Who would have guessed? Patricia Lake in Jasper National Park, AB is home to the remains of the Habbakuk. See what very few scuba divers have ever seen with their own eyes, while expedition lake diving to this fairly remote location.
About the Habbakuk:
A Second World War project in Alberta to build an aircraft carrier out of a mixture of wood pulp and ice (known as pykrete) never saw action. The idea was to use it against German U-boats on the Atlantic. While it had initial support from British war-time Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Lord Mountbatten, it was soon found to be impractical.
The original plan was to construct a large model at Canada’s Jasper National Park. It was to test insulation and refrigeration processes It was also to be a test of pykrete’s ability to withstand artillery and explosives. The National Research Council of Canada was chosen to quarterback the project because of the northern nation’s knowledge of ice physics.
The researchers cut large blocks of ice at Lake Louise. An 18-by 9-metre prototype was built in Alberta and weighed 1,000 tons. But the project’s fate was sealed.
Use of video given to the Alberta Underwater Council courtesy by John McCuaig, Edmonton, Alberta.
