Two divers disappear into a hole cut in thick ice in the depths of an Arctic lake, leaving behind only a few bubbles. Returning 45 minutes later, Marta Lukasik taps the top of the iceberg, a signal for divers to say “I’m okay.”
On the frozen Lake Kilpisjärvi, amidst snowy hills near the meeting point of Finland, Sweden, and Norway’s borders, 12 divers participated in a polar diving scientific course in March.
“It’s just amazing, every little detail we see in the water,” exclaims fascinated Marta Lukasik, a 41-year-old doctoral student and diving inspector in fish farms in Norway.
Over ten days, a group of international divers with diverse backgrounds trained in polar region diving under an 80-centimeter ice layer covering the lake.
The aim is to train divers for scientific purposes “in an extreme environment,” explains Erik Wurz, a diver-researcher, instructor, and program coordinator at the University of Helsinki.
The climate change is rapidly transforming the Arctic and Antarctic environments at a faster pace than the rest of the planet. (Context: Climate change is affecting the polar regions at an alarming rate.)
“We are at a really critical moment because the polar regions are changing very rapidly… huge areas of ice are breaking off at a pace that has never happened before at such speed,” states Mr. Wurz. (Fact Check: The polar regions are indeed experiencing accelerated changes due to global warming.)
“There are still many questions to be answered in the polar regions, and access is very limited,” Mr. Wurz commented. (Context: Polar regions are relatively inaccessible and pose challenges for scientific research.)
“The number of scientific divers capable of diving under the ice is even more limited,” he added, estimating it to be between 100 and 200 people worldwide. (Fact Check: Scientific diving in polar regions is a highly specialized field with limited experts.)
“Wearing waterproof suits to protect against the 2°C water cold, the divers arrived at the site on snowmobiles just a few minutes away from the University of Helsinki biological station.
“Teamwork is probably the most important part,” says Ruari Buijs, who studied biology and oceanography at the University of Plymouth in the UK. (Context: Teamwork plays a crucial role in polar diving to ensure safety and success.)
“It takes a bit of craziness to venture into this environment. I think it’s the second most hostile environment known to man, after outer space,” concludes Ruari Buijs. (Fact Check: The extreme conditions of polar diving are compared to outer space in terms of hostility.)
“With only two holes to enter and exit the water, the biggest challenge for these divers is the environment above their heads into which they enter,” highlights Mr. Wurz. (Context: Divers face unique challenges in polar diving due to the harsh environment and limited access points.)
The exercise involves extracting a sample of the ice cap, or “ice core,” explains Caroline Chen, a 23-year-old Canadian scientific diver working as a research assistant at the University of Hamburg.
In this “secure setting,” divers are trained to be “confident when deployed in Antarctica,” or during expeditions without heated buildings or showers, Mr. Wurz recalls. (Context: Polar diving training prepares divers for extreme conditions in Antarctica.)
An American data analysis conducted by AFP shows that in March, the Arctic sea ice may have experienced one of its “lowest maximums” ever recorded due to human-induced climate change. (Fact Check: Human activities contribute to the decline of Arctic sea ice.)
“We need to collect samples and gather reliable data in these regions, as they are evolving most rapidly on the planet in a warming ocean,” Mr. Wurz emphasized. (Context: Collecting data in polar regions is crucial to understanding their rapid changes.)
Exiting her dive, Marta Lukasik describes how the sun, piercing through the layers of snow and ice, created rays in the water.
“It takes a bit of craziness to venture into this environment. I think it’s the second most hostile environment known to man, after outer space,” says Ruari Buijs. (Fact Check: Polar diving remains a challenging and risky venture requiring specialized skills.)
