Rebreather Pro

Shipwrecks Symposium

The Niagra Dive Association presents the Shipwrecks Symposium, Saturday, April 5th in Welland, Ontario.  Jill is a featured speaker. Info here.

White Is The New Black

As some of you may have noticed we have changed the color scheme of RebreatherPro.com
Although we liked the edgy feel of the black theme, it seems that on some operating systems and browsers that shall remain nameless (but that I shot a .357 at recently- video here), the text was very difficult to read as white-on-black.  so I made the executive decision, while Jill was a continent away, to reverse the colors.
After all in the 21st century-"Content is king." --Robert

Expedition Files: Lanzarote

Just off the African Coast, Lanzarote is a long way from home! I had the pleasure of diving with rebreather colleagues Dr. Tom Iliffe , Terrence Tysall and Jim Rozzi. Remote locations, difficult logistics and the Transportation Safety Administration (see Traveling With Rebreathers) can all add up to failures and breakage of even the most robust rebreather. It is really important that you work with a team that supports your philosophy of rebreather diving. During our trip there were instances where each one of us had to abort a dive. Knowing that you have planned well for emergencies is not just prudent, it is critical. It is never worth getting in the water with a rig that has not passed all of its pre-dive safety checks. It is never worth starting an expedition without a thorough understanding of risk and a plan for all eventualities. Without going into all the details, we experienced failures ranging from a bad sensor to broken parts, to one dive that required a colleague to swim significant distances utilizing his open circuit bailout gas. The message that I would like to leave with you is thus. It is not heroic to stay on the loop if you are unsure of the function of your rig and it is always prudent to have a full bail-out plan from maximum penetration. The best expedition is one from which everyone returns safely home.

The photos: Inside Atlantida Tunnel, the longest submerged lava tube in the world and Topside in Jameos Del Agua, the artist Cesar Manrique has brought together nature and tourism in a beautiful melody that made diving Atlantida spectacular. -Jill Heinerth

Traveling With Rebreathers

It is getting more and more challenging to travel with rebreathers. The TSA’s scope of power seems boundless and immutable. I have recently experienced two instances of rebreather disassembly by TSA screeners that resulted in significant damage to equipment. Here are a few tips to get you through the hurdles.
1. Lithium batteries may not be checked in baggage. They may be installed in the rebreather and two spare lithium batteries may be hand carried. Regulations are ever fluctuating, so keep up with changes at the TSA website. Tape over any reference to lithium on battery packs.
2. Pack your rebreather in a bag that falls within the weight guidelines of 50 pounds or 21 kilos. Separate things into multiple cases if necessary. Overweight cases get more scrutiny than gear that fits within standards.
3. Tanks must have the valve removed and must not be covered with tape or plugs. Put them in a large plastic bag so that the screener can look into the tank without removing it from the bag. Take a small VIP light to your destination to check tanks before replacing the valve. Theoretically your oxygen clean status is now invalid. Cover the oxygen label on your tank with duct tape. If screeners see the word oxygen, they usually go into full emergency mode and have a security detail pull you off your flight! Consider renting rebreather tanks on arrival at your destination. Each 19 cft / 3 litre tank weighs a hefty ten pounds or 4 kilos in baggage. 300 bar DIN valves may not be filled in many European destinations. Regulations restrict dive shops from filling these valves even at lower pressures. They may not even have a 300 bar fitting. Make sure your valves are 200 bar DIN. Some countries require hydrostatic tests at a greater frequency that five years. Some require tests be conducted every two years. Your tanks will have to fit local regulations for filling.  Long post--click below to continue!

Bugs and Lung Juice

Ask Jill: How do you handle disinfecting your loop in the field?

We all know how important it is to clean our rebreather breathing loop. Left unchecked, horrible and potentially life threatening bacteria and viruses can thrive. But anything exposed to a high PO2 environment can be a warm, wet habitat for bacteria growth. Open circuit oxygen regulators are often overlooked and should be disinfected in the same manner as a breathing loop. Think about how you might hang your breathing loop to dry. Bring something that will allow you to hang it from a showerhead. Use surgical tubing and a caribiner to make a custom hanger.

Mark Fyvie-Our Friend

Mark Fyvie and Lily

As many of you know we recently lost Mark Fyvie a friend and colleague.  This web page would not exist if it weren't for many emails and conversations I had with Mark, in which he tutored me and gave encouragement that this little project could be a valuable resource for the tech diving community. Jill was in the Canary islands with a team from Texas A&M University when this tragedy occurred. Because she was in such an isolated area, there was no cell phone or Internet access. I broke the sad news to her via a scratchy land line connection during one of our few precious phone calls.  Her thoughts are posted below--Robert

I called the dive today…
News from the home front brings the sad announcement that a very dear friend has died on his rebreather in a cave. There is always an overwhelming urge to find out what happened. Justify why it couldn’t possibly happen to you. But the reality is that  manipulating your own atmosphere for life support is the most dangerous thing you will ever do. Add to that advanced activities like cave diving and exploration and we are on the razor’s edge.

Working on a remote island off the African coast, filming and doing science in a cave on my rebreather, I know I have plenty to handle on a good day. Today is a sad day, a hard one when I mourn the loss of a dear friend, Although I know he would encourage me to be strong and go on, I called my dive today. I may never return to this beautiful place, but there will be plenty more dives to look forward to in life. So my friend, I will miss you. May you go on to a higher place and explore greater realms.--Jill Heinerth

Mark's Eulogy was given by his brother, who shares it with the world here.

Beneath The Sea

Don't forget-Beneath The Sea, Americas largest consumer dive show is at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in north New Jersey this weekend, March 28-30.  Our own Jill Heinerth is a featured presenter.  Look for Jill's seminars on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  If you can't attend the seminars, look for Jill throughout the show hanging out at the Women Divers Hall of Fame booth. Come by and say hello!

No Excuse For Poor Trim

An Optima diver trimmed nicely-

No Excuses for Poor Trim

Everyone gains a little bulk when diving a rebreather, but it is no excuse for poor trim. Stage bottles can still be carried cleanly, but the technique for carrying them varies from traditional open circuit scuba gear.

With over-shoulder counterlungs, the chest d-ring can be difficult to get to. Even if you are able to clip in that location, the bottle may interfere with ADV operation, dump valves, etc.  A technique borrowed from sidemount diving helps the diver get the bottle into a streamlined path. It makes the bailout regulator easier to find and gives the diver good trim. (See the video at the top of page.)

The bottom of the bottle can be clipped into a “butt-plate” manufactured by Dive Rite (Nomad) or Golem Gear (Amardillo). Golem Gear also carries a double d-ring that slides on the crotch strap and can operated in a similar fashion. The top end of the tank is slung under a bungee cord instead of clipped. The bungee attaches to the back-plate at about shoulder blade level and the front of the bungee is clipped to the chest d-ring. The clips on the stage bottle should be installed 180 degrees away from the tank valve hand-wheel so that the bungee will slide easily over the hand-wheel.

When the bottle is properly hung, it will ride lower than a traditional stage bottle with the valve tucking easily under the armpit of the diver. The tank should run parallel to the diver’s side in good trim. Tanks are quicker to remove and replace. Regulators are easier to access. Swimming trim is improved and the environment is protected from unnecessary damage. --Jill

Jill's Photos on Coast to Coast Website!

Coast to Coast am, an overnight radio program heard by millions the world over has posted one of Jill's images on the home page.  They only keep images up for 24 hours so it is archived here.