Ice Diving question

[cobaltbabe]

First off I am not going to go until I am trained but I have a question. I know that you need support above and should be on a line but if you are using a scooter is it also important to be on a line. I was looking at some pictures in the OFWF section and wanted to ask the question. Please do not think this is a slam on the people who did the dive. Just me searching for information. Mucho thanks in advance folks. :54:

 

[DS1]

Im one of the guilty diver

Yes there should be a line and there should be one to follow everytime your under the ice or penetrating any overhead

 

[cobaltbabe]

Im one of the guilty diver

Yes there should be a line and there should be one to follow everytime your under the ice or penetrating any overhead

I wasn't picking on you guys at all. What you do is your business, but curiousity got the best of me and I had to ask.

 

[Dive Source]

LOL - I wondered how long it would be until someone noticed the absence of lines etc. in those photos.

Very sharp Marie.

 

[cobaltbabe]

LOL - I wondered how long it would be until someone noticed the absence of lines etc. in those photos.

Very sharp Marie.

The pictures are wonderful though. Very clear. One of these days I will be there too.

 

[DS1]

LOL - I wondered how long it would be until someone noticed the absence of lines etc. in those photos.

Very sharp Marie.

Dont worry plenty of people noticed

Ill try to explain the situation again.... The Morrison qarry has good viz and no current at all... we drop in the water straight over the plane (25ft) and do skills and play around the plane there is no way of losing sight of the hole and until most of the people dive there they wont understand....Now if i were diving the St-Lawrence or somewhere i never dove i would for SURE run a line from the entry

 

[Gary D.]

But those times are rare.

Rule of thumb is "Under the ice be teathered with a stand-by diver".

ALWAYS? Nope. There will be times where you can be under the ice on your own. But you better know what your doing and vis better be like a Vodka on the rocks, without the olive.

At the poles for example your on your own but not many people dive them. I'm sure there are other areas where it's safe but they are few and far between.

It doesn't take much ice to prevent you from busting through it. A 1/4" of good ice could make a death chamber you can't escape.

We just finished two days of intense Ice Rescue Re-certification which we have to do every five years. We go through the training every year but we need the certifications both locally and nationally. It isn't for everyone but it is fun to do if your comfort level is there.

We rarely use DPV's under the ice unless we have a real large area to search. I've been 600' from the hole with a vis of less than 10'. That's a long way and you need total faith in your tenders and back-up diver. The area where I did that I know like the back of my hand. Problem is my hand is in a glove ;^)

Get trained and take your time. No need to rush it like we do.

Gary D.

 

[pufferfish]

Not everybody uses lines under the ice.

The US dive program at McMurdo station in the Antarctica use free-diving operations and the researchers are independent after check out.
The N.Z. program at the Scott base uses tethered divers and a diving officer with researchers at all times.
Both have stand-by divers.

Same waters, different approaches. The U.S. has been diving there since 1961 and N.Z. since 1970.

Viz though is about 200 feet and a support team always is on surface.