How significant were the submarine dives in 1988 and 1989 to the Crater Lake Program?
When I was starting out as an interpreter, standing at the top of Cleetwood Cove, more than once people would ask about Jacques Cousteau and a submarine on Crater Lake. I would just laugh. I couldn’t believe that anyone could even speculate that there would be a submarine in Crater Lake. This is ridiculous. How would it get down there? Can you imagine the cost? How would you get a hold of Jacques to get him to come here? I didn’t see it ever happening. It wasn’t very many years later that I turned around and there was a helicopter with a submarine hanging from its belly headed for the park. I don’t know exactly how I found out, but as soon as I realized that there was this submarine program happening in 1988, I called the park and asked if there was a chance that I could work for them again and help out. They needed all the help they could get. They said, “Don’t even ask twice, you’re on.” I went back in 1988 and started again.
I can just imagine Mark Buktenica and his seasonals working in the lab. It’s not something Mark likes to do. If you are not thinking about the chemistry that is happening at the time that you are doing it, it’s pretty dull. I enjoy it, because I realize what this means. I really enjoy watching all the numbers as they come out of these devices we use up there. For two years (1986-87) they didn’t have me. I returned in 1988 because I could run the boats, the tractor, the lab and they didn’t have to worry about it. I could handle a lot of the background work. The 1989 season was exactly the same thing. I also didn’t need housing since I brought my own trailer up to the park.
How significant were the submarine dives in 1988 and 1989 to the Crater Lake Program?
When I was starting out as an interpreter, standing at the top of Cleetwood Cove, more than once people would ask about Jacques Cousteau and a submarine on Crater Lake. I would just laugh. I couldn’t believe that anyone could even speculate that there would be a submarine in Crater Lake. This is ridiculous. How would it get down there? Can you imagine the cost? How would you get a hold of Jacques to get him to come here? I didn’t see it ever happening. It wasn’t very many years later that I turned around and there was a helicopter with a submarine hanging from its belly headed for the park. I don’t know exactly how I found out, but as soon as I realized that there was this submarine program happening in 1988, I called the park and asked if there was a chance that I could work for them again and help out. They needed all the help they could get. They said, “Don’t even ask twice, you’re on.” I went back in 1988 and started again.
