Only a handful of ships visit these untouched and remote parts of our planet, the icy world of the Arctic and Antarctic.
The Dutch Company Oceanwide Expedition has been conducting trips in both regions for several years. No luxury cruise ships are being used, but purpose built Russian sturdy research vessels, which have been converted to provide basic comfort on these spectacular journeys. Diving is only a part of the cruises for those who like to and are experienced in cold water diving. Nature and wildlife tours are a big part on these excursions. During December and January no diving is offered at all.
Diving is only possible on some excursions and to participate in diving ventures in this part of the world, one must be experienced in drysuit and ice diving. Appropriate certificates, logbooks, and a Medical Dive Certificate must be provided to the staff on the ship prior to departure. No decompression facilities are availability in these remote areas.
Dive area
Arctic Diving: In the Atlantic waters Oceanwide expeditions offer the regular zodiac diving as well as wreck diving. The dives in the Polar areas vary from shallow ice diving, whereby you will dive near or under the ice-floes (approx. 30 feet) to shore diving, whereby you dive to approximately 30 to 60 feet. The combination of sunlight, sea water and the often extraordinary formations of ice causes an overwhelming, ever-changing spectra of colours, with a fantastic variety of shades and brilliance.
While snorkelling or diving along the ice-floes, you will be amazed and never forget these deep blue colours. In the Atlantic water you may observe typical marine life such as sea squirts, squat lobsters, many species of star fish, spider crabs, soft corals, anemones, peacock worms, and dogfish.
Diving in the Arctic does not only offer ice, but also an interesting marine life, such as kelp walls, sea-snails, crabs, sea butterflies, various Arctic fish, shrubby horse-tails, jelly-fishes, sea-hedgehogs and starfishes. In Spitsbergen we may dive with seals.
The schedule during the expeditions depends always on the constantly changing weather and ice conditions. Short-term changes in the program are not unusual because of changing conditions. The ice is constantly moving and the situation during a dive can change at any time. The more experienced cold water and ice diver one is, the better. A very high experience level is necessary to dive the Arctic waters.
