Pumpkin Experiment

Pumpkin Experiment Dive, Nicholson Point, Amherstview ON			N 44° 12.3', W 76° 40.9'
Dive Number 68		Buddies Steve Chew, Jean-Olivier	Surface temp 2°C	Starting pressure 3000psi
Depth 100ft	Visibility good	Time 28m	Water temp 12°C	Ending pressure 700psi
Notes:	After the recent Pumpkin dive, some speculation started about whether a pumpkin would "implode" or otherwise get structurally compromised by the rigors of depth and pressure. After a healthy pool of opinion was established within the club, Steve, Jean-Olivier and I got to testing this morning at Nicholson's Point. We towed pumpkins on the surface in nets that Steve built for about 10 minutes from shore, far enough that we hoped to have 100 feet depth to test. At this point, we dropped a line to the bottom, and started our descent. I brought "Jill", the larger of the two pumpkins, and noticed a dent and a crack at about 60 feet. Jean-Olivier saw bubbles emerging from near the stem of "Jack" at about the same depth. Also significantly, both pumpkins were significantly less buoyant than before the dive. After surfacing and swimming back to shore, visible cracks could be seen in both pumpkins, and a post mortem style exam revealed that both had filled more than half full of water during the dive. We warmed up in Jean-Olivier's camper/van with freshly brewed tea. Today, I tried a triple layer - my surfshirt between my shorty and 7mm suit, with double gloves, fine gloves tucked in wetsuit and gauntlets on the outside. I may yet get neoprene socks like Sylvain, but overall I wasn't too cold. Until I got out and changed.