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Why Recreational Rebreathers are the future
“Wow, it’s so light to wear,” or “It’s not heavy at all,” are the kind of comments I get from people who try my Poseidon MKVI on during surface intervals or when leaving the boat. People assume that a Rebreather is heavy and difficult to use; that may be the case with technical units, but not so with the recreational ones.
Differences between tec and rec rebreathers
When I was doing my trimix training with my Poseidon (with electronic pre-dive check) last spring I teamed up with two divers doing their CCR trimix course with technical rebreathers (I can’t remember which ones) using manual checks. When preparing my equipment for a dive I used my laminated checklist and used white tape to mark each step once completed. The two other divers had two separate sheets of things to check for each dive (at a later date, after having learned how to use the Poseidon MKVI system and having done the crossover and becoming MKVI instructors, the two divers admitted that at the time they had wondered how it took so little time for me to complete my pre-dive preparations; now they knew their way around the MKVI, they knew why!).
Benefits for using a rebreather in recreational diving
Using a rebreather gives you a longer dive time (which is why they are so popular with technical divers). A rebreather is a good option for a recreational diver who might use a lot of gas and wants to stay down as long as their buddies do (or who just wants a longer dive in general).
I had a student last year whose main reason for doing the course was because he was always the first person out of the water (“even when using twin tanks while my buddies used singles” he told me). When making the second last dive of his advanced rebreather diver course it was his turn to be last out of the water. The others headed to the surface after a beautiful dive on the teakwood wreck that lies in about 25-38 meters. At the same time we had more than 30 minutes bottom time left, so he waved to others and we continued the dive. We soon gave each other the signal to do a safety stop. After we had ascended to surface I heard the best feedback I ever have heard: “It was a wonderful feeling to wave to the others as they left the dive – for once, I stayed the longest. I never believed this would happen, WOW”. That was first comment from my student when he surfaced – he was so happy.
Rebreathers are also perfect for underwater photographers. Some of my customers own cameras that cost more than my car, so they are obviously very serious about wanting to take the very best photos underwater. Rebreathers don’t create bubbles in the same way that an open circuit system does, making one an essential piece of kit for an underwater photographer (bubbles can freak out fish and other critters if you get too close). I have been nose-to-nose for minute and half with Mantis shrimp in the past thanks to my rebreather!
If you’re the type of person who just wants to maximise the amount of dives you do on a trip without having to take too much gear along with you then a rebreather is perfect for you. Imagine yourself going for a weekend trip with a couple of your friends and you’re planning to make a series of dives, let’s say six dives over a weekend. How many tanks do you need to carry with you? If you’re not taking a compressor with you, then quite a few – a rebreather takes up much less space in the back of the car than 18 tanks of air!
About assembly and use (Recreational Rebreathers)
It is not difficult to assemble a recreational rebreather and make it “ready to dive”. My non-diving girlfriend assembled my unit after I showed her how to do it. However, you do need to have training to use the unit because you are ten times more likely to have a serious accident with a rebreather than you are with an open circuit system, and the training gives you the skills and the knowledge you will need if something does go wrong. Having the right attitude and taking your rebreather training seriously is so important. I’m sure other rebreather instructors will agree with me when I say that if I don’t think one of my students ‘thinks rebreather,’ I will not certify them.
It’s always good to learn something new, and I firmly believe that a recreational rebreather will change the way you think about diving. To me, they are the future.
When using any rebreather it is important to follow your training and to use your check lists.
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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