>> Scuba divers find pleasant
surprises in frigid waters

by ERIK LEJON

“When I go on vacation,” jokes ice scuba diving instructor Robin Fabiani, “I prefer to go south.”

The sentiment rings true for most scuba divers, as the coastal waters of the Caribbean are not only less harsh in March, but provide a much richer assortment of aquatic life to swim alongside. Still, Montrealers have never been afraid of a little cold, and not even a three-foot layer of ice will prevent divers from taking the glacial plunge. For experts with the right government papers (see sidebar), ice diving is a decidedly cooler cousin to warm-water scuba exploration.

Fabiani, who teaches diving at Total Diving School in NDG, says there’s a small but dedicated group of accomplished divers who brave the frigid conditions both above and below the surface. The school plans yearly trips to Morrison’s Quarry in Gatineau and the Flintkote Quarry in Thetford Mines. “It’s the same whether you’re diving regularly in the summer or under the ice,” says Fabiani, 52, “but with ice diving, there’s a little bit more knowledge needed.”

Although unlikely to play a major factor in the Bahamas, the risk of hypothermia is a primary concern for ice divers. A special-exposure drysuit is used, consisting of seals that prevent water from entering through the wrist and neck holes. There’s also an adjustable air valve in case the suit becomes filled with too much excess air, which can severely hamper one’s mobility underwater. The suit is warm and it’s not uncommon for divers to only wear a t-shirt underneath, says Fabiani. Once fully dressed, only parts of the face will actually be exposed to the water.

Safety, fun, fish and sun

ENTER HERE: Cutting a diving hole

Because of the special suit, the small point of entry into the ice and the overall cold, specific lessons are needed for ice diving. To prevent ice divers from going too far, they are tethered to the surface by a rope that can also be used to make signals to those above water (and not just of the life-being-threatened variety). Unlike other forms of diving, it is impossible to quickly rise to the surface in case of emergency with a thick layer of ice blocking the way. Dives are also limited to 25 minutes, on average.

Once the team finds a good spot above the frozen water, they cut a small triangular hole in the ice with a gas-powered mechanical saw, around eight feet in length on each side. This allows for three divers to fit in the hole, while descending one at a time. The removed chunk of ice is eventually returned to its right place at the end of the day so the surface can re-freeze overnight.

During his first experience with ice diving in Gatineau in 2003, the French-born Fabiani wasn’t sure if ice diving would be a great new way to explore his passion. But as soon as he went underwater, he noticed the sun rays reflecting through the ice, forming a majestic white and blue light pattern in the water.

“Imagine when you enter a church and the sun passes through the (stained-glass) windows, you see all the colours under the ice,” he says. “Sometimes we use a shovel and make designs or smiley faces on the snow, and when you’re underwater you see all those—it’s really cool.”

As the water is always a comfortable three or four degrees below the ice, there is a healthy amount of wildlife in the more visible, cleaner winter waters. Fabiani says that the blue-spotted salamander, which is typically hard to find in its Atlantic Coast habitat, spends winters underwater in near-hibernation and can be found quite easily in Gatineau. “We see a lot of fish too,” he says. “We find that they are more approachable because they are more lethargic in winter.

“People said in Quebec we don’t have fish and life under the ice, but I dive seven feet deep and I see (sea life) which I only find in winter.”

Fabiani says that it only takes three or four dives to get used to the cold, and students prefer to stay in the cold water once they get acclimated. Of course that could also be because the water is pretty warm compared with the below-zero temperature above the surface.

“When you’re diving underwater, the feeling is so magical that when you see the sun coming in, you forget the cold completely.”

A bureaucracy aquatic

>> In Quebec, divers need permits

Unlike the rest of Canada, Quebec (surprise) has its own rules surrounding recreational diving. Since 2005, a permit is needed for any kind of diving, and depending on the certification level you attain (either A, B or C, based on your competence), you will be barred from doing more difficult dives. The only way to get certified is to complete a course or pass the government-issued test.

The French-only Fédération Québécoise des Activités Subaquatiques (FQAS) Web site, at fqas.qc.ca, has a list of accredited schools, and the actual by-law is located at canlii.org (search Quebec for “underwater diving”).

A permit is good for three years and costs about $15, but as was pointed out on a diving message board, “there are no cops underwater”—although it’s doubtful any instructor or pro would

want to dive with an unaccredited participant. Tourists from outside Quebec can get a one-month pass for $5.

Water worlds

>> What to see under the sea

DEEP EXPLORATION: Wreck diving in winter

Empress of Ireland, Pointe-au-Père, Rimouski, Quebec: The famous ocean liner—which took permanent residency at the bottom of the Saint Lawrence in 1914—is like the Hope diamond of Canadian deep sea exploration.

According to the official Web site, 600 of the 1,012 bodies were never recovered, and theoretically could still be found amid the sunken wreckage. It’s considered to be for experts only. The much more attainable HMCS Nipigon serves as an artificial reef in the area, which is a common practice for recycling decommissioned ships.

Les Escoumins, Côte Nord, Quebec: We’re in beluga country in this area of the Saint Lawrence. Other kinds of marine life such as whales and seals reside in these cold waters.

Brockville, Ontario: A slightly warmer alternative despite still technically being the Saint-Lawrence. Plenty of wrecked ships to explore in this area as the Thousand Islands made for a tough trek back in the day.