Dynamic under ice

Denmark has had an unusual cold winter with plenty of snow and ice. This opened up a great chance to go ICE DIVING again, almost exactly one year after my first try at Oslo Ice Challenge.

Knudsø (Knud's Lake) in Ry had a nice layer of 38 cm thick ice. The Danish lakes are not really deep enough for CWT dives, so this time we went for distance instead. Stig Severinsen was going for a Guiness World Record in DNF under ice in only his swim trunks. I was going to try DYN under ice for the first time.

The set up was very professional and the scuba safety crew from N.O.W. divers had full control over the holes, lines and cameras. The holes had been made at the following positions: 0m (starting hole), 25m, 50m, 60m and 70m. This gave the freedivers different options to surface. Two lines had been set up over the entire lane: One line for visual reference at 3-4m depth and one just underneeth the ice to clip the lanyard onto.

Stig went in first and did an amazing (and freezing) performance of 72m, coming up with a smile on his cold face. 1min 30 sek in 0 degree water didn't seem to have troubled him too much. Kurt, Rune, Mark, Jesper and I all got to test the water afterwards, while the scuba divers were still in the water to look after us.

On my first try, I was struggling with orientation. I was trying to stay down with my buoyant suit, but the lanyard held me back. It took two short dives to figure out that the best idea was to swim up-side down and face the ice. That way I could also see the holes better, and plan my surfacing. I finished off with a sweet 50m dive, and I'm eager to do this again! The day had been perfect, with a bright blue sky and great atmosphere. Big thanks to all the people being part of it and to Morten Bjørn Larsen for the pictures.