State Police Dive Teams Train in Frigid Waters

State police dive teams have been training this month in the frigid waters of Moosehead Lake. It’s an annual event that involves dive teams from several states coming together to brave dangerously cold water. Just the thought of it makes me want to run for the nearest heat source!

Members of the Maine State Police dive teams have been joined by a team from Connecticut this week, training at Moosehead Lake in Greenville. Next week, they’ll add a team from Rhode Island to their ranks.

It’s been an incredibly cold winter and that’s reflected in the water temperatures. Public Safety Spokesman Steve McCausland says the teams have been diving in 32 degree water, about 100 yards from the shore off West Cove in Greenville Junction. The ice is about two feet thick under a heavy snow cover and the water depth has been about 30 feet.

While I know they have all the necessary equipment and are trained to deal with such extreme conditions, it still makes me shiver just to think about it. Great respect goes to these folks. And we’re sure glad they’re around!