A trip through the ice.

Every year the best training we do is our dive locker brief followed, often the next day, by a check out dive. This dive is to make sure that everyone is comfortable in their gear and ready to go off and science. As this is my 9th dive season down here, I was able to jump in the water first to shake off the cobwebs.

I got to dive with my friends and colleagues Alex Brett, Steve Rupp, and Rob Robbins. Alex and Steve are the dive supervisors down here, and Rob is the dive safety officer who oversees the whole Antarctic Dive program.

Somewhat entertainingly, this was also Rob’s check out dive - although he has dove here more than 2,500 times. Needless to say, none of us were surprised that he was pretty comfortable in the water and for me, it was like returning home. I love this place.

As a check out dive, we don’t bring any cameras along since the goal is to become either acquainted or re-aquanted with the cold water. But on a subsequent dive I was able to capture some images of the amazing underwater animals and landscapes.