A friend was telling me at a party last Saturday about a current bridge project in Portland, OR. While sinking the piers, they hit a steel pile from the existing adjacent bridge. They had to send divers down about 150 feet to torch out the existing pile. Pitch black, working by feel, cold, bulky and stiff heated diving suits, very limited work time, cramped work space. It is amazing what people do for a living. It is so good America still has such can-do people. Talk about unsung heroes! Think of those guys every time you cross a bridge.
One of my roommates at NAB Coronado was an underwater welder. Kind of interesting conversations between him and I (Cryptologic Technician, Technical) about our respective duties.