Ice Drilling - Large Holes
Steve Sweet

Large sized ice holes are required for our diver assisted sampling program and large holes are drilled through the ice using a Reed drill, a track mounted hydraulic auger 4 feet in diameter. It is towed to the site with a bulldozer. Drilling site preparation requires a bulldozer to clear the snow off the ice providing the Reed drill a stable platform for drilling. The drill is positioned over the location and outriggers are extended to stabilize the drilling rig as shown below:

Ralph operating the Reed Drill with Rob standing by to assist with operations.

Once the drilling rig is positioned, the rotating auger is lowered through the ice. Periodically the auger needs to be cleared of the cut ice as the side of the hole becomes encircled with a mound of small ice chips. A channel is made using a shovel to

The Reed Drill hole during drilling operations.

allow the seawater to flow out of the hole and to clear out some of the trash ice in the hole. A completed hole showing the water channel.

Clearing the hole is performed by raising the auger from the deeper ice column above the hole and "spinning" the auger until it is free of all ice and snow debris. The ice was almost 3 meters thick at our sampling locations this year, thus requiring the auger to be cleared three or four times before the drilling of the hole is completed. Once completed, a dip net is used to clear the hole of any residual ice and snow.
  Sally Morehead clearing a completed hole of residual ice and snow.

Following completion of the hole, the bulldozer clears the area around it for placement of the fish hut that acts as the field operations center for the diving activities.

Ralph positioning the fish hut over the completed hole.