ice diving

[BodenseeDiver]

Ice Diving = see picture -11 degree C air and 4degree C water

 

[Crush]

By way of clarification, I am looking for manuals that deal with ice diving as an overhead environment - it seems that many of the contributors thus far have indicated just such manuals.

Thanks

 

[OldNSalty]

I don’t dive cold and if I lived in a location that had true winter I probably wouldn’t dive much but I have to admit I would love to go ice diving once. It looks awesome. Of course, I lack the training, experience, environment and equipment to do it so it will probably always stay on my wish list.

Good luck-I hope you find someone to teach you.

 

[ygthad]

You should do it.. You will have fun. it is different.

 

[memorex77]

Ice Diving = see picture -11 degree C air and 4degree C water

The picture looks like Parkhaus Post, been there myself around Jan 7. The air was a lot warmer then, -5°C

It is a fantastic wall!

 

[northen diver]

I'd like to get into ice diving and plan to take a course before I chop a hole in the ice and jump in. That being said, I would be interested in getting my hands on an ice diving manual to peer through sooner rather than later. The only ice diving course that I am aware of in my area is offered through PADI (they just seem to have a course for everything, don't they?), so I will likely end up with a PADI ice diving manual soon. If I wanted to round-out my knowledge, it would be useful to have an ice diving manual by someone other than PADI. Does anyone have any suggestions?

SEI (used to be YMCA) and Naui has ice diving manuals. If you get on the SEI web site and get Toms phone number, I believe that Tom will sell you one. Jim Lapenta I believe is now certified as an instructor also and he may be able to get you a book. The YMCA ice class that I had been invovled in has all been very well done. They will let you dive wet or dry. I was invovled in two of the SSI classes and they insisted on dry suits for the class. You may want to check with PADI and if you dont have a dry suit, they may not let you take the class.

 

[northen diver]

Excellent points - most seem to point to the necessity and closesness of the diving. I thoroughly understand that, as we have to drive five hours to dive.

The thought of immersing one's self in an environment where the water is so cold it burns your exposed skin . . . especially when your surface interval is in dang near the same environment . . . :shocked2: <shiver> :cold:

Yep, I'm a warm water wuss . . .

Our Great Lakes and local Quarries waters are around 35 degrees when iced over. The water is actually warmer than the air temp. You get cold when you get OUT of the water. I dove in a 7 mil wet suit under the ice for years and did 3-4 dives per day. As long as you have a warming station, it is rather easy to stay warm. It really isnt that bad.

 

[elan]

I'd like to get into ice diving and plan to take a course before I chop a hole in the ice and jump in. That being said, I would be interested in getting my hands on an ice diving manual to peer through sooner rather than later. The only ice diving course that I am aware of in my area is offered through PADI (they just seem to have a course for everything, don't they?), so I will likely end up with a PADI ice diving manual soon. If I wanted to round-out my knowledge, it would be useful to have an ice diving manual by someone other than PADI. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Just get yourself Ice Diving Operations book by Hendrick it will have answers for all aspects. That was one of the best value for the money diving manual I have ever read.

 

[paddler3d]

Seriously --- why would you want to do that!?!??!

And why wouldn't you?

Last year I saw a documentary about the Antarctic. They had a whole piece on the scientists diving under the ice. It was gorgeous! I was surprised.

If I had the money and right gear, I'd take the class in a heartbeat.

Anyway, diving in my local quarries isn't much warmer than what is under the ice. On my New Years Day dive, my computer showed 38degF at depth. What is 4degrees?

 

[elan]

I liked the IANTD approach better than the PADI approach. In the PADI system you'll be permanently attached to a line. In the IANTD system they treat the environment under the ice like a big cave and you "lay line" to get around. My profile shows a picture of me in the process of laying such a line using the world's biggest primary spool LOL.

The advantage of the IANTD approach is mobility. You can venture further afield and the guideline doesn't get in the way. The disadvantage is that *if* you lose track of the guideline you're in trouble. The course obviously discusses this contingency at some length and there are several methods for dealing with this contingency.

The advantage of the PADI system is exactly the opposite. In many ways the PADI approach is safer because you're always attached to a line being tended by someone on the surface. If you give an emergency signal then you'll be pulled out. The disadvantage to the PADI approach is mobility. The line is typically 50m long and that's it. You can't go any further. Also, in my experience the lines tend to be a bit of a PITA.

R..

tethering approach is not a PADI approach it's used by rescue operations.

While it's all personal opinion but honestly I would never understand people doing ice diving cave style in water bodies bigger than 5 mins of swimming across.

Imho it's way more complicated environment than a cave , you have very cold temperature which presents elevated risks of free flow, very limited by temperature underwater time, impaired dexterity and unlimited directions of traveling. The risk of line tearing off is also higher as the thin line exposed to constant freezing/melting and some abrasion with the ice wear out quicker.

Of cause it's up to the person to decide which risk he is willing to take