These voyages are not for beginners, you’ll have to be an experienced diver (Open Water Advanced) and must be familiar with cold water diving and dry suit diving (at least 20 dives). Before departure you will have to show an internationally accepted diving certificate, diver’s log book and your Personal Information Form a health statement stating that you are physically healthy to practice scuba diving.
The voyage will start with a check-dive so all divers can get used to the cold water and adjust their weights and equipment. Before each dive, there will be a briefing about the location of the site, the weather and ice conditions and the procedure of the dive.

Participants must demonstrate capability in the primary skills required by cold water diving:

Cleaning the mask out of water;
Changing the main regulator to the reserve one and vice versa;
Tapping into the buddy reserve regulator;
Conducting an emergency rising to the surface breathing by means of the buddy reserve regulator;
Controlling one's buoyancy;
Communicating with the buddy and with the tender;

Only for Ice Diving: Overturning upside down under ice and getting back to the standard position.

It will be necessary to demonstrate these abilities to the Dive Staff in the course of the check dive.
Divers without the necessary experience are kindly asked to abort diving and join the landpgramme for non-divers.

Diving in these remote Polar areas is no more dangerous than normal scuba diving as long as one important rule is adhered to: Safety First ! All divers looking for dangerous stunts or want to make deep dives are kindly asked to stay at home.
There is no decompression chamber, medical care in these polar regions is almost non-existent and there is hardly any infrastructure. Although we have a doctor on board the vessel for first aid assistance, we cannot accept risky ventures from any of our divers.

We dive in a 'buddy system'. If you don’t have a dive-buddy, one will be assigned to you. The divers are expected to be experienced enough to read their compass, depth gauges and look after each other in order to have a safe dive.
If our dive master feels that the diver does not meet the necessary experience, he can decide to exclude the diver from the dive program (this decision will be made for your own safety). In this case, Waterproof Expeditions cannot be held (financially) responsible and does not grant any claims. All divers are required to follow the instructions of the dive master and guides at all times. All participants are diving 100 % at their own risk, which is also the case while on land during the excursions.

We plan at least two dives per day (except for days at sea), but an exact number of dives cannot be given. It all depends on ice and weather conditions.

You must be in good physical and mental health. Any physical condition requiring special attention, diet, or treatment must be reported in writing when the reservation is made. Waterproof Expeditions reserves the right to decline acceptance of any person as a member of a program.