ROV Pilot LaRae Davies

From hunting for buried treasure to searching around subsea structures, LaRae Davies has an adventurous career.

Since the 1850’s, treasure hunters from around the world have sought out the 140-acre, tree covered Oak Island on the south shore of Nova Scotia. The greatest treasures of all time are rumored to be hidden somewhere on or around the island, including Marie Antoinette‘s jewels and Shakespearean manuscripts.

Yet, after every attempt for almost 200 years, treasure hunters have left empty-handed. Many believe the area to be cursed since several people have died trying to strike it rich on the island

A few years ago, two brothers from Michigan, Rick and Marty Lagina, bought rights to Oak Island to solve the mystery. The History Channel follows these two brothers in the show, The Curse of Oak Island, showcasing how they use modern technology to search for the hidden treasure both on land and in the water. To assist in their search, the brothers hired a remote-operated vehicle (ROV), which is an unmanned submarine.

From the surface, the ROV pilots operated the sub into a 230-foot deep shaft to look for treasure. On board the ROV team, Pilot LaRae Davies, steered the ROV down the cavern.

Unfortunately, the treasure hunt with the ROV was unsuccessful, but this was just one adventure among many for LaRae, who operates ROV’s primarily offshore in the oilfields on the east coast of Canada.

LaRae grew up in Cole Harbour, a suburban community near Halifax, Nova Scotia. As a child, she enjoyed hearing stories of the heroic mariners in her family. From divers to merchant mariners, LaRae’s family has a rich history of working on the water. LaRae proudly boasts, “I was born with salt in my veins and sand in my hair!”

At the age of 16, LaRae found work in the Bedford Basin, a large enclosed bay at northwestern end of Halifax Harbour. Summers were spent needle gunning, grinding, and painting barges. Before long, she was a deckhand on a tugboat that maneuvered with large ships in and out of the bay.

Intrigued by technology, LaRae was driven to work with ROV’s. As an ROV pilot, LaRae is responsible for steering the submarine to complete various tasks on subsea structures. She also completes repairs and modifications to the ROV, both hydraulic and mechanical. When she is not offshore in the oilfields of eastern Canada, LaRae works in Halifax Harbor, where she often operates her ROV alongside divers to complete inspections of the area.

For over a decade, LaRae has found her way in the industry through perseverance and handwork. It is easy to tell that her pride for the maritime industry in Canada is strong. As LaRae looks at her career offshore long-term, she cannot wait for all of the adventures that lay ahead. Perhaps one day, she might even find some buried treasure.