I'll be taking the ice dive class over the next two weekends. Any suggestions from the experienced ice divers? Please feel free to comment on any in-water or surface related issues.
Thanks,
Mike
Thanks,
Mike
ice dive suggestions?
- Thread starter Paco
- Start date
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1. Stay calm, breath, and have fun.
2. Follow all instructions.
3. Bring along some snacks to share, like a big bag of small bit size chocolate bars, chocolate covered peanuts, trail mix etc. It will help keep you warm, as you will be using lots of energy just to stay warm.
Have fun.
2. Follow all instructions.
3. Bring along some snacks to share, like a big bag of small bit size chocolate bars, chocolate covered peanuts, trail mix etc. It will help keep you warm, as you will be using lots of energy just to stay warm.
Have fun.
Also, depending on your location, you might want to bring along a cheap plastic sled to haul your gear to the site. Much better than having to carry or wear your stuff all the way if it is a bit of a walk to get out there. Also beware of snow-mobilers. You might want to make sure you have some marker cones or something to mark off the area where your tether lines will be. The last thing you want is to have one of these snowmobilers cross your line. It may mean having your tether yanked at full speed, which would not be good.
Have hot pizza and Hot coffee, hot chocolate delivered to the dive site to arrive just after the diving is done.
DO NOT LET PEER PRESSURE PUSH YOU INTO SOMETHING YOU DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING!!!!
Take your time and LISTEN to what the instructors have to say and FOLLOW IT!
How much overhead diving have you done?
Ice diving is just like any other diving except you have to come out of the water in the same spot you went in
Take something warm to change into.
Have fun and don't get adicted.
Gary D.
Take your time and LISTEN to what the instructors have to say and FOLLOW IT!
How much overhead diving have you done?
Ice diving is just like any other diving except you have to come out of the water in the same spot you went in
Take something warm to change into.
Have fun and don't get adicted.
Gary D.
OP
Gary D.:DO NOT LET PEER PRESSURE PUSH YOU INTO SOMETHING YOU DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING!!!!
Take your time and LISTEN to what the instructors have to say and FOLLOW IT!
How much overhead diving have you done?
Ice diving is just like any other diving except you have to come out of the water in the same spot you went in
Take something warm to change into.
Have fun and don't get adicted.
Gary D.
I haven't done much overhead diving. I did the wreck diver specialty in Munising, Michigan last year (I've also done rescue and have over 220 dives). I'm not doing this because of peer pressure by any means and I'm not really nervous about the dive. I was just looking for helpful suggestions like the ones already mentioned.
You said to have something to change into. What about staying in my drysuit while line tending? Or do most change clothes completely?
weekender
Contributor
relax and have fun. dont forget to look up at the ice, i find that to be some of the best scenery on an ice dive. once i saw a crack rip over my head. that 1 second made the entire trip for me. as far as changing it depends how comfortable you are in a dry suit. i find it much more comfortable to take it half off, similiar to how most people wear it during a boat surface interval. then layer clothes as needed.
You would probably want to take off your drysuit, especially if it is really cold. Not that you'll be cold necessarily, but if your drysuit is wet and it's cold, it will freeze solid. And excessive movement in this state might cause some damage to your suit. It may not result in leakage to your suit right away, but it's something that can cause at least some weakness in the material which may lead to problems later on.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Paco:
What I ment by peer pressure is not now but at the dive site. There is nothing wrong with having your feet in the water ready to go and you decide not to. Just don't let someone push you into going if you don't feel ready.
It is a ball and an enjoyable type of diving. If the ice is good and clear have someone walk above you as you try to match them step for step (w/o fins on). Kinda like walking on a mirror.
I know a lot of people do it but we have a hard set rule, one of the few that is set in stone. If your in a dry suit it is either ALL the way on or ALL the way off.
To see why, make sure you have someone there to help you. Unzip the suit and get into the SHALLOW end of the pool and see what happens. Try it again with the suit half on/off. Thats why it's either on or off.
The problems get compounded if you have ankle weights on or a leg knife, etc..
Our other hard set rule is, if your on the ice as a tender or observer, anyone other than divers, have a PFD on. What appears to be good solid ice can give way or you could slip or trip into the hole. Then a fun day turns into a not so fun rescue.
Having something to chang into is a personal choice. If you are 100% sure that you suit has not or never will leak then don't take anything. Personally I take something. The suit might be wet inside from condensation and wet is wet nomatter where it comes from. Better safe than sorry.
Some people want two+ of everything on a dive but don't think about what goes on when their on the surface.
Have fun
Gary D.
OP
Thanks all. The advice about the ds freezing and causing future damage is one I hadn't thought of. I thank everyone for all the tidbits. You guys and this board are great!
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