The Dive Hole
So, why did we make that hole in the ice yesterday? To get the worms at the bottom!
How do we get to the worms? We go SCUBA diving!
Let's Go Diving
A large part of this expedition depends on the team collecting marine worms using SCUBA diving. SCUBA is an acronym, standing for Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. Since diving will be such a large portion of our expedition, we'd like to take the next few journal entries to explain diving operations here at McMurdo Station. Remember, that the conditions here are very different from most locations on our planet, and therefore require different equipment than you might see on television or in the movies.
The Day Begins
A typical day of diving begins around 8 AM at my favorite building in all of McMurdo Station: Building 144, the Dive Locker. The Dive Locker has a warm, cozy feeling, but is run with air of efficiency. Everything has a place and a purpose. Though it is a smaller building, it has everything required to run a top-notch diving operation in a very harsh location. This season, the Dive Locker is home to six divers, whom you will meet throughout the next few journals.
The McMurdo Station Dive Locker
There are several key areas of the Dive Locker that are critical to preparations. First, each diver receives a cubby where they can keep equipment that needs to remain dry: extra socks, thermal underwear, or a towel. Here, divers can begin their preparations.
These are the cubbies where divers keep the stuff they want to keep dry.
Next, is the rinse room. Here divers store gear that needs to be packed in their dive bag and transported to the dive site. This might include fins, mask, gloves, dive computer, and equipment bag. Each diver has a hanger and is expected to keep their gear organized. This is where the gear is rinsed and hung after a dive.
This is where dive gear is rinsed and hung to dry. Each diver has a hanger for their gear.
Finally, is the tank room. In addition to the air tanks, you will notice our dry suits hanging to the left. If dive sites, are close to McMurdo Station, divers will put on their dry suit thermal underwear and drysuits here.
You can see all of the full air tanks waiting to be used. To the left are hanging drysuits.
Packing
Packing for a typical dive requires careful preparation. Often, a forgotten item can be the difference between a great dive and a very cold dive, or worse: no dive at all. Typically, divers prepare in three stages.
Stage 1
In the comfort of their regular clothes, divers will assemble everything for their gear bag. This includes:
- Mask
- Fins
- Hood
- Dive Computer
- Gloves
- Collection Bag
- Dive lights
- Dry suit (maybe they will wear this)
Here's a typical dive bag being packed.
Stage 2
Next, divers will assemble their dive tank and regulators. Regulators are the devices that are responsible for getting the air to the diver in an easy to breathe way. Tanks and regulators used in Antarctica are a little different than what most SCUBA divers are used to seeing. These tanks have Y-valves allowing divers to have two independent regulators. Why do you think divers might need two regulators for diving in Antarctica?
Here is a tank setup and ready for transport to the dive site.
This is a tank used here for diving under the ice. You can see the Y-valve at the top and two regulators attached.
Tanks get loaded into the Pisten Bully with the regulators attached and hoses coiled up. We also load our heavy weightbelts.
Stage 3
The final stage before leaving the Dive Locker is to put on your drysuit thermal underwear and possibly your drysuit. Drysuits are not the most comfortable items to wear, so they are put on last. If it is a short trip to the dive site, it is much more comfortable to put your drysuit on in the Dive Locker. If it is a long trip to the dive site, you will likely put your drysuit in the dive bag and put it on at the site.
My favorite part of the Dive Locker is the relaxed and helpful attitudes. In the morning, everyone is focused on preparing for a great day of important scientific diving, but no one is too busy to help if there is a need. Questions can be answered and advice is often offered. It is an amazing place and group of people to learn about diving under the Antarctic ice. We can't wait to share it with all of you.