An oxygen tank, a mask and fins aren’t typically on the checklist to carve jack-o’-lanterns, but they’re necessities for contestants who will be competing in the annual underwater pumpkin-carving contest Saturday at Joplin’s Calypso Scuba.
Divers will have their artistic skills put to the test while submerged 15 feet below the surface as part of Calypso Scuba’s annual Carve for a Cause.
Proceeds from the event will benefit Peterson Outdoors Ministries and Lodge of Hope, which work with injured and recovering veterans and their families, as well as youth and adults with disabilities or terminal illnesses.
“We have a retreat center in Sheldon, Missouri, called Lodge of Hope, and it’s a 7,000-square-foot, fully disabled-accessible lodge where we bring in our nation’s injured veterans, first responders and those with disabilities or terminal illness all year long,” said Tron Peterson, executive director of Peterson Outdoors Ministries. “It’s free of charge. We pay for all of their travel expenses, food and lodging. We provide numerous outdoor activities: hunting, fishing, canoeing, kayaking and horseback riding.”
The entry fee is $20 per pumpkin, and registration will be open until the end of the day Friday. The competition runs from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at 1840 N. Range Line Road.
May marked Calypso Scuba’s 20th anniversary where they’ve hosted underwater pumpkin carving every year. Valerie Earl, manager of Calypso Scuba in Joplin, said it’s a tradition among the shop to host all sorts of underwater activities like bowling and basketball.
“Next month, we’ll have the underwater turkey shoot, and January will be underwater poker,” she said. “I’ve been in the industry for 35 years, and we’re always trying to come up with something new and fun. One year, we did underwater Olympics, underwater golf and underwater bicycling.”
How it works
The pumpkins are cleaned with the pulp removed before they’re thrown into the dive shop’s indoor pool. Weights are added to the base of the pumpkins to keep them from floating away. The top of the pumpkins are left outside of the pool.
“They’re cleaning out all of the stuff that we don’t want in the pool,” Earl said. “It’s not as gross, nasty or messy as you think it would be. They can’t have any pre-made designs. It must be from scratch.”
“It’s all about camaraderie, fun, and we’ve had some truly unique designs,” she said.
Three divers plunged into the shop’s pool Thursday to try their hands at underwater pumpkin carving because they won’t be able to attend the competition.
Mitch Grantham, of Joplin, Tanner Seward, of Diamond, and his wife, Kelsey Seward, said it was their first time doing the Halloween tradition underwater. Although they have to work Saturday, their pumpkins will be stored in the refrigerator and submitted into the contest.
Each diver wore a buoyancy compensator vest, which is like a backpack that controls buoyancy, with the pockets filled with weights to help keep them on the pool floor while carving.
Grantham, a Marine Corps veteran, said his friends call him by the nickname “Stitches” because of how many accidents he’s had throughout his life. He made sure to wear cut-resistant gloves before diving into the deep end of Calypso’s pool to carve his pumpkin.
“I’ve had a lot of stitches,” he said. “This hand alone has had over 60 stitches in it. I keep a suture kit in my car.”
Kelsey Seward, who’s only been diving a few months, said her husband, Tanner, got her hooked on the hobby. If anything, she hopes the underwater pumpkin carving experience helps her become a better diver.
“Tanner has been diving since he was 13, and he’s been showing me the ropes,” she said. “I hope to develop my skills as a diver and as a carver, too. I was going to go pretty detailed, but I better keep it simple. Even above water, my carving is not fantastic.”
Tanner Seward said he didn’t plan on carving a masterpiece this go-round.
“I’m expecting a really crappy pumpkin,” he said. “I’m not an artist.”
Judges will choose the winners and award scuba prizes. The pumpkin that receives the most monetary donations will win Popular Choice.
Want to carve?
Calypso Scuba had nine spots left to compete in the contest as of Thursday morning. Earl said contestants can bring their own scuba gear or borrow theirs. Cutting tools will be provided, or people can use their own. Participants will also need to bring a pre-cleaned, 10-inch or larger pumpkin.
To register for the event, visit https://my.divessi.com/eventdetails/57102/ 169302 or call 417 624-0900.
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