Carving Tips
Actual Carving: The easiest method is to sink right to the bottom, depends on the depth of course, and sit indian style or lay with your knees behind you, with your buddy, shining his light on the pumpkin. Another method I’ve used is to find a ledge and put the pumpkin under the ledge, this works well in deeper water if there is a wall nearby. Grottos would work well since you could converse with your partner, but it is difficult swimming around with a pumpkin so you should know the area very well. As long as you are weighted down fairly well, carving at 15-20 feet works well and gives you as much air time as you need. If you aren’t weighted down enough, go down to 30 feet. A rocky bottom is preferable as you will have better visibility. Cut a large circle out of the bottom to use for scraping the pumpkin out. Save the bottom as this can be used to hold the light up as forces the light to shine upwards, instead of illuminating the bottom of the table. If you have a partner that you’ve practiced with, it is to both of your advantages to share in the carving duties. You can both share in the victory and you don’t get tired as easily when carving. Also, when just holding a light, you seem to get colder faster. If there is a time limit or even if there isn’t, if you have a light that can be attached to your mask and allow you to see, then both divers would be able to carve, thus increases the time you have for detail work and to cleanup the pumpkin before surfacing.
Buoyancy: Pumpkins float..., okay you probably knew that or guessed it by now. One diver or even two divers with all the air let out of their BC might not be able to sink a large one. I’ve seen people wear extra weight belts or do similar things, but personally I think this is a quick way to get seriously injured, ie. the pumpkin suddenly pops free. My preferred method is to put a net or a large shopping bag around the pumpkin and then tie it to a dive bag full of rocks so that it reaches neutral buoyancy. After you cut the pumpkin it will be negative and once you’ve finished carving you can get rid of the rocks accordingly and make a safe ascent. As soon as you are under, use your large knife to punch a hole in the bottom to let out the air.