Ice Diving?

Gidds · Sep 8, 2005

I am aware that this would be more appropriate in the tech area but it didn't seem to fit there either and I figured I'd get better/more answers here.

What is so enthralling about diving under the ice?
Why do you dive under the ice?
Isn't it scary?
What special gear do ice divers use?

I'm just a highly inquisitive person, I don't especially have a desire to dive under the ice since I watched "Never Cry Wolf" far too many times as a small child and I think about it whenever I go ice fishing. When the ice booms I am the first person back on the shore or at the very least spread-eagled praying that the ice is not about to crack under me. I am aware that this is totally irrational since the booming means the lake is "making ice" but I can't help it. :blush:

I appreciate your honest, non-sarcastic answers

Wildcard · Sep 8, 2005

Some people see the Antartica footage of the awsome diving there and think it's like that everywhere. It's not.

Gidds · Sep 8, 2005

Actually I was thinking more about lakes. I assume diving in lakes is farmore common than diving in Antarctica

Xanthro · Sep 8, 2005

It depends on what you like. I've never dove under ice, but I can see the appeal, if certain ice formations are available.

The way light plays on the ice the structures formed are interesting. Same reason I enjoy caves out of the water.

Wildcard · Sep 8, 2005

In shear number of dives? I don't know, lots of dives are done there. Im still thinking about a job there just to dive. It just sucks to take a 2/3s pay cut to do it for six months.
Lakes are cold, dark and murkey so Im told. Never had any real desire to do it except for the PSD aspect.

spectrum · Sep 8, 2005

My instructor does a lot of training with the state police type rescue divers and and that seems to be the bulk of the specialty around here. I've asked if any groups do it recreationaly but can't fiind any active recreational ice divers.

The element of confinement and mystery is intriguing but I have a hard time justifying doing the specialty just to say been there done that got the Tee Shirt.

From what I have been told the gear is just good cold water exposure protection. It can be done wet for short durations but you wouldn't want to do it frequently that way. Of course a cold water capable regulator set is also needed. Most soild for New England diving are since cold really begins in the 40s F due to adiabatic cooling. Beyond that it's the safety lines, a pair of safety divers standing by, a tender for each diver down. And a chain saw and implements to create the hole in the ice. The divers usually rotate through the role as part of the training.

Pete

Vtdiver2 · Sep 8, 2005

Gidds:
I am aware that this would be more appropriate in the tech area but it didn't seem to fit there either and I figured I'd get better/more answers here.

What is so enthralling about diving under the ice?
Why do you dive under the ice?
Isn't it scary?
What special gear do ice divers use?

I'm just a highly inquisitive person, I don't especially have a desire to dive under the ice since I watched "Never Cry Wolf" far too many times as a small child and I think about it whenever I go ice fishing. When the ice booms I am the first person back on the shore or at the very least spread-eagled praying that the ice is not about to crack under me. I am aware that this is totally irrational since the booming means the lake is "making ice" but I can't help it. :blush:

I appreciate your honest, non-sarcastic answers

The dive shop I work at part time offers ice diving classes every winter. They have groups come in from all over the country to take the class every winter. Special equipment is needed, and so is special procedures. From what they tell me ( ice diving to me is that ice cold 'rita I drink after a day of diving) the thrill is the visibility. In Lake Champlain, average visibility is 10-30 ft during the summer months. During winter when the lake is frozen over, they say 100+ visibility isn't uncommon.
Chris

ScubaSarus · Sep 8, 2005

The water is very clear in the winter. Special gear is a drysuit with good under garments and most use dry gloves. Some also wear a Henderson Ice mask. The divers are joined together by a safety line held by a crew on the surface. Regulator freeflows are common. Its tough diving so its may be an adrenakin rush to some people. The St Lawrence seaway is were a lot of people acquire their ice diving certification $200. They usually use a chainsaw to cut into the ice.

Thats all I can remember from when my buddy went 2 years ago.

Are you thinking of ice diving. It is invigerating I hear

Gidds · Sep 8, 2005

Invigorating! There's that word again!

No I don't really want to get under the ice right now but my dive club does a New Year's Day dive that sounds pretty darn "invigorating", might try that.
If I could get in nasty 'ol Champlain and have 100' vis. that would probably take my mind off the cold and the fact that the water is gross. Wanna go hunt Champ w/ me Chris?

captndale · Sep 8, 2005

Gidds:
I am aware that this would be more appropriate in the tech area but it didn't seem to fit there either and I figured I'd get better/more answers here.

What is so enthralling about diving under the ice?
Why do you dive under the ice?
Isn't it scary?
What special gear do ice divers use?

I'm just a highly inquisitive person, I don't especially have a desire to dive under the ice since I watched "Never Cry Wolf" far too many times as a small child and I think about it whenever I go ice fishing. When the ice booms I am the first person back on the shore or at the very least spread-eagled praying that the ice is not about to crack under me. I am aware that this is totally irrational since the booming means the lake is "making ice" but I can't help it. :blush:

I appreciate your honest, non-sarcastic answers

To be perfectly honest, the main reason I dive through the ice is because the top layer freezes. It is either cut a hole through the ice or take a trip South. Not diving for two months is not an option.

One of the most unique dives that I ever made was on a New Year's Day dive a few years ago. The surface was just starting to freeze. The air and water temperatures were right at 32 deg F. We dove off of the North side of Solidarity drive which is a causway that extends out into Lake Michigan in Chicago. It runs from the Shed Aquarium to the Adler Planatarium. The North side of Solidarity drive forms the South wall of Monroe Harbor and is lined with large jagged rocks underwater. On this particular day the edges of these underwater rocks were covered in large flat ice crystals. They were perfectly flat and very thin, up to about 5 or 6 inches across. They looked a bit like the frost crystals that form on window panes in the winter, but they were growing from the edges or the rocks out into the water. It was a beautiful sight!

Ice Diving?

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