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somebenefitstooperatinginthewintersuchasbetteraccesstoremotelocationsandeasierdeliveryofmaterials.IfwecanwewillactuallyleavesomejobsuntilthewintersetsinsaysHay.Whenwelaypipelinesinthewinteryoucanjustsetthepipeacrosstheice.Youdonthavetoworryaboutgettingbargesinorbeconcernedaboutwindydays.Infactforsomeofthejobswedowecantevengetintothesiteuntilitfreezesbecauseoftheneedforiceroadsitsnotlikeyoucanflyinabunchofeight-inchpipe.WhistlingwindsontheprairiesWinterdivingincentralCanadaisforthemostpartthesameasdivinginanyoftheothercoldwaterconditionsacrossthenationatleastbelowthesurface.Ontheicehoweverthebarrensurroundinglandscapeabovethetree-lineprovidesanumberofissuesfordivingcrews.AtsomeoftheremotesitesyouareupagainstmanyofthesamethingsasinotherareasexceptthatitmightbecoldersaysGarthHiebertpresidentofDominionDivers.Thewindisprettymuchunimpededforthousandsofmilesastherearentanytreestospeakof.Onacoldwind-sweptstretchoflakewithverylittlesnowinsulationyouresometimesforcedtocuticeasthickasfivefeetjusttogetdownatthewater.Goingintotheriversoftheprairiescanbedemandingonthediverevenatthebestoftimes.Inthesummerthewatertendstobecloggedwithsiltandsedimentalmostcompletelyabsorbingthelightfromabove.Itsnotmuchbetterinthewinterwhenthevisibilityincreasesslightlybecauseoficeallowingthedivertoseeacoupleofinchesinanydirection.Additionallythetemperatureofthewaterseemstodropasitmovespastthediversimulatingawind-chillbelowthesurface.Ifyouareworkinginshallowerdepthsandespeciallyinmovingwaterthewaterseemstobeabletogetsuper-chilledandcanactuallygetlowerthanitnormallywouldsaysHiebert.Youdefinitelytendtofeelthedifference.Youneedtokeepactivebecauseifyouarenotworkinghardyoureallydogetcolderfaster.Whenyoucombineextremelycoldweatherconditionswithquicklymovingwaterlikewhenitflowsoverthetopofadamicecanpropagateandformwhatiscalledfrazzleice.Thisfrazzleicethenclumpsintoballsofslushwhichcanposearealproblemforhydrogeneratingstationsbyblockingintakevalves.TheseslushballsthatformareverystickyandveryheavysaysHiebert.Sometimesitsmucheasiertogetintotheslushthangetoutofitjustbecauseofhowheavyitis.Youcanfindyourselfhavingtogothroughfromanywherebetweenfiveto10feetofthisstuff.Andbecausetheslushislighterthanthewaterittendstobesuspendedtowardthesurface.ItisreallymorelikedivingthroughaSlurpeethanopenwater.TrickytidesinBCSomemightsaythatBritishColumbiaisoftenlookeddownuponbyfellowCanadiansforhavingamildersomemightevensaynon-existentwinterwhencomparedtotherestofthecountry.WhileaveragetemperatureswillnotdroptotheextremelowsoftheirprovincialneighboursBCdoeshaveitsfairshareofcoldwinterconditions.TheverylargelakessuchastheOkanaganmayhavesomefreezingontheshorelinebutrarelytowardthemiddlesaysGlennCostellopresidentofVancouver-basedCanPacDiversInc.Itjusthardlyevergetscoldenoughtoputicecoveroverthewholelake.ButwhenyougetintonorthernBCorwithsmallerlakesthatsadifferentthingaltogetherandtheywillfreezeover.Alongthecoastdiverswillneedtocontendwithhighcurrentsroughseasandtidalforcesthatfluctuatewiththeseasons.Insomecasesthetidescancausethesurfacetoriseandfallupto15feetandcausesignificantproblemsfordiversthroughnarrowoutlets.InVancouverwegetfirstandsecondnarrowsandthetidewillrunuptosevenknotsthroughthemsaysCostello.Adiversimplycantworkinanythingpast1.5knots.Anythingabovethatandhewillbeholdingonbyhisfingernails.LikethemovingiceinQuebecadivercanbestprotecthimselffromthetidalinfluencesbybeingawareoftheconditionsinwhichheisdiving.BeingpreparedandknowledgeableonthecoverWhendivinginthecoldthereisalotmorepreparationanditcansometimestakehourslongertogetequipmentupandrunning.DivinginLakeErieinFebruary.PhotoprovidedbyASIGroupLtd.14www.cadc.caFallWinter2013PhotoprovidedbyExpertechMarine.