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
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.