Looking at the Ice entries in POTW

all I have to say is...you guys are crazy. How do you even work the buttons with those big gloves on? And don't the buttons freeze? Not to mention your face. I did a DUI test dive in a quarry in 48 degree water and I could barely stand to put my face in the water to put on my fins. Even though it sure looks beautiful and I would love to experience it...I'm afraid I just don't have the right stuff.

Kudos to all of you intrepid souls.

now you know why some of us move to the tropics.. 48?! brrrrrrr

Yes...I had a good long laugh at the guy standing upside down on the ice. I guess there's real men....and then there are the rest of us WWW's.

no Gary...

its smart people and not so smart people..

all I have to say is...you guys are crazy. How do you even work the buttons with those big gloves on? And don't the buttons freeze? Not to mention your face. I did a DUI test dive in a quarry in 48 degree water and I could barely stand to put my face in the water to put on my fins. Even though it sure looks beautiful and I would love to experience it...I'm afraid I just don't have the right stuff.

 

Kudos to all of you intrepid souls.

Actually I did not wear any gloves at all, I couldn´t find them before the shot. And I must admit it hurt like h**l!!! The face is pretty OK, it goes numb in just a couple of seconds, so faces turn out to be minor problems. It takes a couple of minutes after the dive before you can talk freely though. No problem with buttons on the housing, as long as the water around you is liquid, it works just fine. But with dry suits, cold water diving is pretty OK. A couple of years ago I dove 4 C water in a wet suit, which after about half an hour turned out to be rather unpleasant. Not least when I was sitting after the dive with the wet suit open talking over the dive with my budy and slid down a muddy slope into the water and had a hard time finding a place to exit again. That was truly one of my most horrible diving experiences ever!

Regards

Bent C

no Gary...

its smart people and not so smart people..

Yeah that's it.

After about 30 seconds in 36-38F water your face numbs and you just don't feel it anymore. Love dry gloves!

Cheers

Todd

The whole experience is based on the comfort level, if you are not dressed for the part, part of it also is to not only have the face numb, but what is also behind the face , but seriously, once you find the cojones to try, the you are hitched, its just a marvelous place to be, one of those few experiences that still gives me a "Cousteau" moment

Cheers

In my neighbourhood we often have the best viz under the ice. So it's not a question of IF, but rather a WHEN for most local diver's? A week ago I noticed that lakes allready have a thin layer of ice, so soon soon soon off I go... Im my opinion there is no such thing as too cold water, but there can be wrong equipment. Obviously to dive with a wetsuite under the ice is a bit like extreme sport, but guys, You would not belive how many diver's do that quite often. (Not me offcourse... only DRY thank You ) Half an hour with 7 + 7 wetsuite in 4 C water is not a problem and just like Bent mentioned, it only "hurt's" at the beginning...

I remember one case where a friend of mine wanted to dive under the ice really badly. When we all got to the site it turned out that poor fellow had left his suite behind to the divecenter and was about to miss the entire dive. When someone made a joke, that he could have one wetsuite when the owner has come out from the dive, my friend accepted the offer happily... So he actually did stand next to the hole in ice, wayting for hi's really really wet and cold wetsuite and jumped out of his clothes and into the wetsuite in airtemperature -9 C just before the wetsuite had time to froze. Tied the rope through his BCD D-ring and slipped under the ice for an excellent 30 minute dive in 4 C water... And he's actually still alive and well. Maybe a bit loco tough..

So maybe sometimes it doesn't even take anything more but a strong will.

But seriously, icediving isn't anything supernatural and I suggest everyone should try it out atleast once. Obviously it can't be for everyone, but it is really something else, and You have no idea what a great part of diving You are missing out!!

Cheers

Scubamoose

It is a really "cool" experience! Try it.

I would however say that a Drysuit is compulsory.

It is however a bit tricky with the Gloves.

It is not a bad thing to have a Sauna close by

/Erik

It is a good idea to do 'test' shots. Often a bare hand is expeditious, even if the water is just above freezing. It helps being warm if not hot from having just hiked to the site with all the gear, which may be the case regardless of the ambient temperature.

Tom