I've read where ice divers spent 4 hours cutting a hole through 3 feet of ice in Idaho.
What's the deepest layer of ice that MN ice divers have ever had to cut through?
I don't know if we can beat it but this one I will definitely remember for a while. We were planning on borrowing a chainsaw with a 3 foot bar, but it didn't work out. We ended up using my chainsaw, which only has an 18 inch bar. You gotta want it definitely was the theme for the day. While I still thoroughly enjoy any and all types of diving I am currently going through Bluewater withdrawals. I am having a harder time getting motivated for ice diving, I guess all the warm, deep, Bluewater has spoiled me.
I've cut 33 inches more then 3 times. We can open a hole in < 1hour.
4 hours and your doing it wrong. Maybe someone needs to tell the potato state that you don't get water under a glacier.
4 hours just to cut the hole!? I've seen the crowd here show up, BS, cut the hole, BS, set up, dive, rest & BS some more, pack up, close and secure the hole in 4 hours!
of course, if I'm helping to cut the hole, things go more slowly since I'm such an out of shape slug!
makes me wonder what kind of equipment the Idaho folks were using to cut the hole - just spuds maybe? Even I could cut a pretty big hole with my hand ice saw in a lot less than 4 hours!
Okay...I noticed something missing from this list...does the beer come before, during or after the dive??
I cannot believe you posted this..... perhaps a review of your OW class is in order.
Okay...I noticed something missing from this list...does the beer come before, during or after the dive??
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The smart money is on "AFTER"!
If I bring beer for ice diving, I generally don't think about it until somewhere between the pack up and securing the hole -- the cooler can get pulled out to make it easier to load gear, then you sit on the cooler after the hole is secured and have a beer! that way, everything should get packed up and stowed in the truck so I don't forget anything, and the block can get shoved into the hole without anyone falling in with it!
I don't always bring beer when ice diving - hot chocolate sounds better in between dives! and it's enough like exercise that I'd rather have Gatoraid or something afterwards
I don't do beer until I stop for dinner on the way home, then it's one, I'm driving, tired, and it's most likely dark on unfamiliar rural roads with ice/snow/deer. I'll drink after I get home.
Well, if you brought with a group of your hydroxilated friends to enjoy the day, outside the fridge, and I've only rarely seen a beer that could talk to me, and knowing beers not going to drink itself,,,,,,,,,,,
Jon and Steve you're RIGHT!!, the correct answer is AFTER the dive, and even better is when you get home after a long day of diving under the ice!!
Better to drive home safely and live to dive another day ;D