Is there really a steamboat at the bottom of Highland Lake in third bay? Did a trolley car find its way to a watery grave at some unknown location? Are there a multitude of cars in first bay, the leftovers of past years of ice races? These, and many other questions about what lies on the floor of Highland Lake, will be answered on May 16, 2009, when we conduct the second-ever Bottoms Up Day underwater cleanup of the lakebed.
So you are asking what is Bottoms Up Day? The event will be similar in nature to the cleanups the Association performs twice per year, cleaning up trash around the lake. What makes this event so special is it will be done under the water instead of just around the perimeter of the lake and along the roadways. Trained, certified divers will don their gear and air tanks and peruse the depths of the lake either from shore locations or from watercraft, seeking out trash and treasures on the lake bottom. A great deal of interest has already been expressed, and we expect divers from far and wide to convene, covering as much of the lake as possible.
We are looking to make this a festive event, with food and refreshments for participants and a competition for prizes for such things as the most unusual object, heaviest or largest object, and most cans and bottles. Having been told very expensive jewelry has been lost over the years, we are hoping some parties may bring underwater metal detectors in search of valuables. I’m personally hoping to find the “Delaney” welcome mat that blew out of my boat two years ago, not of great value, except to me personally.
Safety will be a prime concern and preparations include coordination with the Fire Department, Department of Environmental Protection, and all participating divers to assure a safe and fun event. Anyone interested in helping with planning or in participating, either as a diver or as a volunteer, should contact Dick Labich at 860.738.0167 or Fran Delaney at 860.379.7701. Besides actual divers, we will need many volunteers to assist with this event. We need boats that have easy access for our divers, additional craft that can be used for recovery of salvaged items, drivers, spotters, assistants to help the divers and volunteer shore locations to dive from. Watch our website for more information and preregistration forms as we are able to make them available. We look forward to seeing everyone there, and maybe we’ll even catch our own “Nessie” for the most unusual living find.
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