In the mid-1970s, Jerry Wannop designed and built the Mantaray 1, a custom two-person submersible. Though his grandson, Danny Plonka, notes that the craft only underwent a few test runs—and its ballast system was never fully refined—Wannop often fondly recalled navigating the sub to the bottom of Burlington Bay and back.
Following Wannop’s passing, his family decided to honor his legacy by donating the vessel to the scuba park at Gulliver’s Lake in Hamilton, Ontario, making it a permanent attraction for the local diving community.
The relocation effort was spearheaded by Plonka alongside Brad Snyder, owner of the “Float and Flag” dive shop in Burlington. Snyder enthusiastically backed the vision, coordinating directly with the management at Gulliver’s Lake to secure permissions and organize the logistics. On the day of the submersion, Snyder, accompanied by shop team members Chris and Dave, successfully placed the Mantaray 1 in its new underwater home.
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