UNDERWATER PUMPKIN CARVING
Autumn is here and that can only mean one thing... Underwater pumpkin carving is approaching! Underwater pumpkin carving is a popular scuba experience at dive shops all over the world. It's silly, festive and a fun community event. So, what do you need to know to join the fun?!
What You Need
First, you’ll need your pumpkin (of course). Pick a medium sized carving pumpkin. A pumpkin too small may be hard to fit your hand into, especially with gloves or drysuit cuffs. A pumpkin too large will be difficult to manage underwater
Next, you’ll need a knife or two. While we all usually have dive knives on us, they usually don’t work super well for carving pumpkins. I recommend taking a specialty pumpkin carving knife like the ones you buy at the grocery store. Do remember these knives are generally small, so make sure you tie a lanyard or bolt snap to it to ensure you don’t lose it.
Some shops will allow divers to hollow out their pumpkin pre-dive, others will require that to be done underwater. If you’re hollowing it out underwater you may also want to bring a spoon. Again, like the knife, spoons are generally small, so I recommend tying something to it, so you don’t lose it.
One incredibly important thing to be aware of is that pumpkins are buoyant. You'll want to bring a spare weight with you to help hold your pumpkin down. If you’re using a pre-hollowed pumpkin, put the weight inside it while you’re still on land. If you’re hollowing underwater, bring a mesh bag with you and put the pumpkin and weight inside. As soon as you cut the top off your pumpkin put the weight inside while you're working on hollowing it out.
Where to Go?
The location of the pumpkin dive will be somewhere divers can be safe while taking part. When you go out for your dive, pick a shallow, flat, sandy bottom. You want to be deep enough that you’re not being pushed around by any surge or waves on the surface, but shallow enough that you don’t have a long way to struggle with a buoyant pumpkin. I find a depth of 6 – 10m (20 – 33ft) works well.
It will be easiest if you surface swim to the approximate area you’ll be carving. If possible, you’d like to be able to just drop straight down and get to work. The longer you have to swim with the pumpkin the more chance you have of it escaping and floating away on you.
Once you get to your carving area you want to kneel firmly on the ground. You don’t want to be trying to carve while you’re bobbing around in the water. Being slightly negatively buoyant will keep you firmly in place. You'll want to keep the extra weight in mind during your dive planning.
Safety
Like all diving, you still want to stay with a buddy while carving your pumpkin. Managing your pumpkin underwater can be a lot of fun silliness, but you still want to make sure you’re safe. It can be easy to get caught up in the fun and forget about everything else, so make sure you’re still monitoring your air and staying with your buddy.
During your descents, ascents and any swimming you do, make sure your knifes are safely stowed, and you are prepared for the buoyancy of your pumpkin. If you used any extra weight, make sure it is not excessive, and that you’re prepared for it and in control of your dive.
If you’re hollowing your pumpkin underwater, be aware that some fish may come by to nibble on the guts. As you’re pulling guts out of the pumpkin, try to put the excess in your mesh bag to bring back to land. While bits of pumpkin won’t harm the environment, you don’t want too much left to clog up your dive site.
The Carving
The actual carving of your pumpkin is very similar to on land. If your event allows you to, draw your design on your pumpkin before you get into the water. Use a thick sharpie to make your lines visible.
Many divers (myself included) opt to carve marine inspired designs, although that’s not a requirement. It's always great to see what everyone comes up with! Remember tiny details may be more difficult underwater, especially if you’re wearing thick gloves, so it may be best to leave the more intricate designs at home. That being said, I've seen divers come up with some amazing stuff without the tiny details! I've seen kelp and angler fish, sharks, goldfish, octo’s and more! Be creative and have fun!
