ice diving

[elan]

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

Where is the ice ?

 

[Sloth]

I am surprised at how ice diving is viewed as recreational diving. Why is ice diving not viewed as technical diving? Is it treated like a cavern dive? Are there rules in place to limit the distance you are allowed to get away from the hole in the ice making it recreational? Is the control and awareness in technical diving not needed for ice diving? Is a redundant gas supply optional like in cavern diving?

I am totally ignorant of ice diving but from the outside looking in it looks like technical diving all the way to me.

 

[northen diver]

I am surprised at how ice diving is viewed as recreational diving. Why is ice diving not viewed as technical diving? Is it treated like a cavern dive? Are there rules in place to limit the distance you are allowed to get away from the hole in the ice making it recreational? Is the control and awarnes in techincal diving not needed for ice diving? Is a redundant gas supply optional like in cavern diving?

I am totally ignorant of ice diving but from the outside looking in it looks like technical diving all the way to me.

Yes, Yes and Yes.......

 

[Sloth]

Yes, Yes and Yes.......

Hehe, thanks I guess I should look more closely at what is taught before making judgments

 

[elan]

I am surprised at how ice diving is viewed as recreational diving. Why is ice diving not viewed as technical diving? Is it treated like a cavern dive? Are there rules in place to limit the distance you are allowed to get away from the hole in the ice making it recreational? Is the control and awareness in technical diving not needed for ice diving? Is a redundant gas supply optional like in cavern diving?

I am totally ignorant of ice diving but from the outside looking in it looks like technical diving all the way to me.

In tethered diving the distance is limited. the depth is also supposed to be limited but many still try to go deeper. though dept is not the goal and usually it is suggested to stay in the upper 30ft.

In case of emergency you can be pulled out fairly quickly. Many instructors mandate redundant source but many do not. In case of free flow you can still breath out of your primary for quite some time. Awareness is a good thing to have though your main buddy is standing on the surface

As it was mentioned above some use cave approach which is totally different animal.

 

[Rocketmahn]

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.

The line that we will use is about 3/8"-1/2" thick and floats.
It's like water ski rope! It can be used to pull a diver out of the water.
It's not the thin cave reel stuff.

It is placed on top of the ice in a serpentine fashion and payed out or pulled in by a surface line tender as the diver swims around.

Also, out of necessity Ice diving is a social event!

For two of us divers in the class we need a supporting cast of thousands! (Just seems like it!)

There will be two students and one instructor in the water. (3 divers)
We each have our own line tender standing in the slop on the surface. (3 Tenders).
There has to a Safety diver suited up and ready to jump in and he has a tender. (another diver and another tender).
And a dive BOSS who oversees the divers, tenders, etc...

Lets see - 3 diver's and 6 support people!

 

[northen diver]

The line that we will use is about 3/8"-1/2" thick and floats.
It's like water ski rope! It can be used to pull a diver out of the water.
It's not the thin cave reel stuff.

It is placed on top of the ice in a serpentine fashion and payed out or pulled in by a surface line tender as the diver swims around.

Also, out of necessity Ice diving is a social event!

For two of us divers in the class we need a supporting cast of thousands! (Just seems like it!)

There will be two students and one instructor in the water. (3 divers)
We each have our own line tender standing in the slop on the surface. (3 Tenders).
There has to a Safety diver suited up and ready to jump in and he has a tender. (another diver and another tender).
And a dive BOSS who oversees the divers, tenders, etc...

Lets see - 3 diver's and 6 support people!

polyproplene rope 3/8" or thicker. Put the rope in a tupperware on plastic pale so that it isnt stepped on or freezes to the ice. If you use a rope materail that gets water logged and sinks, you'll have a mess on your hands managing the rope. Use a rope that floats. One rope per two divers. Use two 6 foot "tails" that connect via a caribiner to the main rope. (look in my photos on my profile page and I have it laid out on what it looks like). This way, one rope tender for two divers and less rope to manage and less surface support. We just dive in teams of three. Tender and two divers. If more people comes, we switch out in a warming station or cut another hole for another team.

 

[OldNSalty]

So how much training would be required to make an ice dive safely? Lets say I, an experienced diver but one who has never been in the cold, wanted to do this. Is this something I could accomplish in a week while on vacation somewhere cold or would I have to schedule several trips up north over the course of a year to get up to speed?

 

[elan]

So how much training would be required to make an ice dive safely? Lets say I, an experienced diver but one who has never been in the cold, wanted to do this. Is this something I could accomplish in a week while on vacation somewhere cold or would I have to schedule several trips up north over the course of a year to get up to speed?

You should be fine in a week. The biggest problem for you if you have not done cold water would probably be decreased dexterity.

 

[northen diver]

So how much training would be required to make an ice dive safely? Lets say I, an experienced diver but one who has never been in the cold, wanted to do this. Is this something I could accomplish in a week while on vacation somewhere cold or would I have to schedule several trips up north over the course of a year to get up to speed?

Most classes are two days long. Class on thermo protection, some pool time with black mask excercises, rope tending, free flows and yes buddy breathing. Then Sunday we did at least two dives.