Dave spent his childhood in Santa Cruz. He loved sports and would escape school to go fishing any chance he could. He lost his dearly loved twin sister Elisabeth when he was young and it affected him deeply. 

David Blackshaw was always called to the water and the ocean was his home. He made his way up to Petersburg, Alaska by 19, starting off by working for Icicle Seafoods on the dock crew. He quickly made a group of friends that still fondly remember him. Everywhere Dave went he made friends who often turned into family. He came to San Juan for the first time in 1997 to meet up with his Alaskan-born sweetheart, inadvertently finding his true home, niche and family. 

As the island does for so many, Dave found his nest and made a tribe for himself. Dave could be a hooligan but wore his heart on his sleeve for all to see and would give you the shirt off his back even if he had none to spare. Always with a smile and full of brotherly love, Dave made his impact on his island home. Commercially fishing on the ocean of diving under it in often dangerous conditions forges deep ties that few land-based jobs can provide. 

Dave was an accomplished diver and commercially fished for sea urchins, sea cucumbers, salmon, brine shrimp and crab. Diving for the Karma in Kodiak, Diver Down with Moose, Shannon Marie with Brad Villers and the Easy Lady for Davy Erickson just to name a few. He also helped with gear recovery for the State of Washington, a grant run program to remove derelict crab pots and fishing nets from our local waters. From the San Juans to Kodiak, Alaska, Dave was a familiar and welcomed soul on the docks and in town. A true blue "Good Ol' Boy", Blackshaw loved deer and duck hunting and poking around in the woods, ponds and beaches. 

Dave delighted in inviting anyone on his boat, an old wooden navy cutter called the "John Cutty". A day of sport fishing in Dave's world was an epic  adventure; BBQs were had, personal bests were caught, many stories told and maybe a few beers cracked. He loved to teach folks how to do things and "show them how it's done". This delighted his friends' children as he showed them how to set up crawdad traps or bait a hook, but would often earn him a 'simmer it down Bradshaw" from his buddies. 

David Blackshaw will never be forgotten. He lived in the moment, which for him could be a blessing and a curse. Generous to a fault, playful, sweet-hearted and kind, he did everything full tilt - when he loved, he loved hard, and when he hurt, he hurt deeply. Dave was a genuine original we will truly miss. 

Over and Out Good Buddy! 'Til we meet again. 

A memorial is planned for 3 pm August 10 at Jacksons Beach on San Juan Island.