Underwater pumpkin carving takes over Sask. lake
The Saskatchewan Underwater Council (SUC) and the Moose Jaw Barracudas Scuba Club invited divers from the province to try their hand at carving a pumpkin underwater.
Two dives happened at Lovering Lake on Sunday for the second annual event, the first an underwater clean up and the second for carving.
Divers surface after carving their pumpkins in Lovering Lake on Oct. 17. Kaylyn Whibbs/CTV News
Divers surface after carving their pumpkins in Lovering Lake on Oct. 17. Kaylyn Whibbs/CTV News
Alanna McIntyre carved a pumpkin underwater for the first time. She opted to keep her design simple for the first attempt.
"I had a lot of fun, it was difficult at first but then once we kind of got settled into our spot and everything cleared out then yeah it was lots of fun, " said McIntyre, who carved a series of fish eating each other into her pumpkin.
New to the event this year was the opportunity to earn an Underwater Pumpkin Carving certification.
Diver City SCUBA in Winnipeg made the trip to teach the class as carving underwater has more challenges than carving at your kitchen table.
"You do have to remember still, we're under water, so we have to pay attention to how much air we have, how much time we've been down there, where our buddy is," said Jacqui Dufault, owner at Diver City and president of the Manitoba Underwater Council.
Participants also had the chance to claim a title including best costume, pumpkin design, most unique piece of trash collected and most trash collected underwater.
One of the council’s mandates is environmental stewardship.
"If we're able to raise some awareness in the public about stuff like this then maybe we can reduce some of the pollution in our lakes," said Tracy Wilson, SUC’s secretary.
According to SUC, the province's diving community has been shrinking in the last few years and events like these where people gather to dive, eat and spend time with others who have similar interests are a way of building it back up.
The Saskatchewan Underwater Council’s festive event returns to the province with divers carving pumpkins in Lovering Lake on Oct. 17. Kaylyn Whibbs/CTV News
The Saskatchewan Underwater Council’s festive event returns to the province with divers carving pumpkins in Lovering Lake on Oct. 17. Kaylyn Whibbs/CTV News
"Events like this are our way to do outreach to the community and the general public and maybe get new people involved in to diving or some people that aren't active in diving involved again," said Brad Nelson, programs director for the SUC.
He said anyone looking to get into diving can reach the council on their Facebook page or their website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Auston Matthews returns for Game 7, but Leafs minus injured goaltender Joseph Woll
Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews returned to the lineup for Game 7 against the Boston Bruins on Saturday night.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.