Ice diving in Alberta Canada – Lake Minnewanka, Banff National Park with Adventures in Scuba Dive shop from Calgary and Dolphin Dive shop from Sacramento, California. Under the ice at this location is a dam built in 1912 to provide hydroelectric power to the community of Banff Canada. The top of the dam was 30 feet below the ice and we dove to 70 feet, exploring the dam, block house and other features of a hydroelectric facility. Water temperature was in the low 30’s with visibility a good 30 feet.
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Prior to diving a day was spent setting up the site including creating rings and spokes by clearing the snow to create a “road map” that can be seen underwater that shows the way back to the entry point..jpg)
Setting up the dive tent in 50mph gusts from chinook winds.
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Gear had to be hauled over 1/3 of a mile from the parking lot on to the ice to the dive tent including all dive gear and over 50 scuba tanks.
Truck load of dive tanks.
Cutting through 18+ inches of ice to create a triangle hole large enough for 3 divers to enter and exit the water at a time.
Attaching tether line to divers as the prepare for a dive.
Ready…set….go!
Warming up with hot water between dives in the 33 degree water.
View through an ice block of the spectacular Canadian Rockies.
The group…
On the eve of 2017 at Sonoma Coast State Beach, Goat Rock. Harbor Seals enjoying the sun while it lasts.
4 islands and one rock in 3 days of diving. Highlight was diving the challenging waters around Kanaha Rock looking for palegics and an hour later diving with wild dolphins off Lanai. Mala Wharf is as amazing as almost any of the other dive spots with sharks, rays, turtles, frog fish and just about any other Hawaiian sea creature you can imagine!
Arc Eye hawkfish- Molokini
Un-puffed Puffer Fish