Ice Diving in the

Text and photos by Andrey Bizyukin White EditedSea by Catherine GS Lim & G Symes

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Diver at Biofilters Bay (above); Diver greets tiny sea angel (right)

Not many divers like to I was told all this by an old friend dive in cold water, espe- (and expert diver) because he was keen to entice me (just recently cially under ice. A possible returned from a dive trip in the trop- reason for this may be that ics) to take part in a dubious expe- they do not know about the dition somewhere far to the north new, modern, comfortable and under the ice. But at the time, it seemed to me to be an extreme equipment for this kind of adventure, so I had some doubts. diving—equipment which Winter is long here, and I had can turn these extreme already had my fill of warm water dives into a curious and fas- and colorful fish, so I listened to his authoritative comments and expert cinating vacation. Today’s opinions and decided to test myself dive equipment worked perfectly; new drysuits, toasty warm once again. I did not freeze in the usual drysuit. undergarments, suit heaters However, now I wanted to experi- Choosing a location ence something very special—re- made of modern materials, Lake or sea? How does one choose ally fascinating. dry gloves and cold-water the right place for ice diving? A So where can one find the regulators, together with worthy question. I had a little ex- maximum quantity of ice? At the proper and well-organized perience diving under the ice with Poles of the planet, of course. So, some friends in a nearby frozen I thought, maybe I should not limit dive procedures, allow one pond, but it did not give me much my flights of fancy and just go div- to enjoy diving under the joy. There was a muddy bottom, a ing at the nearest pole—the North ice more comfortably, spur- ceiling of flat ice above, a rusty car Pole! It sounded much more excit- ring many to look for new below and a view back to an ice ing and tempting than winter div- hole. There was absolutely nothing ing in the local lakes. Then, I started underwater adventures in to admire, so it only took 10 minutes to study this question, and I real- the ice-covered places of of diving for me to get bored and ized that my way to another really the world. return back to the surface. But my fascinating under-ice world was to Diver under ice hummocks (above); Sunset over White Sea (top right). PREVIOUS PAGE: Diver at Rocky Forehead

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Diver under hummocky ice (above); The White Sea has thickets of kelp in which many critters live (left)

Ocean be- which are especially picturesque gan flood- when viewed from underwater. ing in. The salinity of the seawater is The maxi- 25ppm; therefore, water tem- mum depth perature here under the ice can of the White reach -2°C (28°F) in winter time. It Sea is 347m, is a weighty and extreme factor in with an testing the suitability, performance average and reliability of any dive equip- depth of ment. 67m. Vis- dive one specific unique sea—the ibility under the ice reaches 20 On the Arctic Circle White Sea. to 30m. The sea is famous for its To fulfill the dream of diving in the biodiversity. It is full of life, even in White Sea with my passion for The White Sea winter. It has thickets of kelp with adventure (more than captivity), It is very likely that people called lots of animals living in it, includ- I had to travel 28 hours by train this sea the White Sea because it is ing various fishes, starfishes and from Moscow to get to the quiet, the only sea which, for most of the sea hedgehogs, crabs, jellyfishes, snow-covered station at Chupa year, is covered with ice. It is lo- bright sea anemones and soft cor- and then drive another hour by cated near the Arctic Circle, north als, sponges, hermit crabs, shrimps, car on a wintery road through of Russia. Once upon a time, it was cods, catfishes and seals. thick virgin forest to the village of a large glacial lake, but then the Daily two-meter-high break Nilmoguba. Here, I found a unique level of the world’s oceans rose, down thick ice and create mas- with 20 years of expe- and the saltwater of the Arctic sive bands of coastal hummocks, rience in the organization of ice

