Adventures of an icebreaker: Diving in ice water

Senior Chief Petty Officer Donald Selby, a member of HEALY’s temporary regional dive locker team, participates in a familiarization dive in the Chukchi Sea on August 5, 2021.

The icebreaker Healy is far enough north to be in ice. In these photos divers are inspecting the ship for possible damage.

HEALY’s temporary regional dive locker team conducts a familiarization dive in the Chukchi Sea on August 5, 2021.

The crew aboard Coast Guard Cutter Healy, a 420’ medium icebreaker, is currently in the Arctic conducting high latitude science and research missions. 

HEALY’s temporary regional dive locker team conducts a familiarization dive in the Chukchi Sea on July 26, 2021.

During the Healy’s Northwest Passage deployment, the crew is blended with personnel from other commands, branches of service, federal organizations and scientists from several universities, such as these NOAA divers.

NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps serve on the sea, on land, and in the air to support NOAA's environmental science and stewardship mission.