Late Season Ice 2009

This past weekend saw one of the boldest things I have ever done as a diver: I took my kids (5 year old Emmett & 6 year old Tatiana) along with me for a trip. Without their mother. The potential for disaster loomed over the entire endeavor, but I'm happy to say that, with a great deal of patience, a portable dvd player, and ad libitum cocoa, everyone was satisfied. Somehow we managed to fit me, the two yutes, Stephan, Yasuko, and all our gear into my Honda Odyssey - I love my Odyssey - and made it to Rockport Ontario by midnight, with much snoring going on (not all of it preteen.) At first I thought all was for nought, since the ice in front of the Boathouse Inn was all swept away. It wound up however that there was still some ice in front of Jeff Pauze's Rockport Dive Center, much to our mutual relief. In fact, it couldn't have been better, since the ice extended off the dock only about 30'. After some logistical frooferaw Stephan and Willie Dempsey hit the water, with Yasuko and I following shortly thereafter. The kids laughed themselves fit to split watching Willie do a backwards splash while crashing through the ice, so I attempted to do the same, but with much less grace (qv the video below.)

I wasn't sure if we should consider ourselves lucky on the kid front and run for the border, but when I asked T&E if they'd like to wake up in their own beds or stay another day they were adamant: Stay! That night we had dinner at the Keystorm pub, notable mostly for Emmett being asleep the whole time - I eventually just propped him in a corner and covered him with coats. It was fun to see the other patrons do a double take when seeing two small legs sticking out of the heap.

Just before entering the water on Sunday I noticed my camera battery had died, so I shrugged and figured no pics this time. One look at the leading edge of the ice changed my mind though, and I beat a hasty retreat to beg Fi to throw it in on the charger. Overnight another inch of ice had extended off the edge, thick enough to be visually stunning but perfectly translucent. When paired with the scalloped edge of the thicker ice the effect was breathtaking, probably the most beautiful ice I've experienced. The tethers were just long enough for us to pop up at the edge of the ice. Though, as can be seen below, Yasuko brought a blunt tool with her to make a hole where needed.




I'm often asked what the appeal of diving under ice is. Some do it because the ice is in the way, but for me the ice itself is the point. Though it is impossible to show just how beautiful it is, I have put together an album here that hopefully conveys a sense of it.

Big thanks to Jeff Pauze for all his support, and for being so considerate to the kids.

As is so often the case, I am already dreaming about next year's ice.