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Scenes from the village of Nilmoguba (above and left)

thermal insulation mate- seminar for foreign participants rial—these are the warmest and experts in ice diving—taking undergarments on the mar- place in the snow and ice of the ket made of a thick, power- Russian Arctic North. stretch material— which I They were passionate people, wore under a drysuit; plus, and they spoke different lan- dry gloves and cold-water guages, but they talked about regulators. the same things: the features, On the morning of my dangers, problems and benefits of first day in Nilmoguba, I ice diving; how to act in extreme had breakfast in this dis- situations and the possible ways to tant place—a corner of avoid them; about proper equip- the world completely over- ment; overcooling and overheat- diving. looked by average divers—lo- ing; about orientation under the Ice divers from all over the world cated in a dense coniferous forest ice; about the beauty and unique- meet in this place on the White on the shining shores of the White ness of the under-ice world. It was Sea during the season when the Sea. I was sea ice is solid from February to pleasantly April. They study and train here surprised to prepare to dive in the coldest when I heard places on the planet, including multi-lingual the North Pole. So, it is interesting conversations to be here to test oneself, one’s and saw a equipment and underwater cam- lot of enthu- era, while at the same time being siastic ice able to meet and talk with real-life divers from professionals and experts in cold- many parts water diving. of the world. Outside on the road, there was This was more a ringing frost, at -20°C (-4°F). I like an in- brought with me a set of modern ternational winter undergarments made with symposium— PrimaLoft synthetic microfiber a practical Dive center staff make the ice holes for ice diving

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Divers can rest between dives at mobile ice camps with 140 feet. 14 guests. heated huts transported to dive sites by snowmobile; Teams comprise two ice divers and a surface support person (right)

very interesting listening to every- several simple one. I immediately realized that I rules have been had not been mistaken in coming formulated by here; I felt I was in the right place the dive center at the right time. here, making ice diving available Rules of White Sea diving to most people The pre- was an im- and turning ice portant and significant stage in the diving from an preparation for a dive in the White extreme type

R o d r i g F s c n e Sea. Dive guides talked about the of diving into a Y B

safety rules and the specifics of us- mainstream one. O

T ing regulators and equipment for a O

H dive in saltwater with a Safety line, P of -2°C (28°F). For all recreational teams and signals of one’s buddy, it is not only more divers, only no- During the two dives of the fun, but it is also a lot safer. dives were recommended here, day, divers descended in pairs, with a maximum depth 20m and fastened to one safety line by Safety line. The correct safety line a dive time up to one hour. As a , at an accessible and to use is a safety rope 40m long result of many years of experience, convenient distance from one and 8mm thick, with neutral buoy- another (ap- ancy so that it does not sink or float. proximately It should not cling to hummocky ice every 2.5 to 3m). or damage the underwater land- This distance left scape, and it should let you confi- enough free- dently transmit signals through the dom of move- entire length of the line. Redefining ment for each Sea ice is uneven, so you need of pair of divers. a rope that is guaranteed not to A pair of divers cling to the surface of the ice. The under the ice length of the rope is determined diving are like cave by the distance an average pre- divers in an un- pared diver can freedive, swim- derwater cave; ming while breath-holding, in the they can always event of an emergency. share air with vortexliveaboard.com each other. So, Teams. In each team, there is a in the company Diver #1 and a Diver #2 and a View from below the ice, through crystal clear water

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In ice diving teams, divers communicate with a support person at the surface (left) using specific signals, or tugs, on a safety rope (above and lower right); Snowmobiles transport divers and gear to sites (top right)

