The Vancouver Apneist freediving club held its very first underwater Christmas tree decorating event December 15, 2007. It was a very rainy and windy day but despite that, we had four divers in the water. Nikkey and Patti provided moral and logistical support on shore. Greg was the chief enthusiast, bringing a small fake tree, numerous decorations, a stuffed Santa and a battery powered fish. |
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On the weekend of August 25 to 27, 2007 six freedivers from Vancouver and Victoria braved the dirt roads to Bamfield to help with an eelgrass survey organized by Ramona de Graaf and the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre. We were joined there by Ramona and other BMSC students and staff who provided surface support. We covered four separate areas this year: Carnation Creek and Santa Maria Island close to where we surveyed the previous year, and Grapler Inlet and Bamfield Inlet closer to the marine station. We also took some time out for some fun diving off from Big Hosie Island. |
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This is a video of a very young and friendly seal that we encountered at Bowyer Island on November 11, 2007. |
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On October 21, 2007, the Vancouver Apneists held their first annual underwater pumpkin carving contest at Buntzen Lake. Despite the rain, four divers showed up: Greg Fee, Sean Smith, Nikkey Ward and myself. As this was the first ever breath-hold underwater pumpkin carving contest we were aware of, we used the following simple rules:
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On June 9, 2007 Peter Pazdera, Greg Fee and I headed over to Vancouver Island to dive the sunken Boeing 737 near Chemainus. The plane was the latest sinking by the Artificial Reef Society of BC and the only one that I had not had a chance to freedive yet. |
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Helen and I went to Hornby with our friend Dan, who's family has a cabin near Whaling Station Bay. Our vacation was fabulous and we went snorkelling/freediving every day we were there. The water there was a bit cooler than usual on the first few days (still warm enough for a single steamer) but remarkably clear. Visibility at the surface was about 20 feet. Lots of fish too! |
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On the weekend of January 19 to 21, Tony Gray and I joined in on a diving charter organized by Bruce Entus and the UBC AquaSoc. This trip was on Hornby Island, one of our favorite summer freediving spots for years. Tony and I jumped at the chance to go. |
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On December 16, 2000 the Underwater Council of BC held an underwater cleanup at the Lions Bay Marina. Relations between Lions Bay and divers have been strained at times so this was an effort on the part of the diving community to get on the good side of the locals. The marina is just around the corner from Kelvin Grove where we do most of our freediving practices so the Vancouver freedivers offered to help out. Besides, it would prove to be a lot of fun. |
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The Vancouver freediving community has been doing Lingcod Egg Mass Survey dives for the Vancouver Aquarium's project since 2001. This was our best year yet for participation, getting out for five survey dives during the egg laying season. Unfortunately for the lingcod, the counts this year were not so good. After a steady climb over the past several years, counts are suddenly back down to 200x levels. Whytecliff Express
Ansell Place
Porteau Cove
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