Cocos Rebreather Trip

[Chuck_Northrup]

Here’s a quick trip report for all you silent divers who did not feel like showing up.

BIG MISTAKE!! ;-)

After meeting up with our international crew in San Jose, we went to a few local discos and celebrated 11:30. Apparently Costa Ricans LOVE 11:30. The next morning we took a bus to the Okeanos and after a quick 30 hour crossing we were ready to dive.

The Diving:

Unbelievable, every single dive site was like a Howard Hall film which is ironic because he was there aboard the Sea Hunter that same week. I am not exaggerating to say we saw thousands of sharks, if anything that estimate is too low. Every dive we saw hundreds of white tips, hammerheads, marble rays, eagle rays, silky sharks, galapogos sharks, eels and more. I have a slide with 50 hammerheads on it. We saw 2 devil rays and a manta all circa 14ft wing spans on 1 dive. Yes, there was even everyone’s favorite, the whale shark. The creature sightings were so intense and so unbelievable that after only 2 days of diving we were getting jaded. “What did you see this dive?” Oh not much, you know just a bunch of white tips, hammerheads, etc. You see one hammerhead on a dive anywhere else in the world and your telling people in the bar all week! We saw them by the hundreds and stopped getting excited about “only one or two.”

The Rebreathers:

What can I say they performed flawlessly. The only malfunctions on the boat were open circuit problems (the crew and 2 others Costa Ricans who joined us were on OC). Open Circuit gear is very dangerous and problematic though, we all know that There are 5 new Dolphin divers and 2 new Inspiration divers who joined the darkside on this trip. I was very impressed by their competence, comfort, and ability to perfect their skills in such an advanced environment. They must have had really good instructors ;-)

Rebreather roll call:

RB80 one
KISS two
Megaladon two
Dolphin five
Inspiration eight


The Okeanos:

The boat itself needs some work, but the crew did an excellent job with what they had. The staff was very friendly and courteous enough to leave us to our own dive profiles. The dive masters were obviously intimidated by a boat full of divers who can far exceed their own bottom times, but they never forced us out of the water. The divemaster would stay as long as he could (45 min) and then get out leaving us to finish our 1 ½- 2 hour dives. Even though Aggressor has a no-deco policy they were more than tolerant to our “lengthy safety stops.”

The Conclusion:

Not only are rebreather only trips a viable and acceptable alternative to OC trips, they are far superior. Look for more upcoming rb based exotic trips like Truk and Palau, and local trips like Isle Royale.

Safe Diving,

Chuck Northrup
Going Under Dive Center

[ScubaDiveandTravel]

Wow Chuck,

Your opinions are so wonderful, as if they were from the mouth of God himself. Rebreathers can be a great tool, especially for people with poor gas management skills. Rebreathers deffinitely have their place, and so does Open Circuit.

Happy Diving,
Richard

[Chuck_Northrup]

AUTHOR’S DISCLAIMER: I apologize for anyone offended by my previous post. I suppose next time I will save my comments for a rebreather forum or a rebreather specific chat room.

FURTHER DISCLAIMER: No actual open circuit divers were harmed during the composition of any of my posts past or pending.

Congregation, please turn your log books to the dives of revelations #600-666

Yeah though I swim through the torrents of bubbles I have no fear for I follow the bright yellow case. I know not of the free flow, nor do I fear the low on air signal for my gas time in minutes is as numerous as the sands upon the beach. The almighty father has given to me all of the creatures of the sea and behold they are good and close. They flee not from me but those who excrete their breath into the waters.

And the good Lord said unto the faithful, “Do not forsake your open circuit brethren. Remember from where you came and aid them to find the way.”

Safe Diving,

Reverend Charles Clayton Northrup III
Church of GUDC

[freedivernd]

I always thought "the way" was to chuck all the gear .
couldn't resist...
Fred

[ghosch]

I noticed that the dialog has been a little slow lately on the board, why do I think that's about to change?

[LKunze]

LOL! Yes, it has been a bit slow hasn't it? This thread has "stirred the pot" so to speak and given me a few good laughs to boot. Let the sparring continue...just kidding.

[Freedive WI]

If Howard Hall was on the boat I am sure that he had a couple of stories about "Hyperoxic Induced Mypoia" and about getting bent, because he forgot to set his rebreather to a 1.2 ppo2 from it's original 0.7 ppo2. Those are two things that don't normally happen to the O.C. guys and gals.

I'm with Fred though on dumping the gear. For what the rebreather, scrubber material, airfare, film, gas, and trip costs were I am sure that I could have bought a new car. ;D

Still, I think that the main point was that they all went and had a safe, and fun, time. I think the O.C. crack was just a little way to have some fun with those on the board.

Jon

[Mark Y]

When are you going to post pictures? I want to see some sharks . . .

[Chuck_Northrup]

Inspiration rebreather with appropriate training and peripheral gear...$7500.00

Trip to Cocos Island including live aboard, taxes, dive fees and transfers...$3500.00

Motor Marine II camera system complete with macro kit, 16 and 20mm lenses...$2600.00

The ability to spend 4 hours a day silently diving and photographing one of nature’s truly unique environments...PRICELESS

I can always walk to work

Mark, I can not post any of my slides yet because I do not have a slide scanner. Inspiration diver may help me out, but until then anyone who wants to see my slides need only stop by GUDC, they are all there. I will try to post some topside shots in a little bit. None of them are mine, they were taken by others on the trip and compiled onto a CD. I would give proper credit if I knew whose they were. If you see your pic, speak up!

[Chuck_Northrup]

The Okeanos