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two-weekthingandthatsjustthewayitissaysStark.ItsnotuncommonintheArcticfordaystopasswherecommercialflightsjustdonthappen.AnditsextremelycommonintheArctictohaveweatherconditionsthatwontallowahelicoptertotakeoff.Soanymedicalissuethatmayarisethroughdivingiscompoundedbytheremoteness.Fortunatelywehavenothadanyincidentstodate.Additionallytheisolationoftheregioncanresultinmechanicaldeficiencieswhenitcomestomakingrepairsonequipmentthatwillinevitablyfailduetotheextremecold.Becauseofthisitwouldbewiseforadivertobecomefamiliarwiththelocalsinthecommunityinwhichheoperates.ItellmyguystomakefriendswiththemechanicattheairstripandhellbeyourbestsourceforpartssaysStark.Ifthereisadoctorinthecommunitymakehimawareofyouandreasonablyawareofwhatyouaredoinguptheresothatheisnotsurprisedwhensomebodygetsdraggedinwithamedicalproblemrelatedtodiving.Beingthatfarnorthtemperaturesplummetandthenightsarelong.Thiswillcreateexcruciatingultra-coldconditionsfordivingcrews.Becauseofthiscoldalmostalloftheequipmentneedstobeshroudedorkeptindoorstoremainfunctional.Wevehadcrewsworkingat-60andyoujustcantgetalotdonebecausetheequipmentdoesntwanttoworkwhenitsthatcoldsaysStark.Youhavelessthanthreehoursofdaylightduringthewintersoyoufindyourselfworkingoffofheadlightsandlightstandardsmoreoftenthannot.Everythingisdrivenbytheconditionsupthere.Undertheicepackofupto30feetofpermanenticetheconditionsareforthemostpartexcellentwithavisibilityofupto200to300feetandwithgenerallynegligibletidalforces.IronicallyhoweverthewateroftheArcticOceanisntallthatmuchcolderwhencomparedtotherestofthecountryfallingtoapproximately-2.ItreallydoesntseemtomatterawholehellofalotwhetheritissaltwaterorfreshwateritwillstilltakethewarmthoutofyouthesamewaysaysStark.Waterisacaloricsinktransferringheat25timesfasterthanair.Waterat-2onyourskinfeelsjustlikegettingburned.Ifyouweretotakeyourgloveoffinthatkindofwateratthattemperatureyouwillhaveamatterofsecondsbeforeyouvebasicallygotauselesslumpofwoodonyourwrist.BattlingbrineacrossCanadaThefinalcoldwaterconditionthatwillposeachallengetodiversisnotuniquetoanyoneregionofCanada.Brineconditionscanbefoundacrossthecountryandarelocatedwherethereissimplyahighersalinitytothewaterwhetheritisinanoceanicorindustrialsetting.Thebrineitselfisdenseandhasahighspecificgravitymakingitmoredifficulttosubmerge.Alsothehigherconcentrationofcalciumchloridefoundinbrineallowsittodropwellbelow0onthecoverWhenitcomestomovingiceadiversbestprotectionfromtidalinfluencesisbeingawareoftheconditionsinwhichheisdiving.16www.cadc.caFallWinter2013PhotoprovidedbyCanadianWorkingDiversInstitute.