It’s known as the Zen Dive. The requirements are a bright clear day, blue skies and sun, shining through the ice on the surface of Lost Lake. While underneath the ice, the view is blue-green and horizontal. The refraction from the sun makes the entire lake seem as though it was lit by neon lights. A PADI ice diving course will soon be offered in Whistler. A first for Lost Lake, which is more than 100 feet deep, the half-hour long dive requires perfect conditions, a lot of rigging and ocean diving gear. The course was started in Kamloops last year, providing a chance for certified divers to become speciality ice divers, or to just experience the unique dive. "The Zen Dive is like parachuting," says Doug Harwood, who has been diving for 28 years. "You just have to do it once and you may never have to do it again. It’s stepping into the unknown, challenging skills, mental strength and preparedness. It adjusts where you’re at in life. We won’t be down there looking at wrecks, we’ll just be hanging around going ‘ohm...’" Interested participants must be certified divers. To register, contact Doug Harwood, 932-0357.
