TRINITY'S 1st Annual 2010/2011 Icing/ Anchoring Challenge

[DetectorGuy]

I guess I am a slow learner... because I had some trouble with frozen/stuck inflator valves too. The first time, I thought it was a fluke, so I unhooked the inflator hose and continued the dive. The second time it happened I knew that there was a problem with it and again unhooked the hose and continued the dive. Later that night I took the inflator apart and blew it out, dried it all out, and put it back together. The third time it happened, I was at Knife Lake in the rebar mess, and when it stuck open again, I aborted the dive. After that dive I went to the dive shop and picked up a new inflator. I went to install it on my BC and found out that the design had changed and that it was the wrong one. Back to the dive shop to get the right one and then no more problems with it all winter.

I realized that I can put duct tape on the vents of the recoil on my chainsaw and keep the splashing water from freezing the saw tight within minutes.

I know that I can dive without a shelter but if Its not an emergency, I will dive as comfortably as I can and enjoy the entire day.

Outside of being in a contest, or a recovery, I think that one hole cut over an interesting spot is enough to hold my attention for a day of diving.

I think diving in rocky bottom areas are more interesting than sand, gravel, and especially thick silt.

I think when I added the neoprene knee pads and elbow pads to my dry suit, I increased the drying time of it considerably. In hind sight I probably would add Kevlar pads instead even though DUI says they are not as durable for some reason.

As much as the 20 CF pony bottle attached to my main tank served me well, I think I would like to sling a 30 CF.

I learned that Gorilla brand duct tape is really good for sticking "hot packs" to my kidney area, but the glue on it leaves a residue on my my t-shirt and kinda ruined a couple nice dive shirts before I realized it.

I think the oxygen content in a tightly sealed dive shelter can get pretty low with a big propane heater going. Open vents - problem solved.

I learned that cutting a couple "blood grooves" in the ice from each side of the triangle hole towards the main part of the shelter lets the excess water run back into the hole and less puddles on the floor.

I learned that it is possible to run out of vertical real estate between the bottom of the ice sheet and the bottom of the lake. I didn't get close to getting stuck but it did cross my mind a couple times.

I learned that when Nate asks if I hooked up his HID light, it means hooking the battery wires to the light head wires, and not just threading it on his harness. Dark dive for Nate that time and even he was questioning my competitive nature that day ;D.

I learned that I like ice diving more than open water diving just for the better viz and not for the major logistics of the ice diving process. Besides what else is there to really do in the winter?..