If challenging, unusual, or extreme adventures appeal to you, consider becoming an ice diver. Only ice divers get the opportunity to visit the silent, mysterious world that awaits beneath winter’s glassy surface, and only ice divers can visit the world’s most extreme environments – Antarctica and the Arctic. Ice diving courses are required, but they vary from one certifying agency to the next. Here’s a basic comparison to help you begin your journey.
PADI Ice Diver - Scuba Diving Courses
The PADI Ice Diver course is for PADI Advanced Open Water divers, the equivalent, or above, 18 years old or older, who want to learn what it’s like beneath the ice. The course begins by exploring the roles and responsibilities of everyone on an ice diving team, ranging from support personnel to safety divers. Types of ice are discussed, along with site selection, equipment preparation, and emergency procedures. Three supervised ice dives bring the course to its conclusion. During these dives, you will practice the following:
- How to use ice diving equipment including safety lines
- How to communicate with line signals
- How to tend the safety line
- How to secure safety lines
- How to handle common ice diving problems
- Safety diver procedures
- Altitude diving procedures if appropriate
PADI views ice diving as a form of recreational diving, while many other agencies view the activity as technical diving.
NAUI Ice Diver - Scuba Diving Courses
The NAUI Ice Diver course is for NAUI Advanced Scuba Divers, the equivalent, or above, 18 years of age or older. The course provides divers with the basic understanding and skills required to minimize risk while gaining ice diving experience. Fresh water diving is discussed, along with gas management, personnel requirements, and risk management for diving in overhead environments. In addition, you’ll learn the following, both during classroom training and dives:
- How to use ice diving equipment and safety lines
- First aid procedures for frostbite and hypothermia
- Surface support and line communication techniques
- Limited visibility diving
- Altitude diving procedures if appropriate
BSAC Ice Diver - Scuba Diving Courses
BSAC offers ice diver training in a two-day course designed for Sports Divers with 10 or more dives logged, or the equivalent from another agency. In addition, participants must have experience in cold water diving. During this course, you will spend time in-classroom as well as on site diving, and you will learn the following skills:
- Physical effects of cold
- Practical ice diving techniques
- How to use ice diving equipment
- Basic rescue skills and procedures
BSAC limits training to regional events, although some BSAC clubs and commercial BSAC centers offer ice diver training.
CMAS Ice Diver - Scuba Diving Courses
CMAS considers its Ice Diver course to be an addition to the CMAS 2 divers, making this an advanced level specialty course. Participants must be 20 or older, have 50 or more logged dives, and pass an assessment test if requested. Many of the skills and techniques covered in this course are similar to those required for cavern diving, and equipment, safety requirements, and prerequisites are largely adapted from those found in the CMAS Standards for Cavern and Cave Diving regulations. During CMAS Ice Diver training, participants learn the following:
- Equipment setup and configuration
- Self-rescue
- Practical diving skills
Prerequisites for CMAS Ice Diver certification may vary from one instructor to the next; for example, you may need to be nitrox certified, dry suit certified, night diver certified, and navigation certified.
Ice diver courses vary quite a bit from one agency to the next, so it’s important to do your homework when deciding which ice diver course is best for you in the event you have access to training from more than one agency. Whether you participate in local training or take part in a course offered in another location, you are certain to come away with a whole new appreciation for the underwater world.