5 Things to know about freediving under ice
Are you about to go ice-diving, or are you just curious about freediving under ice? Here are some guidlines for your next cold adventure!
1. Be safe!
Ice-diving can be very dangerous if you’re not careful! Be sure that you tell your buddy before you do anything and let everyone know about your plan. You probably won’t be able to hold your breath as long in cold water as in warm water, so never push your limits and be conservative in anything you do!
When going under the ice, always follow a dive line so you find your way back to the hole.
2. Question: - I must be able to hold my breath longer in freezing water thanks to the strong onset of the mammalian dive response?
Not really! The MDR works in relation to the air temperature. So it would be even stronger if it would be warm in the air, and usually at locations where you dive under the ice, it will also be minus degrees in the air.
The shift in temperature experienced by the sensors around your face will therefore not be much greater than in a tropical place. What you could do is, if it’s a sunny day, face the sunlight before you dip your face in the water. This will make the difference experienced in temperature greater and hopefully the dive response as well!
3. Question: - What wetsuit should I be wearing?
The wetsuit is the most important gear when you’re jumping down in ice-cold water. Depending on if you’re about to go for depth or if you’re mostly going to be at the surface, there will be two choices.If you will dive deeper than 10 meters, I would recommend a 5mm wetsuit with open cell material inside. If you will be staying mostly at the surface or dive shallow, then a 7mm open cell wetsuit would be the choice! If you’re diving deeper with a thick wetsuit, you also need more weights and you will have to swim up those weights.
4. The second most important gear: Gloves and socks!
The first parts that will be getting cold are the feet and hands. So make sure to have at least 5mm neoprene socks and gloves.
Another important thing is to have three-fingered gloves. If the fingers are kept together, then they will keep the heat much better!
5. Bring a coffee thermos!
But not to drink hot beverage from. Instead you should fill it up with hot water, so that after you’ve been in the ice-water and you start feeling cold you can pour some of the warm water into the wetsuit. Then pour some in the gloves and socks. After that you are ready to go back down in the water and enjoy the the freezing water for longer!
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