In Pictures: A dreamy dive from the past
Vintage diving enthusiast says manoeuvering 180-pound suit underwater at the Vancouver Aquarium was an amazing experience
Strapping on a 180-pound diving suit and descending into a shark tank may sound like a death wish, but for 25-year-old Chris Casavant, it’s “a dream.”Deborah Baic/The Globe and Mail
The commercial diver delighted onlookers at the Vancouver Aquarium on Jan. 20 as part of the Aquarium’s annual Divers’ Weekend.Deborah Baic/The Globe and Mail
Casavant is a member of the Heritage Hard Hat Divers Association, which aims to educate other divers about how their profession has developed from the “very, very heavy” suits of over 50 years ago, including weight boots to help keep divers on the bottom.Deborah Baic/The Globe and Mail
“The experience itself is amazing,” Casavant said. The face plate is shut “and they bolt it up and you‘re basically stuck in there – you have no way of getting out on your own.…”Deborah Baic/The Globe and Mail
“... But once you get into the water … [it’s] every diver’s dream.”Deborah Baic/The Globe and Mail
Casavant slowly manoeuvered his 1940s-era diving suit around sharks, eels, a turtle and a manta ray, which he said he had to try not to step on.Deborah Baic/The Globe and Mail
The Vancouver Aquarium’s next big event is the 18th annual Murray A. Newman Awards on Jan. 24. Two awards will be presented on Friday in recognition of significant advances in aquatic research and conservation. Event details as well as information about other upcoming and annual aquarium events can be found at www.vanaqua.orgDeborah Baic/The Globe and Mail
Chris Casavant is helped out of his suit after the dive.Deborah Baic/The Globe and Mail