PADI Ice Diver Specialty Course

ice divers This PADI Specialty is designed and intended to be a safe, supervised introduction to diving under the ice. The whole adventure of ice diving is an exercise in teamwork, since the entire diving outing depends on everybody taking part. Topics include proper hole cutting techniques, line handling, essential equipment, and most importantly, emergency procedures for divers off tether. Once certified as a PADI Ice Diver, you will enjoy the company of not only your classmates, but also the other certified ice divers who don't let a little thing like cold weather and "hard water" get in the way of having a good day diving! Prerequisite: 18 years of age, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or equivalent, 20 logged dives if not a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver and three dives needed for certification.

From the PADI Ice Diver Instructor Guide:

Course Overview
"This course covers the techniques for ice diving. To conduct an Ice Diver course, the following is to be included:
  1. the planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems and hazards of ice diving.
  2. site selection, preparation and hole-cutting procedures
  3. special equipment, safety lines, signals, communications, line tending and line-securing techniques
  4. effects of cold, emergency procedures and safety-diver procedures"

Obviously this course is conducted in the winter months when we have ice formation on our local dive sites. It is extremely weather dependent, meaning the weather needs to be cooperative enough to ensure safe and enjoyable dives. The course Instructor will make the final determination if the course needs to be rescheduled. Check out our class dates for schedules.