Technical diving in the Antarctic? Well, the weather condition at the Southern Polar circle is always at around below 6 degrees at daytime. The water temperature hovers at below 5 degrees constantly, but remains water crystal blue. Surprisingly, even the floating ice is clear blue. This is truly the extreme technical diver’s paradise.
Aside from the usual diving gear and nitrox safety tanks and cylinders, technical divers need to use extreme thermal diving suits. Also, they need to have all their tanks, gears, and equipment checked if they’re suitable for below freezing conditions. It’s one thing for gear and equipment that can be used in freezing waters, but it’s another matter when the same gear and equipment have to face even colder conditions out of the water.
Dive computers have no problem with this, and this is one dive you will be thankful for the equipment. Shearwater dive computers are proven even for sub-zero conditions.
The best way to reach the Antarctic Peninsula is to join any technical diving group from South America, especially those working from Ushuaia or Tierra del Fuego. These groups already know which boats to charter.
Technical diving in the remote waters of the Antarctic is limited to 20 or 30 minutes per dive since your hands and feet will start to feel numb. Depths are limited to 15 or 20 meters only. Once you’re in the water however, the first thing that fascinates first-timers is the marine life that teems below the waters. This surprises many because they think only seals, whales, and penguins inhabit this freezing region. Marine life usually consists of millions of krill, thousands of crustaceans, hundreds of small and large types of nudibranchs, and lots kelp. Naturally, there’s the occasional penguin, fur or leopard seal, and a passing whale if you’re lucky.
When you do a technical dive beside an iceberg, the view underwater will always be breathtaking. The color and beauty of the uniformly pitted ice will surprise many. You need to be careful venturing too near because chunks can break off underwater or above ground, the whole iceberg could flip over, and the ice is always slowly moving.
Aside from the usual diving gear and nitrox safety tanks and cylinders, technical divers need to use extreme thermal diving suits. Also, they need to have all their tanks, gears, and equipment checked if they’re suitable for below freezing conditions. It’s one thing for gear and equipment that can be used in freezing waters, but it’s another matter when the same gear and equipment have to face even colder conditions out of the water.
Dive computers have no problem with this, and this is one dive you will be thankful for the equipment. Shearwater dive computers are proven even for sub-zero conditions.
The best way to reach the Antarctic Peninsula is to join any technical diving group from South America, especially those working from Ushuaia or Tierra del Fuego. These groups already know which boats to charter.
Technical diving in the remote waters of the Antarctic is limited to 20 or 30 minutes per dive since your hands and feet will start to feel numb. Depths are limited to 15 or 20 meters only. Once you’re in the water however, the first thing that fascinates first-timers is the marine life that teems below the waters. This surprises many because they think only seals, whales, and penguins inhabit this freezing region. Marine life usually consists of millions of krill, thousands of crustaceans, hundreds of small and large types of nudibranchs, and lots kelp. Naturally, there’s the occasional penguin, fur or leopard seal, and a passing whale if you’re lucky.
When you do a technical dive beside an iceberg, the view underwater will always be breathtaking. The color and beauty of the uniformly pitted ice will surprise many. You need to be careful venturing too near because chunks can break off underwater or above ground, the whole iceberg could flip over, and the ice is always slowly moving.