When are you a Diver?

[Panama Jones]

I thought this would be a good question. A short time ago, I am having dinner with a couple from Yellowknife NWT and we get on the topic of diving. My friends are telling me that their son and a friend (both 17) just became certified in the tropics and are looking forward to diving in Great Slave Lake this summer (BTW I'm from Yellowknife). So I ask them..."these two kids have four OW cert dives in warm water and they plan on diving (just the two of them) Great Slave Lake in in the top 10 largest deepest lakes on the planet and would be considered a super cold water dive (anywhere in the lake regardlss of depth)".

As best as I could I tried to explain the difference between the resort dives that certified them and the dives they would be doing.

I have now over 50 dives and am just beginning to feel confortable diving with someone of equal experience as me in more controlled situations.

Getting to the question...am I the chicken here or being overly cautious or... should these parents raise this as a concern with the kids. I alos undertand that there is not much of a dive community in Yellowknife and the city is probale not equipped for dive emergencies though not sure. In other words, these kids are "the" dive team.

 

[Wineaux]

At the very least their fist dive should be a "discover local diving" type led dive with someone familiar with the environment. If I was the parents I'd want all of their dives to be DM (hopefully someone who came with recommendations) led and give the DM the options to call their dives if s/he felt they weren't up to the environment.

 

[TMHeimer]

Depth may be a concern, as I assume even in summer there could be a nasty thermocline. I've done a lot of swimming in N. Manitoba lakes. They tend to vary in surface temperature greatly according the air temp. of the past few days. I would assume very shallow depths on Great Slave would be similar. Also, of course, it can be every bit as dangerous as the open ocean should one of those squals magically appear. I would doubt there is much to see other than rocks, mud and possibly some huge Jackfish. Northern lakes (aside from Clearwater at The Pas, which is stream fed) are very dark as well.

 

[freewillie]

You are a diver anytime you put on scuba gear and get in the water.

But, whether or not you are qualified to dive for the conditions at hand? That's another question.

Warm water tropical training with great visibility and no exposure gear is really really different than shore diving in cold water limited visibility in full exposure gear. I would have serious concerns that they young divers are not experienced enough for the conditions they want to dive. A hired DM might be a good compromise but I would not let them dive on their own.

 

[rhwestfall]

I don't like the sound of this.....

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I don't think you're being overly cautious at all ... I suspect your young friends haven't really much of a clue what they're getting themselves into.

Diving a cold lake is nothing like diving a tropical reef.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[tstormdiver]

A lot of people have no clue as to what cold water diving is. People forget, you lose body heat about 25 times faster in water than in air, even faster in colder water. Thick 7mm suits (at a minimum), 20- 35 lbs of weight to sink the neoprene, confining hoods, gloves that restrict dexterity, posibility of regulator freeze- ups & freeflows,... the list goes on. Although cold water can be dove in, there are additional risks. I fully agree with the others that the teens should do some supervised dives in the environment before going off on their own.

 

[Panama Jones]

From what I understand, even though the lake is about 120 miles north to south and about 300miles east to west and over 2000feet deep, there is absolutely nothing to see. No wonder I can't seem to find anything much online about diving Great Slave Lake.

My guess for all it's worth is that since Yellowknife doesn't have much of a dive community, they would be limited in finding out what they really needed to know about cold water dives (proper exposure suit etc.). They would probably give it a try with good intentions but last about 5 minutes and give it up. Shore dives around Yellowknife are not really shore dives in most accessible places because Yellowkinfe in on rock and once you are in the water you are over your head.

 

[pjhansman]

I spent 7 glorious years in Yellowknife, and while the water is clear, there ain't much to see and it is definately cold!

However, there are some smaller, shallower and slightly warmer lakes in the vicinity (Long Lake or Prelude) that have nice beach entries. Hopefully they try these before the big lake. Might shock them into reality.

 

[spectrum]

They have a definite need of a cold water orientation preferably including a skills review in local conditions.

That being said in fresh summertime water they have the option of making early dives above the thermocline and easing their way into cold water diving so their first forray need not be into the deep dark fidgid depths. At least that's the case here in Maine from sometime in June into September.

It's sometimes an awkward discussion to not deflate the egos of warm water divers when they broach coming ome to dive. Some guidance and a little mentoring can go a long ways here. Easing them into becoming active local divers is a high calling.

Pete