Ten scuba divers threw caution to the wind on Sunday to attempt their first-ever ice dive. These experienced divers, all with at least 20 previous dives under their belts, bundled up early in the morning and headed to Phillip's Quarry, located on Washington Street.
"In an overhead environment, there's only one way in and one way out," Dick Schwalm, YMCA scuba instructor, said. "Panic is not an option."
In order to keep panic to a minimum and inform the divers on what they would be doing, they all had to attend a special course Saturday at Tom Leaird's Underwater Service, where they were taught the specifics of ice diving.
The class included lectures on ice diving equipment, physiology of cold stress, and dive site preparation and planning. The divers ended the day with pool exercises and a written test. All of these precautions were taken to ensure a safe dive at the quarry Sunday morning.
Ice diving is not any more difficult than regular diving, said Carol Reed, a professor of physical education at Ball State and one of the instructors for the ice diving class. There is just more equipment and more specialized things you need to know.
At the quarry the brisk winter air buzzed with nervous conversation.
"It's more excitement then nervousness," said Muncie resident Kent Farra.
Fellow Muncie resident Ian McIvr said that he was excited but the cold, extra equipment, and the thought of an overhead environment made him nervous.
"Up is always air, but up isn't air here," said diver Loretta Hall, of Lynn.
Even with all of their reservations, the students still wanted to go ahead with the dive. Some students were doing it for the thrill, but most said that it was something new they wanted to try.
After two large triangular shaped holes were cut into the five-inch-thick ice the divers changed into their wetsuits.
According to Dr. Kent Bullis, the director of the Health Center at Ball State, the wet suits trap a layer of water between a diver's body and the suit. The diver's body heat warms the water, which in turn keeps the body warm.
With all of their gear on and everything in place, each diver and their buddy descended into the frigid dark water one by one. The first dive was for practice with an instructor; the second was a free dive with only their buddy.
For safety, each of the divers was tied to lines that were tended by experienced divers on the surface.
Once out of the water and back on the land, Jason Dilts, a medical student at IUPUI, said, "It was cold, but not too bad. There was not as much shock as I expected.
"The coolest part was looking up at the ice from underneath."
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