PADI Ice Diver Course

PADI Ice Diver Course: Explore the Serene World Beneath the Ice

Ready for a truly unique and adventurous diving specialty? The PADI Ice Diver course takes you into the stunning, silent realm beneath the ice, a place few ever get to experience. This course isn't just about the dive; it's about meticulous planning, teamwork, and mastering the specialized skills required for this challenging overhead environment.

Teamwork is absolutely critical for ice diving. You'll learn the specific roles and responsibilities of the entire dive team, including surface support personnel, tenders (line handlers), and safety divers. The course covers:

• Understanding the Environment: Learn about types of ice, proper site selection, and how to prepare an ice diving location.
• Managing the Cold: Understand the physiological effects of cold and how to handle equipment issues that can arise.
• Specialized Equipment: Practice using essential gear like safety lines, harnesses, and appropriate thermal protection (a drysuit is highly recommended!).
• Communication and Line Techniques: Master signals, line-tending procedures, and line-securing techniques for safe navigation under the ice.
• Emergency Procedures: Learn how to handle potential problems and execute safety diver procedures specific to the overhead ice environment.

You'll put these skills into practice during three closely supervised ice dives, gaining hands-on experience with the unique procedures of ice diving.

Prerequisites:

• Minimum age: 18 years old
• PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certification or higher

Essential Equipment:

• Basic scuba equipment
• Drysuit (highly recommended for thermal protection)
• Two tanks
• Environmentally sealed regulator set
• Appropriate hood and gloves
• Full Face Mask (if certified) recommended.
• Redundant air supply (pony bottle) may be suggested by your instructor.

Ready to experience the unique beauty and challenge of ice diving? Sign up for the PADI Ice Diver course today!

Key Topics

• Roles and responsibilities of the ice diving team (support, tender, safety diver)
• Types of ice, site selection, and preparation
• Effects of cold on divers and equipment
• Handling equipment issues in cold environments
• Emergency procedures specific to ice diving
• Specialized ice diving equipment and safety lines
• Signals, communications, line tending, and line-securing techniques
• Safety diver procedures
• Three required, supervised ice dives
• Prerequisites: Minimum age 18, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or higher
• Recommended Equipment: Drysuit, environmentally sealed regulator, hood, gloves (Pony bottle, FFM optional/recommended)
• Counts towards PADI Master Scuba Diver rating