Meet the Staff

Don Stevens — Owner

With over 35 years of commercial and recreational diving under his weight belt, Don has created a store that not only services the diving industry but also generates a lot of diving interest. His list of credentials include Platinum Pro Diver status, which can only be received by logging over 5000 dives (he’s had more than 7000) and significant contributions to the diving industry. Don’s experience and genuine care for people makes him not only an excellent teacher but also a great leader. When asked what he thinks his greatest accomplishment is he says “being able to teach the grandkids of some of my first students.”

Contact Don at (603) 436-4443

Barbara Buntrock — Dive Instructor

Barb Buntrock has been at Atlantic Aquasport for over 10 years. She was trained in diving by her daughter Mary. Barb holds a USCG 50-ton Master’s license as a boat captain and is a certified commercial diver with Atlantic Mooring Services, moving moorings up to 10,000 lbs. at depths of up to 100 ft. in the seacoast area. In past years, Barb worked in the tech field, and raced sailboats.

Mary Buntrock — Dive Instructor

Mary Buntrock got her dive certification at age 11. She completed her divemaster training at age 15, three years before the eligible age of 18. Mary completed her NAUI instructor qualifications by age 22. Mary teaches and trains students on most weekends.

Mary received her degree in theoretical mathematics from Hartwick College.

David Elliot - Dive Instructor

David was given dive lessons for his 50th birthday. He never looked back. After 15 years as a professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, he took his wife’s new job back home in New England as an excuse to retire and become a full-time scuba diving bum. He is now a dive instructor, which permits him to continue with his love of teaching (but without university politics!). Just to bring some things full circle, he has taught and certified the person who gave him the original lessons.

Chris Drew — Divemaster and Shore Captain

Walt has been diving since the early 1980s, initially in Rhode Island, but also up and down the Eastern Seaboard and out of the country. He was trained as a technical instructor by both the US Air Force and the Federal Aviation Administration; this gives him a unique perspective on training.

Most SCUBA Instructors arrive at teaching by being divers that learn to instruct – Walt is a trained instructor that later became a diver. Being retired from the Government gives him a free schedule to pursue diving and his other interests. He is a certified NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors) Instructor who can teach all aspects of diving and has been working with Don for almost a decade to perfect our open-water dive training program.

Hilary started diving over 13 years ago and is a regular diver on our Saturday Morning Shore Dive.