More than a dozen members of the Okanagan Diving Club got together for some pre-Halloween pumpkin carving, but they did so in a place that only a group of passionate divers would consider: underwater.
The Okanagan Diving Club held its 38th annual underwater pumpkin carving event on Saturday afternoon in the shallows of Otter Bay in Vernon.
The event, co-hosted by Innerspace Water Sports, required participants to carve a pumpkin with a diving tool only while fully submerged in the water, with a trophy going to the best sub-aquatic jack-o香蕉视频直播�-lantern as picked by the judges.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 definitely challenging,香蕉视频直播� said Brooke Astells as she attempted to warm up despite a frigid wind, minutes after emerging from the water with her pumpkin freshly carved. 香蕉视频直播淚 think the smartest thing to do is cut holes in it so that it fills with water and sinks.香蕉视频直播�
Astells has been diving for six years and was one of the event香蕉视频直播檚 organizers. She香蕉视频直播檚 been diving for six years and first learned how to dive tropically in Australia, but treats diving in Canada in October as a rite of passage.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 that much more rewarding when you do it (while) bearing the cold,香蕉视频直播� she said.
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香蕉视频直播淭his time of year in Canada we usually dive in dry suits 香蕉视频直播� today mine sprung a leak so it was filled with water, but I just kind of used it like a wet suit.香蕉视频直播�
Despite the cold - and the awkward challenge of trying to keep a buoyant pumpkin submerged while carving it - Astells found the experience rather tranquil.
香蕉视频直播淥nce you香蕉视频直播檙e down there it香蕉视频直播檚 pretty relaxing, and if you can get a good grip on it it香蕉视频直播檚 just like carving a pumpkin above water really.香蕉视频直播�
The event is mainly about having fun and working on a decidedly unique diving skill, but it香蕉视频直播檚 also about cleaning up the bay.
香蕉视频直播淭he main thing is just to have some fun carving a pumpkin underwater, but there香蕉视频直播檚 also an environmental component where we香蕉视频直播檒l go in and we香蕉视频直播檒l pull out stuff to use in our display,香蕉视频直播� explained Brad Houghton, president of the Okanagan Diving Club.
香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 always lots of trash in the local lakes so any chance we can get to be eco-friendly and pull out some of that stuff when we find is great, and then we can use the trash to decorate the pumpkins.香蕉视频直播�
Not knowing what decorations they香蕉视频直播檒l have to work with until they find them means the parcicipants have to get creative when it comes time to jazz up their jack-o香蕉视频直播�-lanterns for the judges.
香蕉视频直播淚 found quite a few golf balls, a beer bottle and a half-decayed salmon,香蕉视频直播� said Houghton. Despite the odd assortment of items, he was confident his carve would put him over the top.
香蕉视频直播淚 have a good feeling about it.香蕉视频直播�
