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Diving in the lake Sunday 'lets you know you're alive' (8 photos)

On one of the coldest days of the winter, a few guys decided it was a good day to jump into Lake Simcoe

On one of the coldest days of the winter, a few guys decided it was a good day to jump in Lake Simcoe.

What looked like a first-responders' training session was later explained by scuba enthusiast Richard Notter as just some guys trying to get some dive time in.

“This is about 80 per cent social and 20 per cent diving,” Notter said. “We’re just a group of guys out doing some ice diving; no organizations or anything like that. We’re a few like-minded individuals with our own gear and known each other for a long time and this is a great day to say you dove.

"It lets you know you’re alive.”

The temperature on Sunday was minus-22 degrees Celsius, but felt more like minus-35. 

Dave Schranz said that as he was suiting up, he couldn’t wait to get in the lake and warm up.

“This is absolutely the coldest we have ever dived, but the water will be warmer than the air our here, so I can’t wait to jump in,” said Schranz.

“We have so many checks to do on everything because anything could freeze up and you have to go with your back-up," he added. "We’re boiling water in the tent because when we get out, we’ll have to pour the water on the zippers to be able to get them open.”

Schranz was the first one in and looked around a little underwater, but Notter’s outfit malfunctioned the second he jumped in, with water flooding into his suit forcing him to get out and end his diving day.


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Shawn Gibson

About the Author: Shawn Gibson

Shawn Gibson is a staff writer based in Barrie
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