Just completed Ice Diving certification this weekend

[shoredivr]

we had 8 inches of ice in mid January at Lake Simcoe, Ontario.....the best part for me was looking up at the pressure ridges in the ice (light pressure ridges, dark ice) and the exhaled bubbles from our regs......magic

 

[hudson]

Great report!

<removes Ice Diving from list of potential classes>

I always disliked the idea of donating from the pony or handing off the pony. Tried donating from the pony once with a 40" hose and it didn't feel right since the tank was being yanked around and the hose routing wasn't comfortable... And handing one off to an OOA beginner is just a bad idea. Long hose primary works much better.

 

[JWard]

We have another on at the end of the month at Haigh Feb. 28, if you want to stop out and get under the ice again...the viz is usually about 75ft there, makes it alot more fun

I'd LOVE to do that, but my son is in Scouts and has a conflict on the 28th. We have a Pinewood derby race on the 21st so I'll miss OWU too!

 

[HowDidIGetIntoThis?]

I really appreciate your detailed write-up. It helped confirm my earlier suspicion that this is not one of the scuba options that I want to pursue as a priority. Far too much work for too little reward. Chacun à son goût.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

I'd LOVE to do that, but my son is in Scouts and has a conflict on the 28th. We have a Pinewood derby race on the 21st so I'll miss OWU too!

I used to LOVE pinewood derby!!! Ahhhh the memories

Goodluck with the races, and if something changes, let us know

 

[djb_1965]

Chalk me up as one of the ones ice certified in wetsuit. One of the amazing things is inverting against the ice and skiing upside down....I am older and just a little bit smarter now...unless you ask the wife, so I go dry. If you get the chance I think it is a great course, it teaches you to trust your equipment and your tender, plus it shows the warm water divers that you really are nuts.

 

[dave4868]

Thanks for the very interesting report!

I was surprised that so few divers found the sailboat.

Why do you suppose more didn't find it? Not their goal?

Sounds like you had a great experience!

Dave C

 

[J.R.]

Nice post J... sorry you couldn't make this weekend's dive... ice diving in 65 deg weather... wierd. We all bailed around 2:30... the ice was starting to get thinner than we found comfortable and everybody got their dives in... and the vis made Strode look like you could see forever... ;-)

 

[JWard]

Thanks for the very interesting report!

I was surprised that so few divers found the sailboat.

Why do you suppose more didn't find it? Not their goal?

Sounds like you had a great experience!

Dave C

Task loading and anxiety. By the end of the weekend everyone was comfortable with the diving and could navigate where they wanted to with ease.

 

[JWard]

Nice post J... sorry you couldn't make this weekend's dive... ice diving in 65 deg weather... wierd. We all bailed around 2:30... the ice was starting to get thinner than we found comfortable and everybody got their dives in... and the vis made Strode look like you could see forever... ;-)

I was very, very close to going. I had a sales dinner to go to tonight in Bloomington at 5:30 adn didn't know if I could do both in a day. Leaving at 2:30 I *might* have made it, but probably would have been cold and tired all night.

Where did you guys go? How was it?