BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – A University of Vermont doctoral student’s underwater adventures in Lake Champlain are gaining popularity on social media.
Despite cloudy skies and cold weather, Graham Montague suits up and wades into the waters of Lake Champlain to document what lies beneath the surface.
“I’ve been snorkeling forever. So, any body of water, I’m just super curious what’s in it,” Montague said.
After the natural resources PhD candidate was gifted a GoPro a few years ago, he began documenting his underwater escapades.
“I started making small little videos, not really thinking anyone’s going to watch it — just for my creative purposes,” Montague said.
He says it was a moment caught on camera — a beaver creeping into view and abruptly making a quick getaway — that led to his posts going from a few views to tens of thousands on Instagram and YouTube.
“People really have just been super nice, super generous. Just very kind (in) the comments,” Montague said.
He says now it’s all about sharing his love for what lurks in Vermont’s waters.
“People don’t appreciate what they don’t know. So, the more they know about it and the more it’s out there — the underwater world — and on video, the more I think people will appreciate the beauty of it,” Montague said.
In about a month, he’ll take a wintertime hiatus and dive back in next spring.
