March 07, 2017 - Icing on the Cake - Part 2
The weather can be very deceiving in the Alps. The winter season was already nearing its end and the days were filled with sunshine and temperatures just above freezing. So why not park the car in the driveway right beneath the rain gutter, where snow was melting and gently dripping onto it? The inn itself was an old traditional building with bad isolation from the conditions outside. With the heating turned up high, we spent the night comfortably enough to awake to the sun shining down onto us through the window. Following a brief breakfast, it was time to get ready to drive back to the lake for a second day of ice diving.
Too bad it was at this point when I realised that before any ice diving could commence, I'd have to work my way past the shield of ice that had formed over night on the car first. I didn't expect the temperatures to drop that low overnight and the dripping water from the rain gutter beautifully sculpted a solid wall along one side of the car. I got inside from the passenger side to turn on the heating and luckily the sun was back and beginning to do its part too. I was now curious to know how the ice hole we had opened the previous day faired and little did I know this wouldn't be the biggest surprise of the day.
The overnight cold froze the air itseld to the posts we had set up the previous day to secure the ice hole.
When we all finally got back to the lake, I was surprised by the thickness of the ice that had reformed where we had previously cut in to, though it wasn't safe to stand there just yet.
To test the ice, a tempting thought.
A mesmerising pattern formed where the ice was fresh, reminiscent of candy.
The chainsaw wasn't required this time; the axe and hatchet would suffice. It didn't take long this time to reopen our entry point.
The summit of the 'Gemeindealpe' at a height of 1626m, towers over the lake 'Erlaufsee'.
Photograph by © Wolfgang Rotschek - www.letsdive.at
We went about our business calmly and yet effectively. The procedures were the same as the day before, so we all knew what to do and took advantage of the bonding experiences we all had encountered then. The display of teamwork was most pleasing and the additional helping hands that had joined us this day from friends and acquaintances, were most delightedly received.
One has to be very particular about where the tether is connected. Not every D-Ring is suited, even when made of metal. Sometimes a helping hand is needed. Leo Görlitzer's was most welcome.
It wasn't before long and we were back down beneath the ice. There were a few more exercises we had to do in regard to communication with the tenders on the surface, but also were we to experience an emergency, simulated of course.
The diver leading the line is responsible for detecting any surface signals and maintaining communication with the tenders up top, at the same time ensuring the line doesn't get caught on any obstacles.
Photograph by © Wolfgang Rotschek - www.letsdive.at
The world under the ice remained intriguing. Like laying in bed beneath a silk blanket, looking through it at a powerful flourescent lamp, an essence of magic enlaced the dive. The lake was sleeping and all that lived within. We tread, or rather, frog kicked gently. Occasionally when closer to the bottom, one could spot a small perch in hibernation.
Video Freeze Frame - Courtesy of Lukas Glanz
One exercise included experiencing a tether rescue. It was my turn as the diver leading the line, to signal the handlers on the surface. We agreed upon three tugs of the tether as the signal. Almost immediately I felt their response and felt the drag toward the entry point. Hermi, my buddy, attached through me to the same tether, instantly followed. There was no way fighting that force; the handlers were determined to get us out safely, albeit an exercise. The entire procedure lasted no more than 10 seconds. First we got dragged up vertically and hit the ceiling, guarding our faces with one arm, continuing along the ice until I first emerged from the hole, followed by Hermi.
The demonstration served to show how the tether performed to all involved, divers and handlers. We experienced this a couple of times over the entire course.
The platform normally leading to the lake, covered beneath the ice and snow; A lake asleep.
Video Freeze Frame - Courtesy of Lukas Glanz
Back beneath the ice, familiarity with the tether came quick enough. The urge for some more special photo poses came faster. It was my buddy Hermi's wish for us to attempt some upside down shots, standing inverted on the ice; an idea everyone took delight in.
When failing to stand, at the very least Wolfgang managed to make it look like I was skating.
Photograph by © Wolfgang Rotschek - www.letsdive.at
Photograph by © Wolfgang Rotschek - www.letsdive.at
My first attempts at this were flawed. Those crazy folk from Finland who made the short film "Fishing under the Ice" made it look so easy.
After a couple of attempts though, the correct posture was assumed. At least briefly enough for the photo moment to occur.
Photograph by © Wolfgang Rotschek - www.letsdive.at
My initial impetus to go on this trip was to reward myself. I had forgotten all about this when I surfaced from my last dive and found myself surprised by my wonderful travel companions and our friendly tenders, singing "Happy Birthday" and pouring us a glass of delicious sparkling wine. I felt blessed.
Celebrating a birthday in an ice hole with sparkling wine should be added to everyone's bucket list.
The first night of the trip some whispers between Miriam, Eva and Wolfgang were noticeable at one point and some early suspicions arose within myself. By the time I held my glass in my hand though, I had forgotten all about that incident. Wolfgang really outdid himself with this surprise.
If you live in the part of the world where scuba diving isn't accessible all year round, a drysuit is inevitable. This comes with challenges of its own, but enable one to extend the scuba season beyond autumn each year and to let it begin before spring. Following this experience, diving was an all year option now.
I managed to take away a lot from this trip. I got to test my drysuit in extreme conditions and go home confident in its strengths and weaknesses and knowledge of how my base layers performed. I got to see a very different side to a dive spot I had already been familiar with and I got to experience visibility few divers can't even begin to imagine in our lines of latitude.
I had a lot of fun, I had sparkling wine and I had ice.... I couldn't ask for a better 'cake'.
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