Divers Carve Pumpkins in Cold Lake Water

Scuba divers spent 10 minutes submerged in 51-degree water to carve a pumpkin for an annual competition in Lake Champlain. The event took place in Burlington, Vermont, and served as a fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Participants used knives and chisels while dealing with limited visibility and cold temperatures.

Brandon Tieso of Burlington finished his carving in 10 minutes during his first participation in the contest. He has been diving for three years. Tieso entered the water without a pre-drawn design. He noted that many people underestimate the physical difficulty of the task.

"I think people maybe don’t have an impression as to the difficulty with limited visibility, with the cold water and then the lack of dexterity with your hands," Tieso said. He described the experience as both satisfying and frustrating.

Alex Dixon and Jessica Gagne returned to the competition with a specific plan. Both are from Burlington. They intended to create an octopus using two pumpkins. The team has refined its technique over several years, though their initial attempts faced challenges.

Gagne explained that pumpkins tend to float upward quickly. "Everything just keeps floating up to the top, so the first year we did it, everything, we would be like ‘oh, where did that go, where did that go,’ and we’d look up and it would be like floating at the surface of the water," Gagne said. To prevent this, divers hollow out the vegetables beforehand and pack them with weights to keep them stable on the lakebed.

Phillip Peterson, an instructor at Waterfront Diving Center, emphasized safety protocols before the event began. He pointed out the presence of sharp tools underwater. "Emergency is definitely a factor in anytime you go diving, so yeah, we want to have fun, we’re here to carve pumpkins, we also have knives," Peterson said.

The dive shop owner’s two daughters live with cystic fibrosis. One of them is Tieso’s fiancée. Because individuals with the condition cannot use pressurized air, the daughters cannot dive. Tieso participates in the event to honor them. The competition is one of several charity dives hosted by the center each year. After the divers finished their work, the pumpkins were brought to shore for judging. A lighthouse design was named the winner.