Where do you use your rebreather?

[ghosch]

I dive a Draeger Dolphin (though I plan to upgrade to CCR, most likely an Inspiration, within the next year).

In the last six months I have had the rebreather to Bermuda, Florida, and Cozumel.

Bermuda was a pain, as the best fill I could find on the island was 40% Nitrox, and even that was tough to get. Florida was great, good access to Nitrox (obviously). Also got some good diving in in Cozumel where I would rebreather dive in the morning, and do a shallow OC dive in the afternoon.

The whole unit fits nicely (and well under 50 lbs) without cylinders in a Samsonite hard side case I have.

I normally bring the scrubber material along, since Going Under has much better prices than anywhere I have found while travelling (or locally for that matter). Had a little trouble in Cozumel (on the way back) but when I showed them the MSDS sheet they were fine with it.

Brought cylinders to Bermuda and Florida, but on the way back from Florida they removed one from my checked luggage (couldn't convince them that a cylinder without a valve had no compressed gas in it, I have since exchanged e-mail with the TSA, and they admit that was a mistake, but the TSA just took over on Jan 1, and they were all new). In cozumel I rented cylinders.

All in all, diving a rebreather while travelling takes more effort than OC (sourcing gas, chemicals, etc.). It also costs a little more (normally the tanks are included in a charter fee with OC). The benefits are limited by who you are diving with (in my cases OC buddies), but at least I know I'll never be the first one back on the boat. To sum it up, it doesn't make sense financially (while travelling, and doing recreational diving, makes great sense locally or tech) but the extra enjoyment I get is worth the added $5 a dive

On the last day we didn't dive, so we just bummed around town and wandered into Dive Cozumel (Dive Paradise). The owner there had just done a 471' dive with a Megaladon that morning. His shop does fill Nitrox on site (unusual for Cozumel), pure O2, and Trimix.

Attatched is a picture from Key Largo, note that there are some bubbles (SCR vs. CCR)!