Cutting an Ice Entrance...Isosceles.Acute,or Obtuse

[horsediver1]

Jax I enjoyed the humor just making the post for those who flirt with Murphy's law. The issue was they were not associated with my team. The student panicked and with the adrenaline kicked in the instructor from a very qualified LDS went to get him. And the fight was on as is typical. Most multiple drownings (in these parts anyway) rescuer becomes victim also. My job was to retrieve victims of which I knew the instructor not the student. Keep in mind what would you do if you had a student panicking out of control? Over the years I've asked myself that question and still haven't come up with a definitive answer because I wasn't been there

Also if you have ever had a vehicle drive nearby an ice hole you would see a substantial wave action that ultimately could push a block back to the hole while a diver is down.

Ice diving when tempratures are ambient air of 20-30 degrees overnight the seams are strong enough to walk on and in a few days back to full strength.


My point with over two hundred recoveries and 4 resuscitations from cold water succesful these were the only two divers I've had to go recover. Simply stated why not do it the absolute safe way.

 

[Jax]

My point with over two hundred recoveries and 4 resuscitations from cold water succesful these were the only two divers I've had to go recover. Simply stated why not do it the absolute safe way.

Thanks! I forgot for a minute that the ice still IS an overhead environment, and thus unforgiving of the slightest mistakes. I salute those of you that do it, but highly doubt I'll even be around to watch it!

-- Warm weather wuss!

 

[hypertech]

2 comments. If the ice is thin enough to create a noticeable wave that can move a block, I'm too much of a chicken to drive on it so that won't happen to me

Second, there is no such thing as an absolutely safe way.

Regarding a difficult rescue, I have thought about it and I'll work till I'm exhausted to save someone but I won't make myself a second victim. In such a scenario, I'll leave you with the best chances I can and make sure I go home to my wife and kid.

 

[nelsonrl]

Ice diving...

Just say no.

I was in Bloomington earlier this week and just about froze my ears off just getting the frost off the windshield. Jumping in water after removing the ice block. Uh, no thanks. But kudos for those of you who do.

 

[hypertech]

Often, the water is warmer than the air. Its like a hot tub.

 

[shoredivr]

We do the "cut the blocks and haul them out to build an ice throne" method.

 

[Jimmer]

Often, the water is warmer than the air. Its like a hot tub.

All the ice dives I've done were definitely warmer under the ice than on top. The way we do them, we have a trailer setup with a couple of propane space heaters. The guys in drysuits would get out of the ice and take their time gearing down. The guys in wetsuits would be turbo stripped of all but the wetsuit and sent running to the trailer to change before the wetsuit would freeze.

...Good times...

 

[TCDiver1]

We do the "cut the blocks and haul them out to build an ice throne" method.

Got a suggestion for your next ice dive.

Get yourself some old 5 gallon drywall buckets, cut a hole in the bottom to run your lines through to anchor to the ice. Then you can pay your line in and out of the bucket. It keeps things neat, tidy and helps minimize tangling. It makes for nice line storage also.

 

[j yaeger]

what??? no one mentioned "rectangle"?????
gets lots of people in the pool and the more the merrier!!!!!