Iceberg Snorkeling

Hi all,

I just got off a 10 day live-aboard dive trip from Vancouver to Juneau on the Nautilus Explorer. The diving and photo ops on this trip were just amazing. I took over 3500 frames. You name it, we saw it: wrecks, stellar sea lions, glaciers, icebergs, bubble net feeding, breaching humpbacks, Orca, hot springs, salmon springs, bald eagles, bears. The list goes on and on. I have to share one photo of me snorkeling around the icebergs that calved off of the LeConte glacier. Thank goodness for drysuits. (Click on the image for more details)

From some not understood reason you looks happy there

What about more frames from there?

Yes Steve! we want to see more!

I experienced shrinkage just looking at that picture.

Luke

Please I don't want to be the person who says it looks 'cool'.

Would love to see some more images when you get them together though Steve.

Paul C

Steve, is that a dry hood and gloves? Cause, if not... Damn! Still, a trip of a life time! Lets see a few more after you have time to recover.

Sorry to be such a tease, but I took over 3500 frames! It is going to take a while to go through them. Also we are still in Juneau, and our vacation isn't over yet. We are going dog sledding on the Mendenhall Glacier this morning and hiking on Mt. Roberts this afternoon. I will post more images when things slow down.

As far as the water temp is concerned, I didn't have my dive computer with me. It was certainly close to freezing, but might actually have been below 0C (32F) since it was seawater, but whatever it was, I wasn't cold at all. I had my drysuit puffed up a lot and was having way too much fun to think about it. In fact, I have never seen a group of adults giggle so much. I was wearing my drysuit, drygloves, but a 12mm wet hood.

When we were diving away from the glacier, the water temp was a pretty constant 45F. I was fine for 40-60 minute dives.

Steve I've been looking into that trip. I NEED details and PICTURES.

I'll post some glacier hopping images from an earlier trip! It was some of the most fun I've had.

(this is not me)

WOW, gotta go. How about organizing a repeat??

Outstanding!

We head to Port Hardy for some of that 48 degree water diving in 2 weeks and can't wait. Looks like you had a great time.

Cheers

Todd

(this is not me)

Are you sure ? the resemblance is uncanny ... and who else would jump into polar water mostly naked !

WOW, gotta go. How about organizing a repeat??

Wetpixel has two charters in 2011. Stay tuned for details.

Nice! Can't wait to see the rest of the images.

BTW can't resist linking to an image from the Nautilus Explorer website. This was from our 2002 trip. Somewhere I have video of this though it isn't great as the camera was still in the housing.

Clinton

Here are a few more from our trip. Click on the images for more details.

Hi all,

 

I just got off a 10 day live-aboard dive trip from Vancouver to Juneau on the Nautilus Explorer. The diving and photo ops on this trip were just amazing. I took over 3500 frames. You name it, we saw it: wrecks, stellar sea lions, glaciers, icebergs, bubble net feeding, breaching humpbacks, Orca, hot springs, salmon springs, bald eagles, bears. The list goes on and on. I have to share one photo of me snorkeling around the icebergs that calved off of the LeConte glacier. Thank goodness for drysuits. (Click on the image for more details)

 

... And I complain when water temp is less than 26C...

The camera worked just fine in the cold water. Some people complained that the batteries didn't last long, but I charged mine once a day (two dives per charge) and didn't have any problem. I did take care to open the strobes slowly since they have a sliding seal and the grease was noticeably more viscous. Here is one more from our outing with the icebergs. Click on the image for more details.

Wow, that is a great picture Steve.

Paul C

Hey Steve,

Great pics! Excellent. last one is awesome.

more please!!

cheers,

Awesome Pic Steve!!! WOW! As far as polar snorkling/diving/swimming you guys can have it.....