What is ice diving?

Written by Yuliia Kliusa
06/08/2023 09:20:21 en Training | 0 comments

Ice diving is an extreme adventure activity that attracts experienced divers looking for an exciting challenge. Unlike diving in warm, clean water, ice diving is a sport that requires a lot of skill and specialized equipment. In this article, we explore everything you need to know about ice diving.

What is ice diving?

Ice diving is a diving activity in which you submerge under the ice sheet of a body of water. This is usually done on lakes, ponds, or rivers that freeze completely in winter. Ice diving is one of the most extreme types of diving due to darkness, poor visibility, and the risk of being trapped under the ice.

preparation

Proper training is required before ice diving. Many dive schools offer ice diving courses, which generally require divers to have diving experience before enrolling. Courses cover advanced diving techniques, ice safety, and use of special equipment.

Professional team.

Ice diving requires special equipment to keep the diver safe and comfortable. Wetsuits, regulators, and cylinders are different from traditional scuba gear. Scuba regulators are specially designed to operate in extremely cold temperatures, and air tanks are designed to handle deeper water pressures. They also need a knife to cut the ice in an emergency. Divers must also use a safety line so they can find their way back to the ice cave. One of the biggest dangers of ice diving is hypothermia. The water under the ice can be very cold and prolonged exposure to ice can be fatal. Divers must wear special drysuits to keep dry and warm, as well as additional thermal clothing under the drysuit.

Security

Safety is a major concern in ice diving. Because divers are submerged under the ice, they can lose contact with the surface and become trapped. To prevent this, divers must be tethered to a safety line attached to a fixed point on the surface. It is also recommended that divers work in groups of at least two people so that they can help each other in an emergency.

Risk.

Although ice diving is an exciting and unique activity, it also carries some risks. Poor visibility, the possibility of being trapped under ice, and low water temperatures can make ice diving dangerous. To mitigate these risks, it is important to be well prepared and follow all recommended safety precautions.

Finally, ice diving is an exciting and challenging activity that attracts divers from all over the world. However, it is an activity that requires careful preparation, specialized equipment, and advanced diving skills.