Diving team practises eliminating underwater explosives off of Vancouver Island

CFB Esquimalt team diving into danger A highly specialized unit of the Canadian Armed Forces does most of its work underwater.

Roughly a dozen Canadian Armed Forces members are diving into the waters off Metchosin, learning how to safely dispose of underwater explosives.

The trainees at CFB Esquimalt are with Fleet Diving Unit Pacific, which eliminates underwater hazards, such as sea mines from the Second World War.

“We don’t want any sea mines drifting into shipping lanes or onto beaches where it could harm civilians,” said PO1 Ryan Burrell, Maritime Explosive Ordnance Disposal chief.

On Tuesday, trainees dove in a small bay, where they destroyed practice targets.

“It’s a mock scenario where they’re going to have to come in on an improvised shape (target) or land mine or moored mine and they’re going to have to blow that up,” said assistant instructor MS Patrick Kory.

To make that happen, trainees built their own explosives — a key component of which is a pool noodle.

“I’m having a blast,” said S1 Jarret Chalmers, who worked as a combat engineer before beginning the clearance diving course.

“It’s being able to just make a positive impact on the world and use my skills and knowledge in order to make shipping lanes and make underwater areas safe.”

During the annual training course, the team keeps marine life away with a “bubble curtain,” a wall of bubbles created by perforated, pressurized tubing underwater.

“We also have marine mammal observers to make sure that we’re not impacting the environment or the mammals that could come by as well,” Kory said.

Members are on their way to the Baltic to eliminate legacy war mines, Burrell said. They also respond locally, dealing with flares and war memorabilia across B.C.

“I love this job,” Burrell said. “We’re here on the ocean having fun. Safely having fun, but it’s really fun.”