Dear Rick,
It is with heavy heart, I need to tell you Peter Hess has passed. For those who didn’t know, Peter Hess was not your usual diver. He was a well-known attorney who practiced Maritime law, but he was also not like any other attorney. Peter Hess was a master of both. And those who worked with him, dived with him, or just knew him as a friend are legion throughout the world. Peter was a connoisseur of life’s opportunities and a master of social networking. If you were a friend of Peter’s you would have to prepare a part of your life for unexpected adventures and wild journeys sprinkled with the occasional maddening mayhem.
Although Peter began diving in his teen years, his actual initiation into underwater explorations and legal intrigue began with diving and defending diver’s rights to access the USS Monitor. He represented the Historical Shipwreck community while serving as a US delegate to UNESCO in Paris, France. Peter had also been personally involved with Mel Fisher’s Atocha expeditions as well as representing RMS Titanic. There were many other notable shipwreck cases in between that may not be active today had it had not been for Peter’s legal skills and strident determination to protect diver’s rights to explore and recover historical shipwreck material.
As a Fellow of the Explorer’s Club, Peter was program director, chair of the club’s legal committee and then Vice President of the Philadelphia chapter where he sponsored many other explorers in their quest for new and exciting exploits.
His love of history led him to a hobby of ‘war-gaming’ where he created and painted (and re-painted) toy soldiers to represent famous battles in history. By playing out these battles with other like-minded historians, Peter’s strategies would often turn the tide of history. I’m sure Napoleon would have never regretted his Waterloo if he had Peter as one of his Generals.
Peter Hess passed away suddenly on Jan.11 of a heart attack at age 52. What Peter might be remembered for most was his many friendships and collaborations throughout the world and his ability to bring people together. If you were a friend of Peter’s you would ultimately find yourself connected to a myriad of life altering adventures and the wonders of new explorations that you would carry with you the rest of your life. Peter will be missed by many.
~Pat Clyne
Dear Pat,
Thank you so much for sharing Peter’s amazing story with us. His legacy will not be soon forgotten.
~Rick
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