Anyone ever solo under ice?

[spectrum]

So my question is, how many people do you get to have in support before it is no longer solo diving? In ice diving, isn't the person tending the rope, just as much of a buddy as someone with you in the water? Perhaps more so, since they are there for your benefit only? (never ice dived and know little about it, so not sure of all the SOP, but I seem to recall the tended rope is standard every time)

There are divers who do ice just as caves or wrecks are done. They enter the water from shore or a hole and run a line from a spool. Swim out, swim back and so forth. This is very different than the typical class setting where the diver is in a dedicated harness and connected to a surface tender by a significant rope. In our class 3 divers went in at once and we were tethered together and a single rope went back.

In addition to the tender a safety diver was prepared to enter in short order. This diver has a somewhat longer rope so (s)he can sweep a wider radius and locate a diver that somehow got separated or incapacitated. One strategy if you become separated is to go up to the bottom of the ice where your air will last the longest and wait. By not wandering away the safety diver rope sweep will find you. As this thread demonstrates ice diving is done under many protocols with varying levels of safety.

As to your solo diving question no amount of surface support equates to a good buddy at your side if something really goes wrong. A minor entanglement could render the tender unable to pull you back. Ice diving is a technical endeavor and one would hope that a buddy has good situational awareness and skills. Such a diver should be a cut or 2 above the basic scatter brained insta-buddy.

Pete

 

[MitchFtLaud]

Pete, thanks for the additional information. Sounds like the particulars could take many a beer to work through in detail. I had more of an idea of the rope tender as someone watching you dive, ready to reel you in, first sign of trouble, much the way I understand how a public safety diver works. I'm guessing that is far from the norm.

 

[spectrum]

Pete, thanks for the additional information. Sounds like the particulars could take many a beer to work through in detail. I had more of an idea of the rope tender as someone watching you dive, ready to reel you in, first sign of trouble, much the way I understand how a public safety diver works. I'm guessing that is far from the norm.

In addition to the rope tended paying out and retrieving line that person is in regular contact with the tethered dive. Something like 2 good pulls from the diver every 2 minutes meaning OK.

If the diver goes "quiet" the tender tugs. If there's no response the diver gets yanked. The angle of the pull can result in a forceful ascent and a ride along the bottom of the ice.

If the rope is found disconnected or entangled the safety diver heads in.

Pete

 

[VooDooGasMan]

I would say I have done around 100 solo underwater ice dives, give or take. Most are through a hole cut out with chainsaw. there was open water where i would end up to salvage, snowmobiles, cars, tractors and bobcats clearing the ice. You will come up with alot of ways to be able to make it back, and they are time consuming. The ice makes noise that is not a comfotable setting when your in a no vis area, or you mucked the area.


The only thing for safety you need is roadflares, and a hand crank drill, a really long snorkel. You can cut a whole with the flares to get out, if that does not work, PLAN B, drill a hole through the ice and put your snorkel through and yell for help, to keep you youself calm, ask yourself why in the hell did you put yourself in this position. Cause obviously your ice training came from scubaboard.


Happy Diving

 

[mbalmr]

"The only thing for safety you need is roadflares, and a hand crank drill, a really long snorkel. "

 

[AfterDark]

Now come on AfterDark Your gona be up for a DARWIN AWARD Tying ropes around your girlfriends waist while she sips brandy in a makeshift tent! :shocked2:

That was long ago. I haven't done a ice dive in almost 2 decades Darwin missed his chance several times. I scoff at Darwin!

 

[Jax]

This thread has been a mountain of information! Thank you!


On the other hand, you have to use a chainsaw to cut a hole in ICE and a tender and tether and safety diver to put your butt into freezing cold water . . . . y'all know you are nucking futs, right?

 

[MitchFtLaud]

I'm picturing a tank sticker now "Darwin is my dive buddy"

Certainly no shortage of guts around here.

 

[porgyhunter]

Jax Look at all these CREATIONIST coming out of the woodwork Now you know theres a GOD!!!!!!!!1 How eles would you explain our survival

 

[ScubaSteve]

"Darwin is my dive buddy"

I wonder if that would be considered DIR??? Just kidding. I think I could see myself wearing that......