Here's what an underwater pumpkin carving competition looks like
CBC
The last time Dee Comfort carved a pumpkin underwater, it was an "epic fail."
Comfort couldn't push the pumpkin underwater and then its face caved in. This time, Comfort came prepared — tying hand weights to a mesh bag to transport the pumpkin, creating a new carving pattern and wielding a trusty steak knife with "nice teeth on it."
Comfort's spiky-headed, big-nosed, wide-eyed design ended up winning best pumpkin, as part of an underwater pumpkin carving competition held Wednesday night along the old Welland Canal. Not that there weren't still mishaps.
"A couple of times, he almost went up to the top," said Comfort. "Cutting off the lid is the tricky part."
About a dozen divers participated, using satchels, bricks, even weighted fitness belts to get their pumpkins down to depth and test their carving skills. There's strategy to it.
"I don't think anyone can really fully comprehend it having not done it before," said Matt Mandziuk, who owns Dan's Dive Shop in St. Catharines, Ont., and put on the event.
"The bigger the pumpkin, the harder it's going to be to sink."
Kevin Langerak is a first-time underwater pumpkin carver but got tipped off, so brought a medium-sized pumpkin.
"We didn't get too carried away."
He ended up carving two sides of his pumpkin — one a traditional face, the other more toothy and demonic.
"My pumpkin skills are limited on a good basis. So underwater, in the dark, it was actually pretty good."
Divers set up carving stations on underwater scaffolding and on a sunken boat, careful not to stir the bottom to keep things visible. Once punctured, pumpkin guts and seeds spewed everywhere. The odd fish swam by to try and take bites.
Some divers had design plans before heading down. Others went underwater looking for inspiration.
Shonagh Colclough, 15, took two pumpkins down, trying to carve one into a Mandalorian helmet from Star Wars. Daunting enough, but it was also her first dive in the dark.
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