Bogged down by misfortune, Wahnahnish Scuba Club is struggling to survive in Labrador West.
After vandals burned down the clubhouse two years ago, the group almost disbanded, and since their leading instructors are close to retiring soon, they might not have anyone to run their programs.
Jefford Young, scuba instructor, said he might be leaving the Labrador West area anytime and thinks the future looks “iffy” for the ailing club.
He said it’s an embarrassment divers don’t have a place to get their scuba gear on and need to dress in the open.
He’s also afraid of what vandals would do if a new club house was built – railway ties securing the dock on Quartzite Lake were recently tipped over.
With the new housing division going up on the south side of Quartzite Lake, he hopes increased presence of people will discourage vandals.
The once-thriving club had 50 members, he recalled, and now it’s down to 20.
This year, the club was able to offer classes and certified five open water divers.
Most of them, he said, have the goal of diving in salt water on islands in the south.
“When you enter the water there’s always something alive, something to see, something
very colourful – it’s a very exciting life,” he spoke on the pleasures of diving.
The difference between diving in a lake and salt water, he noted, there’s much less visibility and life forms in muddy waters of a lake.
The scuba program, he said, tries to simulate diving in open water and divers have blackout training, when their masks are covered so they can’t see and have to feel their way around.
The certified divers demonstrated proficiency in mask clearing, tank regulating, breathing properly, buddy breathing, handling injuries, buoyancy compensation, and different strokes.
He said that the graduates are probably the best class he’s ever had.
The program will be offered again, he added, if more than six people sign up and anyone interested can do so at Mike Adam Recreation Complex.
However, diving’s not for everyone, he warned, especially if they’re claustrophobic or has surgery in the chest area.
Although the sport is pretty safe, he said, dangers can arise if tanks aren’t filled properly, if someone dives alone, and if a diver ends up in a panic situation.
Now that the five divers have their primary certification, added Young, they can also get certified in ice and cave diving, water photography and archeology, or as instructors.
They can also go diving for scallops and sea urchins, which is a popular pastime
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