How often do you need a snow blower on a dive trip
Argonaut Conquers The Ice
Moderator: luis
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Bryan
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Argonaut Conquers The Ice
Test Diver Jim Bach (SwimJim) Takes the Argonaut under the ice at Fortune Pond Michigan. He has really run the gauntlet with this regulator as it's the same one he dove in Cozumel last November.
How often do you need a snow blower on a dive trip
How often do you need a snow blower on a dive trip
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Doing it right should include some common sense, not just blindly following specs and instructions. .Gary D, AWAP on SB
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swimjim
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Re: Argonaut Conquers The Ice
Friday March 28th, some of my dive buddies and myself went up to Fortune Pond to do an ice dive. Friday we did the prep work. I brought along my snow blower just in case. Good thing too, because there was 12 to 18 inches of snow where it wasn't drifted.
The main reason I wanted to do the ice dive was to test the Argonaut Kraken under "cold" conditions. Here it is mounted on an 80 with a VDH backplate. Note snow blower in the van. Not every day that I bring a snow blower on a dive!
There was 24 inches of ice on Fortune Pond that day. We use a gas powered auger to do the corners and an ice saw to cut out the triangle. It works just as fast as a chain saw and there is no oil in the hole when your finished.
Saturday we did our dives. Here I am in the hole, ready to go!
Once underneath we were greeted with super nice viz. The 37 degree water posed no challenge for the Kraken. Nice and smooth over this 30 minute dive. We had a 150 foot leash though. When the ice is off I'll take it deeper. Still we did get down 70 feet to the first major ledge. Here are a few underwater pic's.
The Kraken performed without a hitch. Super nice breather! I can't wait to get it underwater again!
The main reason I wanted to do the ice dive was to test the Argonaut Kraken under "cold" conditions. Here it is mounted on an 80 with a VDH backplate. Note snow blower in the van. Not every day that I bring a snow blower on a dive!
There was 24 inches of ice on Fortune Pond that day. We use a gas powered auger to do the corners and an ice saw to cut out the triangle. It works just as fast as a chain saw and there is no oil in the hole when your finished.
Saturday we did our dives. Here I am in the hole, ready to go!
Once underneath we were greeted with super nice viz. The 37 degree water posed no challenge for the Kraken. Nice and smooth over this 30 minute dive. We had a 150 foot leash though. When the ice is off I'll take it deeper. Still we did get down 70 feet to the first major ledge. Here are a few underwater pic's.
The Kraken performed without a hitch. Super nice breather! I can't wait to get it underwater again!
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SurfLung
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Re: Argonaut Conquers The Ice
- Bravo SwimJim and the Fabulous Deep Six Dive Club! Your dedication and expertise are to be commended. That's a long drive and a lot of preparation work but seeing the pictures, I wish I was there. Fortune Pond is calling me... 
- Proud to see the Argonaut Kraken being PROVEN in real life diving.
- Proud to see the Argonaut Kraken being PROVEN in real life diving.
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.
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swimjim
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Re: Argonaut Conquers The Ice
True, it's a lot of work, but it's well worth it. I didn't even mention the Chili and Bratwurst after the dives. There was a lot of other fine food as well, not to mention ice cold beer. We did it up right!
Jim
Jim
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luis
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Re: Argonaut Conquers The Ice
Wow... we don't have visibility like that in any of the ice dives I have done over here.
I really like the light shining through the ice with the arrow patterns. We have talked about snow blowing a pattern like that, but with our visibility there is not much of a point.
Thanks for the pictures.
I really like the light shining through the ice with the arrow patterns. We have talked about snow blowing a pattern like that, but with our visibility there is not much of a point.
Thanks for the pictures.
Luis
Buceador con escafandra autónoma clásica.
Buceador con escafandra autónoma clásica.
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sitkadiver
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Re: Argonaut Conquers The Ice
Great post Jim. Thanks for sharing. 
I do not believe in taking unnecessary risks, but a life without risk is not worth living. - Charles Lindbergh
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Robohips77
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Re: Argonaut Conquers The Ice
Awesome, Great pics. Classic picture of arrows pointing to the hole!
First dives? 1967 and I never lost the fever.
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JES
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Re: Argonaut Conquers The Ice
Jim, without question you are a Master of all things related to ice diving! 
Thank you for putting the Argonaut through its paces in this extreme environment.
Thank you for putting the Argonaut through its paces in this extreme environment.
NAVED Master Diver #108
'Anima Sana In Corpore Sano’
'Anima Sana In Corpore Sano’
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adairrj
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Re: Argonaut Conquers The Ice
Great!!! We don't have so many ice dives in Brazil!
Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks for sharing!!
*******Adair*******
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swimjim
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Re: Argonaut Conquers The Ice
[video]http://youtu.be/vUFYXNFLHJQ[/video]
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adairrj
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Re: Argonaut Conquers The Ice
Very nice! Great visibility! One day I'd like to do an ice dive!!!
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing!
*******Adair*******
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swimjim
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Re: Argonaut Conquers The Ice
We'll have to plan something for March 2015!adairrj wrote:Very nice! Great visibility! One day I'd like to do an ice dive!!!
Thanks for sharing!
Jim
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luis
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Re: Argonaut Conquers The Ice
That is a nice little video. Great visibility!
Thanks Jim.
Thanks Jim.
Luis
Buceador con escafandra autónoma clásica.
Buceador con escafandra autónoma clásica.
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