SDI Ice Diver

The certified diver looking to expand their diving season to all year round and experience the serenity of ice diving.

• SDI Open Water Scuba Diver or equivalent
• Minimum age 18

The SDI Ice Diver Course takes an in-depth look at all of the following and more:

Effects of the cold

• Physiological aspects of cold water diving
• Emergency aspects of cold water diving
• Special first aid for cold exposure

Equipment for ice diving

• Harness
• Lines
• Dry suit
• Hole-cutting equipment

Surface support procedures

• Duties and responsibilities
• Hole-cutting techniques
• Lines and securing
• Line tending
• Communications
• Signals
• Ice spokes
• Lost diver procedures
• Safety diver
• Equipment of the safety diver
• Search and Recovery trained
• Broken line procedures

Navigation
Diving Lights and Their Care

Some of the required skills you will have to demonstrate include:

• Review of scuba skills on land
• Test lights and equipment
• Set up shelter
• Cut hole in ice and secure
• Dive plan
• Descent and line considerations on land
• Line handling and short line signals on land
• Ten minute familiarization
• Enter water
• Each diver must rotate and practice: surface support, safety diver and diver
• Line handling and simulated lost diver procedures
• Fifteen minute exploring under the ice
• Exit
• Log dive

Upon successful completion of this course, graduates may engage in diving activities without direct supervision of the SDI Instructor* so long as the following limits are adhered to:

• The diving activities approximate those of training
• The areas of activities approximate those of training
• Environmental conditions approximate those of training

Also, the SDI Ice Diver certification counts towards a single specialty rating to achieve the SDI Advanced Diver Development Program.

• Complete all open water requirements efficiently
• Demonstrate mature and sound judgment concerning dive planning and execution