Scuba diving in January not uncommon, but still considered dangerous

HALES CORNERS (WITI) -- After hearing about the death of 32-year-old Steven LaLonde of Milwaukee, investigators say scuba diving in January isn't uncommon. However, some divers still say going in the water in the month of January could be dangerous.

FOX6 News spoke to a scuba diver with more than 30 years of experience, who trains people at all skill levels.

John Shuder from The Underwater Connection says only the most elite divers go into the lake when there's a sheet of ice covering the water.

He said the margin for error is slim, and when diving in January, you have to expect many things to go wrong.

"It's not if the equipment is going to have a problem, it's just when it is being tested to the nth degree," said Shuder.

He said LaLonde and the other well trained divers were probably wearing dry suits, which are custom for temperatures around freezing.

"The water is normally clearer than it would be in the summer because the ice does layer the top," said Shuder, describing conditions at Nagawicka Lake in Waukesha County. "That whole area could be 15 feet and then you get over it cliffs off to 80 or 90 feet."

Investigators say LaLonde became unhooked from a rope that connects divers, and initial indications point to a possible equipment issue.

Shuder says in cases of distress, you can't swim straight up to the top, but you have to come back where you came in.

"With ice diving that is taken away from you, where you have to go back to the hole," added Shuder.

During these months, Shuder says divers go into the water on a buddy system. They're all tethered together and they have backups for their equipment and you have multiple spotters on the surface. While all the details have not been released, Shuder says divers will learn from this tragic case.