Hop through a hole in the ice, feel the chill of near-freezing water on your face, breathe deliberately, and explore the underwater world in a whole new way. To some, this sounds crazy; to others, ice diving seems like an adventure sport made just for them. Could ice diving be for you?
The Basics of Ice Diving
Just like it sounds, ice diving is the practice of diving beneath a solid layer of ice. It is considered to be one of the most dangerous forms of diving for a few reasons including extreme cold, the fact that there is only one small exit, and the fact that there are very small margins for error. Ice diving is defined in different ways by different agencies; NAUI and some others refer to it as a form of technical diving, while PADI is one of the main certifying agencies that refers to it as recreational diving.
Different ice diving courses focus on different skills, but in general, basics learned during ice diving training include the following:
- How to determine whether an area is suitable and safe for ice diving
- What different forms of ice tell you
- How to cut a triangular access hole in ice
- How to properly utilize ice diving equipment
- How to communicate with line tenders during ice diving
- How to exit the dive site safely
If you plan to ice dive, you’ll need more than specialized training; you will also need some special equipment, which can represent quite an investment. Indispensable equipment for ice diving includes the following, at minimum:
- A drysuit
- Dry gloves or very thick wetsuit gloves (7mm minimum)
- Two environmentally sealed regulators designed specifically for ice diving
- A secondary air supply such as a pony bottle
Ice diving requires much more in terms of preparation and focus than the average boat dive does; it also requires quite a bit of physical labor in many cases. Unless you’re diving with a company that does all the legwork for you, expect to spend some pre-dive time warming up your body by wielding a snow shovel to clear a large space on the ice, and plan to take turns with other divers; some remain at the surface to tend the line while others spend time underwater.
You’ll be most successful as an ice diver if you are in good physical condition, and if you have the ability to withstand stressful circumstances and come out smiling. The under-ice environment is completely unique, and though it is extremely beautiful, it is also very hazardous. If you tend to suffer from claustrophobia or vertigo, ice diving may not be a good match for you. If, on the other hand, you don’t mind freezing temperatures, love the idea of seeing for what can sometimes seem like miles in gin-clear, ice-cold water, and like the idea of expanding your scuba diving horizons, this type of diving may be the perfect match for your personality. If you think ice diving is for you, waste no time in contacting a dive shop that offers certification. The winter months might soon be included in your favorite times to dive.