signals, or tugs, on the safety a signal-tug-question and a signal- ’s tank. rope. tug-response is 2 seconds (with a This is a typical sig- repeat of the signal-tug-question nal used mostly for Diver #2 also holds the safety after 5 seconds). Signals have only beginners in the line in his or her hand but com- two meanings: “Pull me out of the Ice Diver course. municates via tug signals and ice hole,” or “Do not pull me out.” hand signals only with his or her Three tugs is the dive buddy (Diver #1). One tug of the safety line is a signal to exit to test of the connection and the the surface in nor- The support person on the question-answer timing, to see mal mode. surface stays near the ice hole if everything is okay and under- and always holds the rope in his stood. If there is no answer, a Four tugs or more or her hands, never leaving it support person waits for 5 sec- is the signal for an and always paying attention so onds and repeats the question. emergency exit to as not to miss any tug signals on If there is no answer from the the surface (in the the rope from Diver #1 under- diver underwater, the support case of ice move- water. person once again repeats the ment or other question after 5 seconds. After emergencies). regulators has a standard hose, went into free-flow). So, I followed support person at the surface. Signals. One, two or three tugs are three repetitions without an and the second one has a long the advice of the experts at the the main signals in ice diving com- answer, the support person pulls Configuration of equipment hose. Each regulator has its own dive center and set the intermedi- Diver #1 always holds the safety munications. Every 3 to 5 minutes, out the divers, bringing them to For ice dives, one uses an air inflator, or drysuit hose, and a ate in the first stage of my line in his or her hand, control- the support person on the surface the surface. cylinder equipped with a double gauge. regulators to 8 bars. Only after that ling it and communicating with checks and collects any slack on valve, and two independent cold- During the first dive, my cold-wa- did my regulators stop freezing, the surface support person on the rope and sends signals to the Two tugs on the line is the signal- water regulators are screwed into ter regulators with factory settings allowing me to complete hourly the edge of the ice hole with divers. The time interval between request to check air pressure in the cylinder valves. One of the were frozen in 15 minutes (they dives in icy waters.

17 X-RAY MAG : 88 : 2018 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Diver and plumrose anemone at Belushya Rock dive site (left); Hummocky ice sparkle in bright sunlight on the White Sea (below); Diver and fronds of kelp, or brown algae, at Miracle Stone dive site (bottom right); Surface support per- White Sea travel son at ice hole assists ice (lower left) “check stop” procedure. Keeping neutral , the pair of div- ing buddies holds their position un- der the ice opposite one another. One of the divers signals to the buddy that he or she is out of air. The buddy diver, or , takes his or her reserve regulator with the long hose and passes it to the diver out of air. The out-of-air buddy diver takes this long-hose reserve regulator, places it in his or her mouth and takes three full deep breathes. The buddy diver checks the working order of the reserve regulator, and if it works, the buddy diver gives the hand signal for “OK” to the rescue diver. Then the buddy diver

Statistical research was done at edge of the ice hole, so we can the dive center, investigating what quickly pull ourselves back out of kind of equipment and what type the water and onto the surface of of safety procedures divers choose the ice at any time, in case there for ice diving. And the research is a problem. showed that a significant majority Then, we take three full deep of divers preferred the dive proce- breaths from the main regula- dure in which two buddies used tor, we check the air pressure on one safety rope, with each diver our gauges, and we check that using an air cylinder with double the arrows on the gauges do not valves and two regulators. move. Then, we each find our second reserve regulator, take it “Check stop” procedure in one hand, and only then do we One of the most important rules exchange it with the main regula- at the dive center involves what is tor. We again take three full deep called a “check stop.” Every diver breaths from the reserve regula- is required to undergo this pro- tor, checking the air reserve on cedure at the beginning of each the gauge, and that the arrows dive. To do this, you go under the on the gauge do not move. After edge of the ice hole with your verifying that both regulators are dive buddy and remain in position in good working order, we return “Experienced diver” test with positive buoyancy, about them to their original positions. We This is a test to check one’s ability one head-span from the ice and then check all our other items of to share air. All ice diving bud- one arm’s length from one anoth- gear: the buckles on our fins, our dies are required to do it at the er. We hold here, very close to the masks, belts, inflators, etc. beginning of each dive, after the

18 X-RAY MAG : 88 : 2018 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Diver at Biofilters Bay (left); Numerous nudibranchs on brown algae (below); Diver between rocky substrate and hummocky ice (bot- White Sea travel tom right); Diver in underwater layer of hydrogen sulphide (lower left)

