A group of Gators carved pumpkins to celebrate Halloween — except they did it underwater.
The Gator Scuba Club traveled to Blue Grotto Dive Resort in Williston to carve their jack-o’-lanterns, a tradition that has recently been brought back after skipping the event last year.
Vice president Sean Deeb, a 21-year-old UF marine sciences senior, said group members removed the pumpkin guts and drew their designs above the water.
Miranda Gingold, a 21-year-old UF biology senior and club member, said the divers weighed down the pumpkins so they wouldn’t float away.
But the team wasn’t alone underwater.
“There was this annoying turtle that kept trying to eat our pumpkins, so that was funny,” Gingold said.
However, even with a calendar full of events, the club has seen clearer conditions.
“All the officers are graduating, so we need new faces,” Gingold said.
The club has lost members in the past year over what Deeb refers to as financial complications and executive board members’ issues with timing. This year, though, the club is finally seeing the number of new members return to where it was three years ago.
“It’s hard to get the word out about it. Our events are not campus-based,” Deeb said. “I don’t think it’s anything people inquire about.”
Currently, the club is focusing on tabling at different events around campus to improve its membership.
To spike interest, Deeb said he is trying to secure guest speakers and plan new events.
“We are really starting to rebuild the club,” he said. “I think it’s a really cool time to be involved with Scuba Club.”
Cindy Medina, a 21-year-old UF microbiology senior, is in a scuba class and said she is looking forward to joining the club once she is certified.
“It will provide the perfect scuba community to dive with,” Medina said. “This is especially important since scuba is a sport that relies heavily on diving in groups and with a buddy.”
A version of this story ran on page 8 on 10/23/2013 under the headline "Scuba Club membership resurfacing"
