Sue Austin, who has been a wheelchair user since 1996, has created an under water wheel chair with the help of some diving experts.

Finding a means of propulsion was initially difficult because most are hand held devises, and Ms. Austin does not have the strength to hold on to them.

Eventually she found a model that was made for divers with disabilities and added two of them to a wheelchair.

“When we started talking to people about it, engineers were saying it wouldn’t work, the wheelchair would go into a spin, it was not designed to go through water – but I was sure it would,” she told the BBC News.

She modified the heel plates so that they formed fins at the back and redrilled the rubber straps to attach her legs to the acrylic “wings” she needed to steer the vehicle.

There is one problem with the wheelchair however – the frame is beginning to rust; Ms Austin says that ideally the next model should be made from Titanium.

Click here to view on YouTube.

Read the complete sourse article from the BBC News here.

I have been back in the United States for two weeks, still recovering from my epic trip to Albania.

I am doing a final write up on my trip, but in the mean time, for those who are curious about my vacation, you can watch the video on my new YouTube Channel.

I arrived a half hour late from our usual meeting time of 8 AM; I had to find my core warmer – something I did not bring to Albania with me.

Of course, it was on my balcony, right where I left it a month ago.

Jordon and two newer regulars, Bob and Dennis, showed up – that is it.

No Reverend Al, no Nice Bob, no Chipper, no SCJoe… since Airforce Chris left, attendance has been down, knowing that there will be a shortage of beer.

All four of us entered off the Point.

The first thing I thought was, “Holy crap, I forgot how cold the water is here!”

Logged SCUBA Dive #420

Dove with Jordan, Bob and Dennis
Terranea Resort
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA USA

In With: 2800 psi
Out With: 500 psi
Max depth: 60 feet
Waves: Pretty flat with an occasional roller
Visibility: Up to 15 feet
Water Temperature: 56 degrees
Air Temperature: 72 degrees
Total Bottom Time: 40 minutes or so

We surface swam out and then descended “around where the pinnacle probably is.”

All over the place are these weird, transparent centipede like things.

I don’t know the name, but I have never seen them so abundant.

At 2000 psi, we headed to the cove.

Is this an albino nudibrach?

The plan was to stay deeper going back than usual; which made a more interesting dive than normal.

The problem was, I ran low on air around the half way mark and had to surface swim back.

I couldn’t take my fins off soon enough, and I ended up washing up on the rocky beach still trying to take the first one off.

I am getting worse at exits.

Professional Debriefer Paul brought some shish kabobs and potato chips.

It was a very small group today, but the diving was nice… and cold.