Rebreather Pro

Rebreather Summit

Download Rebreather Summit 2008  

Our friends at the NACD have just announced the second annual Rebreather Summit for November 16, 2008 at Camp Kulaqua (Hornsby Spring) in High Springs, Florida.  Scheduled to present are: Tom Mount, Brett Hemphill, Jakub Rehacek Curt Bowen, Lamar Hires, Vince Ferris, Mike Fowler, Leon Scamahorn and others...RebreatherPro's Jill Heinerth will moderate.  More info.  The event is part of the NACD 40th Annual World Seminar. You don't need to be a Cave Diver to participate.

Rebreathers in Recreational Diving

 

In the fourth quarter 2008, PADI Undersea Journal, Mark Caney and Karl Shreeves write about the state of recreational diving and the likelihood of rebreathers finding a home in a basic diver’s hands. In this insightful article, the pair outlines their thoughts about what characteristics an “ideal” recreational rebreather would possess. They combed through incident and accident reports and spoke to both manufacturers and instructors to conclude that a recreational rebreather should have the following features, before going mainstream:

 

1. A very simple status indicator in divers’ line of sight, e.g, green – all is well; amber/orange – check something; red – bail out.
2. Divers should be able to switch to open circuit bailout without removing their mouthpiece, using a single, one-handed action.
3. 3. The unit initiated or warns* the diver if the electronics are not turned on at the beginning of the dive.
4. The unit warns divers if they start to use it with the diluent or oxygen supply not properly turned on, or turns on the relevant gas automatically.
5. The unit warns the diver is the diluent or oxygen supply becomes too low.
6. The unit warns divers if the scrubber approaches exhaustion or gets bypassed (channeled).
7. The unit won’t operate or warns divers if the scrubber canister is missing or incorrectly installed.
8. The unit uses pre-packed CO2 scrubber cartridges.
9. The unit warns divers if the loop floods to dangerous levels.
10. The unit warns the diver if the electronics fail. Manual switching to open circuit is possible in such a situation
11. The unit maintains a near constant PO2 in normal, level depth use, and adjusts fraction of oxygen.
12. The unit warns divers if the PO2 varies too high or too low from set point.
13. The unit should either reasonably sustain a diver or make diving impossible if pre dive procedures are not followed correctly.
14. The unit functions to a depth of 50 meters/164 feet.
15. The unit should be of robust design and engineered so it cannot be assembled incorrectly and still reasonably be thought operable.

CCR + Cave or CCR Cave – What’s in a Name?

Many people have asked me about whether they need a specific card for CCR Cave at local dive sites. I recently sat down with Rose Meadows, cave diving instructor and Manager of  Ginnie Springs. Rose indicated that they do NOT require a CCR Cave card for entry at Ginnie Springs. They DO ask cavers to indicate that they are using a rebreather for their dives and present proof of rebreather certification when checking in. Why, you might ask? It turns out that it is all about accounting. Not the numbers type, but accounting for late divers. When you show a CCR and Cave card, they will write CCR on your car pass and wristband. If you are overdue, this will help them decide whether it is time to worry or not. Believe it or not, they get an awful lot of calls from family and spouses, worried about their loved one who has not come home after a cave dive. Additionally, this will ensure that all divers using CCRs at Ginnie are trained and qualified in their use. With second generation rebreather sales growing on sites like eBay, it is reasonable to assume that there are a people who choose to take on rebreather diving without proper instruction. So, on your next visit to North Florida, bring all your cards and let them know that you are trained and prepared to safely cave dive with your CCR. --Jill Heinerth

Aussie update…what’s going on down under?

We had an enormous reaction to the sad photos of Richard (Harry) Harris and his melted Land Rover and rebreather. I recently asked Harry to bring us up to date on the state of rebreather caving down under. We get scant news from the other side of the world, and there are some epic dives that are being conducted in Australia and New Zealand. In the following article, Harry gives us the scoop, including his recent record-breaking dive at the well-known Cocklebiddy Cave. --Jill

No doubt you all hear plenty about what’s happening on the Florida and Mexico cave scene, but the invitation from Jill to give you the good oil on the Australian and NZ cave diving turf was too good to pass up! As the owner of the smoking remains of the Mk15.5 you saw recently featured on this site, I’ll be spending a few weeks out of the water whilst I re-accumulate some kit! If I can’t get under the water, I am nearly as happy writing about it…

The continent of Australia is not much smaller than North America and about as diverse from a climactic and geological point of view. What this means is we have access to many, many separate karst and cave areas from the icy southern island of Tasmania to the tropical north of Western Australia. And the best part? Much of the cave bearing country is extremely remote, inaccessible and therefore unexplored! The same goes for our Kiwi buddies to the east, whose amazing DEEP caves are slowly revealing themselves to local and overseas cavers. So stick with me while I give you a quick “who’s who” and “where’s where” of Australian and NZ cave diving: CLICK BELOW TO CONTINUE

Rebreather Pro Kevin Gurr: Sentinel Rebreather

Tech Tip: Dive Rite Optima

The Dive Rite Optima counterlungs have an outer, zippered, Cordura cover that protects the inner bladder. The zipper is easily accessible underwater and makes a great place to store your constant PO2 tables, open circuit bailout tables, flexible skills sheets or last minute checklists. Of course you don’t want to use this area for anything heavy or sharp, but a few sheets of flexible material won’t get in the way at all. IANTD makes a great set of flexible tables and Mark Derrick of Dive Rite Express authored an excellent last minute checklist that can be cut down and laminated. Download it here for free!

Now you will never leave home without them! 

Tech Tips: Underwater Photographers and Videographers

James Cameron-Andrew Wight-Wes Skiles-Jill Heinerth:  A group that knows a few things about underwater imaging! 

Rebreathers are ideal for capturing incredible animal action. When you slide through the water column without making bubbles, suddenly you are a part of the environment, not simply an invader making noise and a curtain of gas. That being said, we use a different part of our mind to process creative thought than the part of the brain necessary for intellectual processing of rebreather skills. Videography and photography create an enormous task load and one that robs you of a sense of time. It takes a lot of skill and patience to force your mind to depart from the creative aspects of image-making and stay on top of monitoring your rebreather. I often shoot video and photos using my rebreather, but I am keenly aware that I have to stay on top of it and I advise my models to be extra vigilant with watching our time too.

Additionally, our buoyancy skills are hampered with a rebreather. If you are a gas-miser, then your buoyancy skills will not be as fine-tuned as they are on open circuit scuba. You will need to monitor your onboard diluent and oxygen closely and allow for use of greater volumes. Conservation of the environment is critical and therefore, you should use a camera and viewfinder combination that allows you to look over the unit rather then through a small window, stuck to your mask.

Some features that help an underwater image-maker are:

Advanced Diver Magazine: Into The Lava Dome

The latest Advanced Diver Magazine features Jill Heinerth's recent rebreather
expedition to Lanzarote.  That's her shot of rebreather diver and marine biologist Dr. Tom Iliffe on the over.  Thanks Curt Bowen!   Click here for a peek.

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