Domestic Stories

Naval Port Inspection Divers Breaking the Ice

By Lt(N) Colin Stewart and PO2 Brad Gillespie

Credit:  A/SLt Chris Funk Master Seaman Edison of HMCS Chippawa assists Leading Seaman Donald of HMCS York with final pre-dive checks before entering the icy waters during a recent national ice diving exercise. Ice thickness was measured at 51 cm.

HMCS CHIPPAWA -- “A member of port security has fallen through the ice!” With that, the orders for a rescue mission began. The kit was gathered and loaded onto arctic toboggans for deployment to the accident scene. The cross-country trek would be challenging. A typical winter rescue? Not quite.

This remote deployment was part of a national ice diving exercise after a week of intensive training. From March 11-20, 35 Naval Port Inspection Divers from across Canada converged on HMC Ships Winnipeg and Chippawa to take part in this activity. For many of the participants, it was their first time experiencing ice diving; for those from the West coast, it was their first time experiencing cold weather.

The exercise began with a basic orientation to cold weather, along with personal and diving kit checks and familiarization. This was followed by two days of ice penetration diving. The members were taught how to establish a basic ice diving site and procedures for ice dives. Preparing an ice diving site involves cutting a hole in the ice that can be over two ft. thick, so a number of additional safety and operational concerns are involved. Each participant completed several ice dives.

The participants were then given a chance to warm up, as the next three days were spent indoors in lectures on various aspects of cold weather operations.

The highlight of the lectures included one delivered by Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht, a.k.a. Dr. Popsicle, of David Letterman Show fame, on cold weather immersion and related subject areas. The lectures were attended not only by Canadian Forces members, but also Winnipeg City Police divers, police dog handlers, and Ground Search and Rescue Teams.

Following the lectures, the focus shifted to cold weather weapons operations. Participants received instruction on cold weather maintenance and operation of the Sig Sauer 9mm pistol and C7 rifle, followed by a visit to the St. Charles range for basic and dynamic weapons training.

Concluding activities included the simulated recovery of a Port Security member who had fallen through the ice. Once the teams arrived at their designated locations, the hole was cut in the ice and rescue operations commenced. Upon successful recovery of the victim, teams then had to return across country with all their diving gear in tow.

The exercise allowed participants to obtain a competent level of ice diving operations and increased awareness of new techniques and strategies in remote diving operations.

Lt(N) Stewart is the Unit Information Officer at HMCS Chippawa. PO2 Gillespie is the Dive Petty Officer at HMCS Chippawa and a member of the Winnipeg Police Service K-9 Unit.

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