Best global locations for rebreather diving

[ToneNQ]

+1 for Bikini Atoll with Master Liveaboards. Trimix is available for CCR (not for OC) and whilst the O2 is only 92% and they won't boost above 150bar, but it never stopped us. We had a solid 100min on the Saratoga, 190min dive all up, it gloriously warm water. Sorb cost a fortune, but with 4hrs in the water every day it was worth, used the whole drum. If I recall it is a mod-2 minumum cert, the sand is 52 or 53m with zero current, most of the wrecks are +45m to see much detail. Guides are optional, as is penetration.

Vanuatu, Espiritu Santo, the Coolidge with Pacific Dive are also rebreather friendly. Sorb can be bought by the kilogram, mixed-gas blending to spec. O2 is only 96% but its more than good enough. We also did Million Dollar point and last discussion with them they were adding deep wall dives. Lots of dives based on cert, but mod-2 is best as the sand is about 65m and the engine room dive was mid 50s. All dives are guided by Vanuatu law, but the guides are superb so don't sweat that aspect.

Pic is the USS Anderson, taken by Adam Beard Photography.

 

[LFMarm]

Thanks all for the recommendations, please keep them coming. Here in the PDF is the updated list of locations.

 

[Mobulai]

Dahab for the blue hole

• 
  
• Lagona Divers (Formally….

Late to this party
There’s more to Dahab than the blue hole, here’s what I think is thread-relevant :

• Canyon dive site (my happy place) has 3 dive profiles:
  • Canyon (cavren): Entry at 20m, “Deep exit” at 47-51m (tide dependent)*; the last 5 meters (horizontal) are kinda cave not cavern (I’m not cave trained yet so )
  • Neptune cave: 75m entrance
  • Wagner Cave: 120m entrance
  • These 3 spots tend to be mixed and matched (for TMX divers) (eg. drop to wagner, exit and ascend, reverse Canyon during Deco)
• CCR friendly shops (TMX fills, dil/o2 cylinders for rent, and guides/instructors available; Sorb availability is sporadic so do reach out to them to check or to have it arranged in advance):
  • Planet Divers
  • Scuba Seekers (I believe they have DPVs)
  • Sly Dive
  • H2O Divers

I’m sure I’m missing some stuff, but I was just casually walking the “latest” section will update if I remember more

* I only did this one out of the canyon trilogy (1st and 2nd penetration to the deep exit on ANDP and MOD1 classes)

 

[SavageSeaCow]

Just got back from an amazing trip to Fakarava in French Polynesia. Dove with Kaina Plongee. Amazing dives in both the north and south pass. Mantas, walls of sharks, big schools of fish. The dive shop support was excellent. They have two liter bottles to rent (in limited quantities but can be arranged ahead of time, make sure to specify the valve configuration you need), can boost o2 to between 150-200 bar, had sufficient lime for our week of diving and provided a dedicated rebreather guide for us. Prices were very reasonable and we didn’t need to pay extra for the guides sorb and O2. I am told helium is available but didn’t really seem necessary for most of our diving. Most of our dives were 2:30 hr dives. But sometimes we had to do two 1:15 dives based on tides and boat schedules. 2:40 minute dive in the south pass was insane and definitely allowed us to experience it way better than OC. We were a team of 3 and space was about perfect. They could probably do up to four but things would be getting tight. Travel too and from is pretty easy but will end up costing a bit extra in excess baggage. Book the premium tickets with air Tahiti to save a bit on luggage.

 

[LFMarm]

Thanks all for the recommendations, please keep them coming. Here in the PDF is the updated list of locations. Expanded quite a bit the section on Italy.

 

[RedSeaDiver2]

Just got back from an amazing trip to Fakarava in French Polynesia. Dove with Kaina Plongee. Amazing dives in both the north and south pass. Mantas, walls of sharks, big schools of fish. The dive shop support was excellent. They have two liter bottles to rent (in limited quantities but can be arranged ahead of time, make sure to specify the valve configuration you need), can boost o2 to between 150-200 bar, had sufficient lime for our week of diving and provided a dedicated rebreather guide for us. Prices were very reasonable and we didn’t need to pay extra for the guides sorb and O2. I am told helium is available but didn’t really seem necessary for most of our diving. Most of our dives were 2:30 hr dives. But sometimes we had to do two 1:15 dives based on tides and boat schedules. 2:40 minute dive in the south pass was insane and definitely allowed us to experience it way better than OC. We were a team of 3 and space was about perfect. They could probably do up to four but things would be getting tight. Travel too and from is pretty easy but will end up costing a bit extra in excess baggage. Book the premium tickets with air Tahiti to save a bit on luggage.

Nice! Any photos that you can share?