checks the interaction and diver who is Diver #1. And third, mutual understanding be- each has to do a dive with the tween the divers and the buddy who is Diver #2. support person at the surface All students have to practice of the ice hole. Second, the how to exchange a main and “experienced diver” test reserve regulator and how to share checks the interaction of the air with a buddy. Repeating these two divers with each other procedures regularly gives divers and with the support staff at mental confidence and increases the surface. the level of personal experience Each year, several dozen for all ice divers. They become people attend their first train- confident in ice pro- ing course in buddy ice div- cedures and can then more safely ing. They all have to do three focus their attention on the beauty dives in three different ways. of the world under the ice, ready First, each has to do a dive to perform various creative tasks with an instructor on the same such as . safety rope. Second, each Instituting these safety proce- gives it back to the rescue has to do a dive with a buddy dures has had a very positive diver and goes back to from his or her own main regulator. After that, the pair of divers repeats this procedure in the reverse order. Now the former rescue diver shows that he or she is out of air and receives a long-hose reserve regulator from the buddy diver. The former rescue diver also does three full deep breaths on the reserve regulator, checking that the regulator is working normally, gives the “OK” hand sig- nal and returns the reserve regulator back to the buddy. Now the two-diver team can be sure that, in the case that one of their regulators freez- es (or goes into free-flow), they found that two cylinders with four ready to follow the same safety can use one of their spare reserve regulators for two people provides procedures, think in the same regulators. Because they are now the maximum safety in the pres- way, and are ready to help each ready to use the spare regulator, it ence of agreements between other in all situations. It is for these means that they will have enough the divers. Working with valves is reasons that the “experienced time to safely return to the surface. excluded here, with the exception diver” test was formulated and of . instituted. Ice diving wisdom Buddy-diving under the ice is The aims of the safety proce- With the dive center’s long ex- possible and safe only if the divers dures prior to an ice dive are perience in ice diving, they have have a mutual understanding, get two-prong. First, the “check stop”

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Stones Garden and Miracle Stone dive sites are found at Krestovy Island (above); Diver at Biofilters Bay (top right); When water tempera- ture in the White Sea drops to -5°C (23°F), highly concentrated saline can start to drip from the tip of a supercooled icicle dubbed the “ice finger of death,” as everything it touches turns to ice (right)

effect. The number of emergency clothes in these warm huts. situations and emergency exits After a day of diving, divers from under the ice has decreased can leave their , un- to one to two events per season. dergarments, BCDs and regu- lators in the warm huts to dry Ice hole out completely overnight. This What size should an ice hole be? season, there were 12 mobile This depends on the number of warm huts on the ice. divers placed at one time on the surface of the water. The largest Ice dive sites ice hole made here was for 12 In the vicinity of the village divers; it was a New Year’s dive. of Nilmoguba, there are 29 Every year, millions of people on dive sites. Snowmobiles and New Year’s Eve gather around fes- sledges loaded with divers tive tables to celebrate, but locals and are here could say that at least one the main transport here. For of these festive tables is always set a short diving week, we managed find icicles shaped similarly to on the bottom of the White Sea! to dive a few of these sites. They cave stalactites. It is the freezing were interesting and varied in zone of concentrated saline solu- Ice diving operation their underwater landscapes. tion—the place where the water A mobile ice camp provides com- Yellowish-green ice with strips of temperature drops to -5°C (23°F). fort and convenience to ice divers hummocks—this is a typical pic- When at such a low temperature, at a multitude of dive sites on the ture of the subglacial world of the highly concentrated saline solu- ice-covered sea. Warm mobile White Sea. Huge ice blocks float tion begins to drain from the tip of huts with heated toilets can be and descend on tidal currents, a supercooled icicle. Then, every- Stones Garden and Miracle Stone moved across the ice from one creating unique, ever-changing thing it touches turns into ice, so it are dive sites near Krestovy Island, dive site to another. Divers store piles of coastal granite boulders. is called the “ice finger of death.” places for shallow diving under their equipment and change their Here, under the ice, you can the ice in crystal-clear water Diver and fronds of kelp, or brown algae, at Miracle Stone (above); Between dives, divers can warm up in the heated hut (left) of the mobile dive camp.

