Hardy divers sculpt a silent world at Edmonds Underwater Park

A man wades into the ocean with a wheelbarrow full of concrete blocks ... sounds like a joke setup, right? Except no funny stuff's going down in Edmonds, just the work crew at the city's underwater park.

For 31 years, Bruce Higgins has anchored a fluid collection of volunteers, the type that shun meetings and "just get out there already." The team has sculpted a sandy patch of Puget Sound, once known for scuba fatalities, into an urban dive destination.

Today, two miles of roped routes scissor this 27-acre site next to the ferry terminal 15 miles north of Seattle. Financed entirely by the sale of $10 laminated maps and an annual underwater pumpkin-carving contest, the protected area at Brackett's Landing boasts more than 20 major features.

Artificial reefs incorporate tree trunks, sunken boats, tractor tires, a cash register, a pickup bed and part of a model of the Hood Canal Bridge. Small wonder officials last year renamed the park "the Bruce Higgins Underwater Trails." ...[seattlepi.com]