For our dive and photography expeditions to Spitsbergen we use ice-strengthened polar vessels well suited to our purpose. Our mission is the exploration of Svalbard's environment. Underwater, kayaking, on land and cruising. Truly a unique experience for the advanced divers, photographers and adventurous travellers.

We are effectively running two trips in one each with their own dedicated guides. One underwater for our experienced polar divers and one topside for our ‘explorers’. For the 'explorers' we run much smaller groups at a landing site or on a zodiac cruise, often between 10-20 guests, compared with 100 or much more for 'normal' expedition vessels. These small numbers give us exceptional freedom for longer exploratory zodiac cruises. On the landing sites our 'footprint' is very small – we are few enough to cause virtually no disturbance, leaving us with more rewarding interactions with the wildlife and even more of a feeling of being in our own personal wilderness.

For the advanced diver, Spitsbergen is an amazing experience. The kelp beds of north and east Spitsbergen offer protection to sea-bottom life such as sea anemones, sea stars, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, shrimps and fish. As the polar dive experts, with many years experience of extreme situations, we are trained to search out the best opportunities for diving, taking into account the unpredictable weather and ice conditions, whilst maintaining the highest level of safety in combination with quality diving.
Diving is in a controlled environment around small grounded icebergs, diving from the shore, a zodiac or an ice shell. Waterproof Expeditions has exclusively developed the Padi Polar Diver Specialty, only available on our trips below 60 degrees south (Antarctica) and above the Arctic Circle.

The marine fauna of Svalbard is regarded as Arctic, but there is a similarity between the marine fauna of Svalbard and areas along the Norwegian coast. However, some of the common invertebrates in Svalbard waters are truly Arctic species. Also the drift ice and the possible presence of Walrus and Polar Bears in the water, makes diving in Svalbard a true Arctic experience.

Diving conditions during summer time and early autumn are similar to conditions in Northern Norway. Melting snow and ice might cause poor visibility in certain areas as does the intense production of phytoplankton on the west coast of Spitsbergen.
To find the best diving conditions in an area, it is therefore necessary to have experience and knowledge about the oceanography and the area.

The dive operations managed by the Waterproof Expedition team, relies on more than 15 years of experiences in Polar diving and is organized by polar dive experts who have experienced many extreme situations in the field and who are trained to search out the best opportunities for diving, taking into account the unpredictable weather and ice conditions. We maintain the highest level of safety in combination with quality diving.
We don’t dive through a wide hole in the ice (no ice diving !), but in a controlled environment, from the shore or a zodiac or an ice shell.

Trip Itineraries are a guideline. We will always try to hold to the itinerary as much as possible, but SAFETY is number one. Since this is an expedition to a remote part of the world, unpredictable weather-, wind- and ice conditions beyond our control will always dictate when its safe to make a dive.
Although the diving you will be doing while in the Polar Regions are not really considered "technical" in professional diving terminology, the conditions and gear required to dive safety do require a fair bit of experience and training.

It is therefore extremely important that you, prior to coming on the trip, have acquired all the appropriate equipment needed for diving in Polar Regions, and that adequate training and experience is gained in the use of new and unfamiliar equipment. In order to avoid any unnecessary problems you should complete several dives with all the equipment you intend to use, prior to your voyage.
You can find further details on what to bring, in the section Diving Equipment, or contact our office for more details.

Since diving is an equipment intensive activity, diving in Polar Regions requires an extensive amount of additional equipment because of the cold weather and water, and a higher level of diving experience because of the remote location involved. You will find more detailed information on Polar Diving Procedures in our section Travel Resources. Diving is no fun if you are cold and uncomfortable. Divers in cold water may have a higher air consumption rate, expend more energy, and can become more fatigued. Cold water also decreases a diver's ability to perform complex tasks that require manual dexterity.