TRINITY'S 1st Annual 2010/2011 Icing/ Anchoring Challenge

[Terry]

                    Good Evening John,
                                  Perhaps I can answer some of your questions, I personally haven't cut a square or rectangular hole, since darkhousing (spearing) with my father who has been dead for more then 26 years, we have used some, on rare occasion, typically offered by darkhousers, but I've not cut one. I understand groups like the GLSPS's reasoning for doing so, like this year on the Hercules where you have teams diving with the potential for multiple teams in the water/hole at one time. We (the G men :-\)  all dive alone, well except for the one dive I did with Young Joe on the Excelsior, a few weeks back, were we dive in pairs the hole is cut a bit bigger. So, if your challenged, and you start to pucker,  :-* John, you do have the hole to yourself. We are, up until the addition on my slightly stockier friend Robert, a thin group. I have had a request to make the hole larger for a class this winter and I did that. We are quite comfortable with the hole size, I believe, and will let the G-men weigh in on this.
                                  We all dive with side slung 30cf pony's, thats required by us, and only makes good sense when diving alone. Decades ago I used a main tank mounted pony, but got away from it after going side slung due to the number of advantages it affords, especially under the ice, one being jockyability in the hole. We normally attach to the safety chain rings on one of the truck hitches with locking biners, rather then ice screws, just because its quick and easy, where the trucks are not there, as on Prior and Elmo we use screws. We always push the block down, and have all done so, alone, (surprising easy, lol, with a drysuit on) I work in the heavy union trades, and can not justify the risk/strain/potential back blowout of two guys wrestling a block out while standing on wet ice, one bad slip and your work days could be done, for good. We do lasso the block, and remove the diver from the hole before pulling the block back towards the hole, and keep someone with a spud at the ready if the block were to follow the diver. The torch is used used as a multi purpose tool to start the stove for heating water, to light the heater, and on occasion to warm a zipper. Viking makes a good suit, it is interesting to read about its warrantee period in different chemicals, I seem to recall something like 8 hours in 54% sulfuric acid, been very happy with mine, drys quick, cleans easy, patches easy, if only it would talc and lube its own zippers, and was impressed with Steves free replacement after 3 years. I will be happy to discuss, and think we should, these and our other techniques with you and Nate at the,,,,, "awards ceremony".
                                   I would like to say,  that I've been icing since Jan 18, 1981 ,( my 12th dive), and what works for us may not work for other groups. My name has been on this since the beginning, and my opinion is nothing more then that. It is important to know the skills and more importantly the limitations of those you venture out onto, and under the ice with.      TRINITY