The first freediving competition under ice

[Steinar]

Roys video: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYiMSJBRaoU&feature=channel_page]YouTube - Oslo Ice Challenge[/ame]

Oslo Ice Challenge was Roys first competition. Thats the way to start your careere!

 

[adolphin]

To all of you who stayed at home because you thought it would be too cold: join us next time... I was quite sceptic befere the competition and thought I'd be very miserable, but I just had so much fun diving under the ice! And with a new 5mm suit, I stayed nice and warm.

For reports, some pictures and more stories from Oslo Ice Challenge: Elisabeth Kristoffersen - Bits and parts from my world below: Oslo Ice Challenge

Hi Elisabeth! .. looks lots of fun and a very special experience indeed, hope I could join in next year ..

It looks like you were wearing a Sphera technisub mask, am I right ? .. if so then I would like to know how did it perform under the ice, specially in the deep dive you mentioned in your webpage, when you used all equalising air without mouthfilling, which most probably put a lot of presure onto the mask towards the deep end .. I'm asking because of the rumors that Sphera tends to freez in too cold water and then break down into pieces !! .. I have one which I've used only in relatively warm waters ..

 

[Kars]

Hi Adophin,
You don't have to worry about a freezing mask underwater, simply because water is by definition not freezing
Maybe you mean fogging?
Well I've used it down to 16c to 2c, and it's ok.
The small volume and flexibility makes it a great mask for many for DEEP diving.

Love, Courage and Water.

Kars

 

[GirlOfWater]

Hey,
yes, I was using a sphera, but had no problems with it. It didn't seem to be affected by the cold any more than other equipment. So you can safely take it for a trip to Norway next time!

On my dive, I was focusing too much on all the sensations of the dive. The suit getting samller, sqeesing my chest and letting in some water to the ears (as I hadn't made the wholes yet, bad idea). I simply forgot about the mouthfill untill it was too late, and had to turn around. I'm sure that in warmer waters, I could have made it to 40 without the mouthfill, but you do feel different in the cold water, and I don't like taking risks with my ears.

 

[adolphin]

Hi Adophin,
You don't have to worry about a freezing mask underwater, simply because water is by definition not freezing
Maybe you mean fogging?
Well I've used it down to 16c to 2c, and it's ok.
The small volume and flexibility makes it a great mask for many for DEEP diving.

Love, Courage and Water.

Kars

Hi Kars, Thanks for the comment, actually I meant freezing but not the physics term literally, rather that in extremely cold water the silicon skirt together with the plastic parts become less flexible, and since the most important feature in Sphera is flexibility (so people don't equalize the Sphera mask as often as they would with other types) it might crack or even completely break down since it has a fragile built, that was my question, how did it perform in extreme cold down deep ? .. .. so you meant you tried it down to 16 meter in 2 C temp ?

 

[adolphin]

Hey Elisabeth,

Great ! .. thanks for the info, good to know because after I tried the Sphera I find it difficult to go back to other types.

Yes, turning back is a wise decision .. even lung squeeze becomes a bigger risk in extremly cold waters.

I'm losing a lot of weight and so not sure if my 5 mm would be tight enough for Ice diving, it worked fine in Greece in the summer .. lol .. anyway, couple of months before the Nordic Deep 2010 I should decide, maybe I gain the kilos back ..

 

[Fondueset]

Just to chime in - I use a sphera year 'round here too - water 2c - air..well, a lot colder. So far so good.