LAC Marcus Fillinger (right) and Tony Hall prepare to descend into the icy depths on a recent diving expedition to the Arctic Circle. (Photograph by LAC Marcus Fillinger).

For Leading Aircraftman Marcus Fillinger and dive partner, New Zealander Tony Hall, getting to their next frozen diving destination will be half the adventure.

The pair, both experienced ice-divers, depart in late April to explore the depths in the Arctic Circle and hopefully become the first Aussie and Kiwi to dive the Magnetic and Geographic North Poles.

A series of lengthy flights will take them from Sydney to Ottawa via Honolulu and Vancouver. With a plethora of diving gear, camera equipment and a couple of skidoos in tow, Marcus and Tony will then fly to the town of Iqaluit on Baffin Island in Arctic Canada.

From there they hop to the small port of Resolute, on Cornwallis Island, where they will base themselves before heading out onto the ice floe on skidoo for their ultimate destination - Magnetic North (N81 degrees - W110 degrees).

There, the second - and most important - part of their adventure begins as the intrepid duo plumbs the icy depths, taking still shots and filming scenes for a planned documentary and a book.

With air temperatures ranging between minus 15 and minus 40 degrees Celsius, and the water a bone-chilling minus two degrees, diving isn't an activity that would be in the forefront of most people's minds, but try telling that to Marcus and Tony.

'Being under the ice, seeing the ice formations and currents gives you a real buzz,' Marcus, a Dive Master and active Reservist, enthused. 'Camping out on the ice and experiencing things like 24 hours of daylight…it's just an amazing part of the world.'

Next month's trip will be Arctic adventure number two for Marcus and Tony, who have racked up a total of 390 ice dives between them.

The plan is to become the first of their countrymen to dive the Magnetic North Pole, a feat they hope to replicate at the Magnetic South Pole down the track.

While he's champing at the bit to don his dry suit and full-face dive mask and hit the water, Marcus is fully aware that many obstacles could stand in their way come April.

Once they leave Resolute, the pair will have to cover about 580 kilometres across the ice. But with the frozen ocean moving constantly due to currents, vast leads and pressure ridges can quickly form, creating a natural barrier to their destination.

'When you come across an open space of water 50 metres wide, you may have to go kilometres out of your way to go around it, and that can be soul destroying,' Marcus said.

He said he's heard of at least three parties who had been forced to turn back already this season due to unfavourable conditions.

If natural barriers don't halt their progress, Marcus and Tony will have to deal with other hazards like lack of water.

'It's been an exceptionally cold winter but they haven't had a lot of snow,' Marcus said. 'A lot of people don't realise that the Arctic is worse than a desert and, unless you're carrying your own water supply, you rely solely on the snow for drinking water.'

Once in the water, polar bears, killer whales and strong currents will also pose a threat, but with the nearest civilisation up to four or five days' travel away, the pair won't take any chances.

While diving, both men will be tied to a descent line at all times, and if trouble arises, they have contact with the outside world via satellite phone. Marcus can be contacted via email at marcus@emulsion.net.au or through the web site emulsion.net.au

By Ben Caddaye