Bronson and Martica | Hartley Helmet Diving in Bermuda

Black and white image of Martica and Bronson Hartley helmet diving early 1950's.

Bronson is smirking because he is taking the photo by remote.

In 1947 Bronson first laid eyes on model and Cuban firecracker Martica. In those days polite gentlemen did not just walk up to a sophisticated socialite and try and ‘hit’ on them. The only problem is that their only mutual friend wanted this exotic beauty for himself. After much persistent pestering this mutual friend agreed to introduce them. Mistake! On the first date my father warned that they could not stay out too late because some seahorses at home were expected to give birth at any moment and he had to be there. Little Martha (Martica) thought,”Here is someone who has interests other than what most other men have.” Ploy or not, that worked and they were married within two years.

One of the first projects was to get a business up and running. They somehow acquired a vessel they named the ‘Ark’ and started tours into Harrington sound from Bridge House opposite the Bermuda Government Aquarium. Mother acted as crew for a while, lifting the heavy helmets on the shoulders of divers.Later they bought two surplus WWII liberty launch vessels and used one of them, Carioca Bermuda, to do tours in Harrington Sound.

Bronson, with the help of Bermudian shipwrights from St. Davids (Rattary), took off the canvas cabin off one of the liberty launches, built the hull up 2.5 feet, steaming and bending the planks himself, put a deck and cabin on it and sailed to Nassau, Bahamas in 1958.The tour was originally called Hartley’s Deep Sea Diving. The ‘deep sea’ part was quickly dropped as we want this to sound exciting but not too dangerous. Business thrived with the help of Harry the Grouper. In 1982 he handed over the Nassau operation to my elder brother Christopher. Chris conducted the Hartley’s Undersea Walk with the help of a grouper who is still called Harry.(24kb shot) For many years Christopher held the record of a year and one day as the youngest helmet diver in the world. That record was usurped by his nephew, Benjamin Hartley, who had his first dive in Nassau, at age ten months.

Carioca was home to Chris and Greg, who would come back from school and have to wait for their home to dock after unloading all the happy divers. We got to invite all our class out diving to have birthday parties and life was good. There were embarrassing moments when Greg would be punished by having his tricycle not only taken away, but hauled up the mast and the line tied out of reach. Not only did I have to suffer the loss of my wheels, but also the shame that all in the marina could see that that hyperactive, loud, troublesome, scallywag finally had justice imposed upon him.

Though they had many adventures, even off to Europe and into north Africa, Martica and Bronson ended the marriage in 1961. The idea of him running one business in Bermuda and her running the one in Nassau was not her ideal set up to raise a family. In 1962 Bronson met Harriet (nee Brown), and another chapter began

: Bronson with diving helmet aboard the ‘Ark’.

: The Ark towing Megalops, in Harrington Sound looking south towards Devil’s Hole.

: Martica poses amid fresias.

: Martica poses for Town and Country

: Bronson has hooked the helmet on the top of the ladder, then backed up for this posed shot.

: The Bermuda marriage licence says they were already legally married on May 12 before the Cuban ceremony

: Pretend dive in Flatts inlet.

: ‘Crew’ Martica lowering helmet for Bronson. She has a sweater and the water is cold.

: The future parents of Chris and Greg Hartley, Bronson and Martica

: Dive vessel the ‘Ark’ leaves from Bridge House with the Bermuda Aquarium and Zoo on the background

: Action summertime shot not posed winter shot of helmet diving. Bronson is doing the grunt work, by pulley, of lowering the helmet.

: That may be treasure diver Teddy Tucker beside Bronson Hartley.

: Mother and child Hartley helmet divers late 1940’s

: This helmet was made obsolete by the three windowed design.

: BronsonHartley conducts briefing, while his wife, Martica looks on. The aquarium is in top right background. The old Flatts bridge, with post in the center is in left background, to the left of the crew at the tiller.

: Photo by Stackpole of hemlet diver and required foot protection in a non sandy dive site

: Helmet divers returning to the boat. Photo by Stackpole

: George the grunt being held by a paying passenger. Grey snapper in background, breams marauding around.

: Couple having fun

: If it is cool wear clothing. There were no wet suits in those days.

: It is difficult for a grunt to remain calm when food might be happening

: It is hard to look at the camera with fascinating fish right in front of you.

: Bronson Hartley lowering 16mm camera in water.

: First full length undersea movie ever on Kodak film, called Mainstreet Undersea

: Film star Martica encourages Helen through the hoop. Helen is wondering why Bronson is not holding the hoop as normal.

: Martica (Little Martha) posing with the diving helmet especially made for her, by Bronson.

: Bronson is smirking because he is taking the photo by remote.

: Martica Hartley was not a good swimmer, but did feel comfortable helmet diving

: Christmas in Morocco

: Photo of Martica in 1956 pregnant with son Gregory.

: My brother, Chris at 3 1/2 months, with our home in the background, also called Turtle Island.

: I am in my mother’s arms. Chris is looking overboard for the leopard ray.

: Greg’s first ride to Turtle Island on cable car

: Bronson and Martica Hartley’s two WWII liberty launches, moored behind the break water on Turtle Island, which extends to the southeast towards Devil’s Hole.

: Bermudian Shipwright Rattary makes progress in adding on 2.5 feet to Carioca’s hull.

: Hartley Sr. built a steam box to bend planks in adding hull, deck and cabin to liberty launch, Carioca, so she could make an ocean crossing to Nassau, Bahamas. Note black space for fire under ESSO steel drum containing water, and steam pipe to steam box.

: Curved wall on north side of Turtle Island used to bend planks.

: Underway to Nassau. Bronny boasted the boat could be picked up by the sturdy Bermuda cedar cabin.

: Bronson in punt somewhere between Bermuda and Nassau to take photo of ocean crossing.

: One Carioca is to the right, along side the dock of the Coral Island Hotel. The other one is at a dock later used by John Whiting. Flatts bridge is out of frame to the left.

: Bronson Hartley waving to happy departing divers

: Bow of Carioca held down by heavy rocks in the making of the Turtle Island break water.

: The north shore of Bermuda is often choppy. Father would tuck the boat behind Stag rocks for protection.

: Greg, like many small children, find it difficult to look at the camera underwater

: Cute family shot by Bronson, in 1060 obscures the reef of divorce just ahead in 1961.