to Ernie Brooks (^[33])
• 2017-10: Serves as judge for SDUFEX 2017 film exhibition (^[34])

References