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Russian North and especially Republic of Karelia are very potential regions in the area of tourism. But they don't realize all the potentials because of that winter there takes 9 months, making most part of the year low season for most tour services, except White Sea ice-diving, unique local tour service, drawing attention of divers from Russia, America and Europe. Winter diving in USA and Europe deals with fresh water lakes, which look rather boring in winter from the inside. Here in White Sea, all sea flora and fauna appear in all their glory in unusually crystal water, with 50 meters visibility, and all of it happens under arches and vaults of ice, forming fantastic and surrealistic forms.
Sea animals in the White Sea aren't so bright as in Egypt, or Caribbean, but white whales and seals won't leave you indifferent. Moreover, special services deal with these wondrous animals. Although most visitors of such centers are divers, guided excursions and even children services are provided there. Besides diving, you will enjoy such amenities of nature as polar lights, watch seals and sea birds, ski, ride snow mobile, watch and take photos of sea animals in aquarium, providing excellent conditions for macro and Ice-Snorkeling. The ice-diving season take place from February to April, it is tied with light day duration on the Polar Circle.
What is ice diving in the White Sea? It is majestic beauty of White Sea, with its fantastic ice architecture of ice arch of the sea, ice hummocks and cavities - eat your heart out bio architects! All of it rises to view in crystal water, visibility of which is fantastic: 25 - 50 meters. It is possible in salty and cold very water only. Under the iced vaults you will see soft corals and wide variety of fish species, starfishes, urchins, crabs, sea anemones and shrimps. The landscape will appear in the form of underwater rocks and rifts with their inhabitants like catfish, grouper, flounder, sculpin, eelpout, maslyuk fish and pinogor fish, moreover, you will see wrecks!
Among diving tour of Karelia are to be mentioned Nereis, organized and exploited by St. Petersburg residents and Polar Circle, founded on the basis of Moscow State University diving club. Both centers provide comfortable accommodation, contrasting with level service of the region in the whole, because quality, safety and professionalism are appreciated here. It is possible, because high season is here all the year: many services function in summer as well.
Among the extra services are fishing, traditional net ice fishing as well, tours to Russian coast-dwellers' villages and Saami settlement of Lovozero with a reindeerrr farm, to Solovky Isles, hiking ansafari. Guides and instructors are well-trained and English-speaking.
The important thing is that winter diving is available for certified divers only, having ICE DIVER PADI or DRY SUIT PADI and to be ready to demonstrate your skills to the instructor.
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