Views on ice diving?

[enzeddiver]

Teaching a class near Milwaukee in Mid Jan. Will be over two weekends, I go into surface ice rescue as well. Give a yell, class is filling up with dry AND wet suit divers. Cheers, Bill

 

[keyshunter]

Actually, I did it twice, but there was no twice option. The cold was not as bad as I thought it would be (I was MUCH younger then) but I found it rather boring.

 

[Gilldiver]

I used to do it at least 4 to 10 times in the winter to recover snowmobiles and ATV's that went through the ice. Many States have very nasty fines that grow per day that a machine is on the bottom.

But it is much to much like work - as it can be very hard work.

Other then that, do what floats your boat. But I find that most fresh water lakes and ponds in the North East are just not all that great.

But I would love a chance to do dives here:

Diving Under Antarctic Ice

 

[northen diver]

Things I wished I'd thought of sounds like some great photo opportunities! I've posted this pic before on SB but here's our solution to cold weather for the surface support. My wife was inside the tent with a catalyst heater and our saftey ropes tied around her waist. That was back in 1978.

Once the ice hits, I will take several vacation days and dive as much as I can while the ice last.

I have a trailer with a generator that is kept around 80 degrees, regardless of the outside temps. I used to ICE dive wet, but at 47 years of age, I am begining to feel the cold. My three buddies that ICE dives with me dives wet still.

We do upside down water skiing. Put your feet on the underside (no fins) of the ice and have two line tenders "run" with the teether line and it pulls the diver on the underside of the ice like a water skier.

 

[Chous]

Well, in my local area lakes covered by ice from late November to ealier April so i gave nothing to do than go ice diving.
My favorite place to dive is river Neva ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neva_River ), but in winter i'm afraid go dive 'cause of drift under ice.
In any other case ice diving is fun if you not breaking rules of special ice diving. (Use cold water regs. and cord between diver and man on the ground)

 

[AfterDark]

Once the ice hits, I will take several vacation days and dive as much as I can while the ice last.

I have a trailer with a generator that is kept around 80 degrees, regardless of the outside temps. I used to ICE dive wet, but at 47 years of age, I am begining to feel the cold. My three buddies that ICE dives with me dives wet still.

We do upside down water skiing. Put your feet on the underside (no fins) of the ice and have two line tenders "run" with the teether line and it pulls the diver on the underside of the ice like a water skier.

When are you guys going to attached that rope to a snowmobile and really ski!

 

[parrothead600]

It's awsome! Especially if you're in a wetsuit. One more thing to note; When you fill out your log book after the dive, It's easy to remember what the surface temperature was. (It can't get any colder than 32*F.

 

[DCBC]

Inspired by another thread, what best describes your views on ice diving?

Fantastic; especially if it involves exploring ice caves within an iceberg. It's like diving within a crystal city. Very cool!

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

Fantastic; especially if it involves exploring ice caves within an iceberg. It's like diving within a crystal city. Very cool!

See I think I could do that once. But I still think its nuts.

 

[northen diver]

When are you guys going to attached that rope to a snowmobile and really ski!

Knowing my luck, I would be pulled right out of the hole feet first and then I could say I ice skated on my head.