“We are trying to change the consciousness of the Canadian people, and awaken them to the fact that almost half of their country is underwater, and it needs exploration, and management, and understanding. I do dramatic things to draw attention to the fact that we need this kind of exploration. We need to have young Canadians involved in this kind of challenge, and what better way to be able to do it than to pick the pinnacle of diving that is the North Pole.” — Dr. Joseph MacInnis | Arctic IV | National Film Board of Canada (1974)
Dr. Joseph MacInnis (Canada), and Canadian Geological Survey divers Dr. Patrick McLaren and David Frobel – Although several recent expeditions have laid claim to being the first to dive at the North Pole, the first dives at the top of the world were conducted during the Arctic IV Expedition led by Dr. Joseph MacInnis in 1974. Ice thickness was over 2 m (6.5 ft). The objectives of the Canadian Geological Survey divers, which took part in Dr. MacInnis’ expedition in Resolute Bay and at the North Pole from April 19 to May 3, 1974, were (1) to obtain diving experience in Arctic water with a professional diving team; (2) to assess the feasibility of performing simple measurement and sampling techniques underwater; and (3) to make observations on sea ice and sediment pertinent to drift-ice geological processes.