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Diver under hummocky ice at Rocky Forehead dive site (above); Divers Base at Kasyan Island (top right)

along the sea bottom, which is over- and muddy that it completely hides a ice. The top of it was covered with dense grown with thick, bright and plump thick- diver submerging into it. It is a very inter- thickets of kelp, and the vertical wall was ets of sea algae, or kelp. This is a great esting subject for enthusiasts of ice diving a garden—it is probably more correct to place to start diving, test equipment and photography at a site with easy access, say it was a flower bed, with bright fluffy drill buddy skills. Easily accessible, it is just located just 30 minutes from the dive actiniums. 15 minutes away by snowmobile. There center. are a lot of subjects for under-ice macro Rocky Forehead and Ludushka dive sites photography, so enthusiastic underwater Kasyan Island are located a hundred meters from the photographers spend several hours per To get to the dive sites Belushya Rock, flowerbed with the sea anemones. Dur- day on ice dives here. Ludushka and Rocky Forehead near ing high , we dived and took photo- Kasyan Island, we had to travel by snow- graphs here among the largest underwa- Biofilters Bay is a dive site near a high mobile about an hour along an endless ter hummocks that I have ever seen. The cliff that is shaped like a mammoth. It is icy vastness. When we got to the place, ice hummocks looked particularly pictur- known to many underwater photogra- it was pretty covered in snow. The fun of esque with the frosty sunny day. phers for its picturesque ice hummocks. It the trek warmed us, and we thawed in On the way back from Kasyan Island, was here, under the ice, that I saw my first the warm huts, donned our drysuits and we were caught in a snowstorm. Thank- small icicles, or “fingers of death.” There went diving. fully, our guides knew the road well. are shallow depths here only in winter That’s why we did not get lost along the time, and just under the ice, it is possible Belushya Rock was a five-meter-high way through the boundless snowy ex- to see an unusually dense layer of hydro- underwater rocky ledge rising from a flat panse, and we even took the time to gen sulphide accumulate. It is so thick sea bottom almost to the surface of the take pictures of the winter sunset over Diver and plumrose anemone at Belushya Rock

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www.ice-diving.com foto V. Lyagushkin White Sea RUSSIA

Diver in under- water layer of hydrogen sulphide (left); Diver under hummocky ice at Ludushka dive site (top left)

the White Sea, which was amazingly colorful. Barents Sea Safety improvements season in 2018, and track record 147 divers dived in About 2,000 ice dives per season are the White Sea at made at the Arctic Circle Dive Cent- Nilmaguba. The Kola Peninsula er. Since 1998, the safe, comfortable divers came from Mezen and enjoyable method of ice diving England, Ireland, Nilmoguba Bay has been tested and improved here. China, Taiwan, In the period from 2002 to 2008, ice Hong Kong, Mexi- diving methods for two ice divers, co, India, Holland, Chupa Kandalaksha which use only one safety rope, Austria, Germany, Gulf were tested and adopted here. And France, Israel, Phil- this method is now recognized as the aborted. But with the start of the new the White Sea in a water tempera- ippines, Belgium, Ukraine and Rus- White Sea safest one. partnership system, the frequency of ture of -2°C (28°F), and make the sia. The guests made a total of 1,036 The partnership system (with no emergencies dropped to one abort- world’s only apnea dive (freedive) dives, which were coordinated by 14 Dvina Bay more than two divers on one safety ed dive per 3,000 to 4,000 dives. under the ice to a depth of 65m at instructors and four , who rope) was formulated over the Exceptionally, the White Sea dive the North Pole. also dived 637 times. Training dives Arkangel’sk Belomorsk next ten years of diving. Prior to the experiences allowed instructors of As I returned to Moscow, I remi- under the ice numbered 171, and Onega Bay year 2000, when some accidents the dive center to organize success- nisced joyfully on my experience 55 new Ice Diver certifications were happened, it was about 1% of the ful ice diving expeditions to the North at the White Sea. I felt enlightened made. The ice diving season of 2018 average quantity of dives. They Pole, and on the basis of the recom- and cleansed by the whiteness of was very intense and active, and were mostly equipment failures and mendations developed here, to dive the Russian North. I learned that there was not a single real emergen-

NORMANEINSTEIN / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / CC BY-SA 3.0 CC BY-SA / COMMONS / WIKIMEDIA NORMANEINSTEIN emergencies causing a dive to be to a depth of 100m under the ice in over the past two-month ice diving cy situation.  Location of Nilmoguba on map of the White Sea in Russia

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