Don’t just dive into marriage… take the plunge

FOR THOSE who enjoy outdoor adventures, Canada is best known for its skiing in winter and canoeing, fishing, trail hiking and mountaineering in summer. I discovered during a recent visit to the Banff area in the Rockies there’s a summer sport we hardly ever hear about – urban diving.

I am told diving enthusiasts from around the world gather here to dive down and explore the streets and buildings of an underwater village.

It is situated at the bottom of Lake Minnewanka (no sniggering at the back of the class, please), a man-made lake created in 1941.

Apparently the Canadian authorities decided to build a hydro-electric generating facility as part of their war effort. There was no convenient accommodation for construction workers nearby, so a village was built close to the construction site to house them. As the project progressed, wives and children moved in to be with their men. A school was built, shops were opened and a church was established. It became quite a busy little town.

When the dam was completed, it was decided it would cost too much to dismantle the town, so the people moved out, the sluice gates were closed and the water rose to cover the town of Minnewanka .

Today, scuba divers can circle the church steeple like seagulls, or glide down the main street, looking through the windows of houses and shops.

The water is crystal-clear from melted snow, and obviously pretty cold, too.

I wonder whether you can go right into any of the buildings. The church could be advertised as the most unusual wedding venue on the entire planet. I’m sure you could find marriage officers with diving gear, to handle the formal side of things.

Talk about getting a cool reception.

Pie and Pump

Whenever I travel far from home I look for innovative ideas that could be imported to South Africa. Down the street from the apartment where I am staying in Calgary, there’s a sports bar and restaurant frequented by flocks of cyclists every weekend.

Fixed to the wall outside the pub is a row of strong steel cables for cyclists to use to tether their precious machines while they are enjoying their refreshments. There’s also a huge hand-operated air pump, complete with built-in pressure gauge, for cyclists to use on their tyres.

I find that very thoughtful. Once the cyclists have filled up on pies and drinks they are probably heavier that they were when they arrived, so a little extra pressure in their tyres could make for a smoother ride home.

That’s something for popular bike stops like the Olympia Cafe in Kalk Bay to consider.

Last Laugh

A pedestrian stepped off the pavement without looking and was hit by a cyclist, landing on his backside in the gutter.

The cyclist skidded to a stop, looked down at the unfortunate pedestrian and said: “Wow! You are lucky.”

“Lucky? What do you mean lucky?” groaned the pedestrian.

“Normally I drive a bus,” said the cyclist.