DEPTH Blog
The 2 Ways to Enter An Ice Dive
While it is approaching summer here in the northern hemisphere, down in Antarctica it is close to winter, where temperatures plummet to -50 degrees and darkness prevails for months. Scientists rarely dive under these conditions, but it has occurred in the past.
John Heine, author of Cold Water Diving: A Guide to Ice Diving, regularly travels to Antarctica as part of his job duties for the National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs. In the photos below John has just exited from an outdoor dive under the ice. Most dives are staged from a heated hut, which makes it much more comfortable for the divers and the dive tenders.
By regularly engaging in ice diving and scientific diving, John stays up to date on the latest equipment and techniques, which he passes along to the public through his publications.
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Below: Lowering sample collection bags and jars through the ice hole prior to a dive from a heated hut. |
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About the author
John serves as the National Science Foundation, U.S. Antarctic Program Diving Safety Officer and he recently completed a research project evaluating the use of rebreathers in Antarctica for the scientific diving program.
His diving has taken him to many areas of the world, including both poles and tropical areas in between.
He spent fifteen seasons in the Antarctic doing research dives through ice that was ten feet thick, in water temperatures of 28.6ºF, and air temperatures as low as -60ºF, not for the faint-hearted!
John's books include:
Cold Water Diving: A Guide to Ice Diving, 2nd Edition
Cold water and ice diving can be extremely challenging and require planning, preparation, training, and safety. This book by John Heine, a scientific diving safety officer and an experienced ice diver for more than 25 years, has detailed the requirements for safe and comfortable ice diving.
This book covers cold water and ice-diving environments; training; equipment; thermal protection; evaluating, preparing, and planning dives; and safety and emergency procedures.
Scientific Diving Techniques, 2nd Edition
This updated and revised second edition of John Heine's Scientific Diving Techniques covers the details of research methods underwater. scientific diving techniquesIncluded are general scientific diving guidelines, an overview of aquatic habits and ecosystems, specialized diving equipment and procedures, locating and marking study sites, archaeology, measuring physical and biological factors, underwater experimentation and underwater photographing and videography for the scientist. There are over 500 references to original scientific techniques. Also included are training exercises to aid Diving Safety Officers in training scientific divers.
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