"Everyone Thinks We’re Crazy. But it’s a Lot of Fun": Arctic Kingdom on Discovery Channel’s Daily Planet

May 19th, 2009 | By Nora Sawyer | Filed in ACTIVITIES, AK NEWS, Diving, FEATURED, Films, Media, Recent Trips, Team Interviews, TRIPS

One of the draws of diving under the ice is the visibility — the colder water is, the clearer it gets, making winter one of the best times to view underwater sites such as the St. Lawrence River’s shipwrecks and lost villages.

But ice diving can be dangerous, particularly in the kind of conditions found on the St Lawrence River in the wintertime: a mix of water, frozen water, and thin ice as well as layers of solid ice several inches thick. Add to that the fact that the water beneath the ice is moving (this is a river, after all), and you’ve got some seriously challenging dive logistics.

It’s factors like these that inspired Arctic Kingdom to have an Airboat custom-built specifically for ice diving expeditions. Because the Airboat can travel across all types of ice and water, we’re able to traverse the river safely, and dive remote areas never before accessible during the winter months. And, by utilizing rebreathers, we’re able to stay beneath the water longer, enjoying the “crystal world” to the fullest.

The Discovery Channel’s Daily Planet crew recently followed some of Arctic Kingdom’s team as they scouted out new ice dive sites via Airboat on the icy St. Lawrence. The resulting video shows a lot of what makes AK dives so special: rebreather technology, expedition leaders with extensive experience in the field, and, as highlighted in the video, the unstoppable Airboat, able to traverse all sorts of winter conditions easily and (if I may) pretty darn stylishly. Check out the video, and see for yourself!

Want to join the fun? It’s too late to join us on the St Lawrence this year, but we’re already accepting bookings for next winter’s trips! Find out more about Ice Diving on the St Lawrence on the Trips page.