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â€" SportWaterloo Page 14 â€" Waterloo Chronicle, Wednesday, December 19, 1979 By Rick Campbell Chronicle Sports Editor Try to envision spending New Year‘s Eve down under. No, not under the table, but under the water. That‘s what a zany group of individuals has been doing the past five years â€" and will do again this year. But before you pass off this scuba bunch as being several feet offside, consider that the ‘‘crazy idea"‘ of welcoming in the New Year under 18 inches of ice in the dark waters of Elora Quarry has spawned one of the most heartwarming (and no doubt bonechilling) fundraising efforts in the area. ‘*We were trying to think of ways to keep our people active in the winter months and figured what better way to spend New Year‘s," said Mark Psutka, longâ€" time underwater diving specialist and pastâ€"president of the Kâ€"W and District Underwater Association. ‘"So for the past five years, we‘ve welcomed in the New Year at Elora." But Psutka and his cronies got to thinking beyond the fun and frivolity of a dive every New Year and came up with the idea of an "Aid" dive, where money is raised through pledges and awarded to a needy cause in the area. This is what the dive looks like below the surâ€" face and under 18 inches of ice. And this year will be no excertion as the club plans their sixth annual "Aid" dive at the Elora Quarry Saâ€" turday, Feb. 9 from 7 a. m. to 5 p.m. The beneficiary will be the Developmental Centre for Retarded Chilâ€" dren on University Avenue in Waterloo. T im o. ME :.* * , _ M aLls 4* ;/ * i. hi * ;1 521 * *Ae * + 3 e i un NC i P j _ i o t n m 1 _ _ i o i o e nc n Piintiigr m This is the scene from the Kâ€"W and District Underwater Association $5,000 for the Developmental Centre for Retarded Children in Waâ€" ‘Aid" dive last year at Elora quarry. Planners hope this year to raise terloo. H uge turnout plan ned for ‘Aid‘ dive ‘‘We didn‘t set any fundraising targets in the past but this year our sights are on $5,000, which hopefully will be matched by Wintario to buy gym equipment The burning desire of an area pioneer to seé his favorite pastime make a go of it led to the formaâ€" tion of the Kâ€"W and Disâ€" trict Underwater Asâ€" sociation a decade ago. It was 1969 that Mark Psutka began teaching scuba classes at the Breithaupt Centre in Kitchener along with partner Ted Smith â€" and what started out as a hobby for Psutka has now turned into a career. ‘‘We (Smith and Psutâ€" ka) were really interestâ€" ed in the sport and when we were through teachâ€" ing people the courses they really had nowhere to go from there â€" we had to get organized,"‘ said Psutka Friday from the office at his Mark Psutka Underwater _ Services shop on Schaefer St. in Waterloo. Founding _ members Smith and Psutka formed the original Kâ€"W club in conjunction with its esâ€" tablished counterpart in And hence. the birth of Kâ€"W DUA and specialty equipment for the Centre,"‘ said Psutka. The first recipient of money from the ‘"Aid"" dive six years ago was Kitchener‘s Sunbeam Home. Since then, Big Sisters, Kidney Foundation, Kâ€"W Services for the Physically Disabled and the Rotary Centre have all been the cause celebre. The manner in which the pledge format works for the 10â€"hour dive is that the entire club, and not just an individual, is sponsored for the length of time the dive continues. So if a sponsor pledges 50 cents, and the dive lasts as planned, the total cost to the sponsor would be five dollars. * Of the 100 or so club members, Psutka said an increâ€" dible 60 or so will take part in the dive, with no one dive lasting more than 30 minutes. _ s ‘*All the other organizations say it is impossible to run through 60 divers, no one has ever tried it before or has even come close,"" said Psutka. The quarry is an ideal site for the dive, since it is protected from the atmospheric elements and the water visibility is simply outstanding at approximateâ€" ly 100 feet. Psutka pioneer in local club Guelph, but after two years branched off into a completely autonomous operation. Over the years the club, which has had as many as 160 members, has met monthly with meetings now being held at the Evergreens Motor Hotel. Presently there are approximately 100 members, with an increâ€" dible 60 planning to parâ€" ticipate in the "Aid"" dive in February to raise money for the Developâ€" mental Centre for Reâ€" tarded Children on Uniâ€" versity Avenue. "I felt there was a deâ€" finite demand for this type of thing (speciality store). something more than just your average sporting good store with a small display." he said. The sport has boomed to the extent where two years ago, Psutka decidâ€" ed to establish Underâ€" water Services as a yearâ€" round occupation. Formerly accepted as a ‘"summer sport ‘ in Chronicle Sports Line â€" C _ 8s86â€"2830. Canada, scuba, like other sports such as tennis and golf, is becoming more accessible allâ€"year round and Psutka considers that one of his greatest challenges. Throughout the year he offers pool courses, training clinics and even film festivals at the Huâ€" manities Theatre at the University of Waterloo featuring individuals like Stan Waterman, the unâ€" derwater cinemaâ€" tographer for the muchâ€" heralded film ‘"The Deep." Ideally. all divers would like to explore the waters similar to those off the Florida coast where visibility someâ€" times reaches beyond 200 feet, but of course that isn‘t always possible. especially in Canada *A lot of people I come in contact with come here exclusively to train for diving in the south,. said Psutka. ‘"The major difference up here is that you really have to be preâ€" All prospective divers must undergo mandatory pool and equipment instruction to prepare for the dive. Each is a certified diver and must have completâ€" ed four previous dives in open water. Psutka plans to send down two divers at a time, who will spend their allotted time exploring a cave, subâ€" merged car wreckages, or playing favorite underâ€" water pastimes like ticâ€"tacâ€"toe. Because the dive takes place under the ice, each diver will be tethered to a line which maximizes saâ€" fety. Among ‘the divers expected to take part is CHYM sports director Don Grose, while Waterioo mayor Marjorie C&rroll is scheduled to be a line tender. The dive day corresponds with Heritage Day in Elora, the day when clocks are set back 100 years for centuryâ€"old celebrations, so dive organizers are exâ€" pecting this year‘s event to be quite popular. Several prominent businesses have donated such things as food and equipment, and a skating rink will be set up nearby so spectators can come out, have a skate, sip on some hot chocolate and have their hearts warmed by watching people helping people. 4 pared for the worst conâ€" ditions, like maybe five feet visibility. "In winter you‘re tethâ€" ered to a rope of course and therefore limited in what you can do. You‘re always conscious of your lifeline, and then there are factors like equipâ€" ment freezeâ€"up and so on. ‘‘Some guys will go in any water, even if they can‘t see the front of their masks, but there are instances when dives will be called off. It‘ usually relative to skill level of the diver It‘s in that respect that Psutka finds diving so reâ€" warding ‘‘The thing that atâ€" tracted me (and others) is that it is a change from the â€" competitiveâ€"type sports. Your only compeâ€" tition is with yourself and we can teach people to their limitation ‘‘"And what better way to enjoy a Sunday afterâ€" noon. I like to look at it as exploring the last fronâ€" tier.