Best global locations for rebreather diving

[stuartv]

Chuuk or Bikini with Dirty Dozen and Master Liveaboards checks off everything on the list including the DPV.

What do you get by going with Dirty Dozen that you don't get without Dirty Dozen?

I'm going to Truk/Chuuk in April, not with Dirty Dozen. I'll be on the Odyssey for 2 weeks, diving with my CCR. Am I missing out on something?

A buddy is in Bikini right this very minute, on a Master liveaboard, I believe. He also did not go with Dirty Dozen. He is diving his CCR there. He was supposed to go to Bikini with Dirty Dozen in May, but the trip got blown out and he never got past Hawaii. I believe he booked himself for the trip he's on now, on the same boat he would have been on with Dirty Dozen, and saved himself a pile of cash at the same time. What is he missing out on?

 

[stuartv]

More CCR-friendly locations:

Bonaire: CCR support from Technical Diving Services, onsite at Captain Don's Habitat, or from Buddy Dive.

Curacao: I know they have CCR support there somewhere, as I know one CCR instructor that goes there to teach CCR classes. But, I don't know what shop.

Cozumel: One of my favorite places to dive. Deep Exposure dive shop has full CCR support. I have not dived my CCR in Cozumel, but I have stopped by Deep Exposure to check it out in person. Next time I go, I will definitely try to take my CCR and use DE for support.

Utila: Utila Dive Center has full CCR support.

Olympus Dive Center, Morehead City, NC: They can supply O2 and they do allow CCRs on their boats. But, they do not have trimix or sorb. They also do not have CCR cylinders. But, you can rent an AL80 to use for bailout.

Dive Hatteras (the Lion's Paw), Hatteras, NC: They can supply O2 and do allow CCRs on their boat. But, they do not have trimix or sorb. They do not have CCR cylinders. I am unclear on their status for renting bailout cylinders from them. I know they have steel tranks to rent for OC diving. I'm not sure what they have for aluminums (if any).

 

[grantctobin]

Curacao: I know they have CCR support there somewhere, as I know one CCR instructor that goes there to teach CCR classes. But, I don't know what shop.

Goby

 

[nadwidny]

What do you get by going with Dirty Dozen that you don't get without Dirty Dozen?

I'm going to Truk/Chuuk in April, not with Dirty Dozen. I'll be on the Odyssey for 2 weeks, diving with my CCR. Am I missing out on something?

A buddy is in Bikini right this very minute, on a Master liveaboard, I believe. He also did not go with Dirty Dozen. He is diving his CCR there. He was supposed to go to Bikini with Dirty Dozen in May, but the trip got blown out and he never got past Hawaii. I believe he booked himself for the trip he's on now, on the same boat he would have been on with Dirty Dozen, and saved himself a pile of cash at the same time. What is he missing out on?

Dirty Dozen is CCR centric on the Master Liveaboards. I've been with them and really liked what they are doing so that's why I recommended them. Pete Mesely (Lust for Rust) also does a good job supporting CCRs from his land based trips. I've never been on the Odyssey and the people I know that have gone have been OC. Hence the reason I didn't mention them for Chuuk trips in the RB forum. Post your report on how your CCR trip with Odyssey goes when you get back.

As for Bikini, Master Liveaboards is the only operation right now doing Bikini and they do CCR trips very, very well. Which is why DD uses them for Chuuk as well as Bikini. If your buddy got on a ML trip for cheaper than through DD, good on him. In my experience DD does a better job of vetting the people that go on their trips. The trip I did to Bikini that was not a DD trip, a couple of the divers were farm animal stupid. I didn't' see that on my DD trip to Chuuk.

 

[stuartv]

Dirty Dozen is CCR centric on the Master Liveaboards. I've been with them and really liked what they are doing so that's why I recommended them. Pete Mesely (Lust for Rust) also does a good job supporting CCRs from his land based trips. I've never been on the Odyssey and the people I know that have gone have been OC. Hence the reason I didn't mention them for Chuuk trips in the RB forum. Post your report on how your CCR trip with Odyssey goes when you get back.

As for Bikini, Master Liveaboards is the only operation right now doing Bikini and they do CCR trips very, very well. Which is why DD uses them for Chuuk as well as Bikini. If your buddy got on a ML trip for cheaper than through DD, good on him. In my experience DD does a better job of vetting the people that go on their trips. The trip I did to Bikini that was not a DD trip, a couple of the divers were farm animal stupid. I didn't' see that on my DD trip to Chuuk.

I have not been to Truk at all. But, a good friend of mine has been to Truk, on the Odyssey, with his CCR, 3 times. And he is the.. uhhh... senstive type. He says it is top notch. I am SUPER stoked to be going in April!

 

[Bob Meyer]

Hi all,

Here on Scubaboard there are lots of great reports of locations for OC diving and I would love to start one for CC diving.

I would consider these requirements for a location to be suitable for this list:
1. You can get O2 fills
2. You can buy sorb
3. Local laws allow for rebreather diving
4. You can get air fills

Nice to haves:
1. You can get guides for technical dives
2. You can get trimix fills
3. You can rent rebreather tanks
4. You can rent DPV

It can be:
1. Any type of diving: fresh water/sea, shore/boat/LOB, quarry/cave/OW/wreck, Rec/tec
2. Any country globally

When you post, please add link to dive operator you are referring to if possible.

Keen to hear your experiences and bucket list locations.

California: Catalina Divers Supply - ask for Bob or Tina
Cayman Islands: Divetech - ask for Rachel or Jo
Tenerife: Diving Canarias - ask for Lu or Alé
Malta: Techwise - ask for Alan
Portugal (Lagos): WeDive - ask for Delfi or Nuno
Blue O' Two Liveaboards - ask for Emma
Spain (Malaga): Natura Dive Center - ask for Alvaro

 

[LFMarm]

• North America
  
  • Florida
    
    • Key largo. Horizon is the company to go with. They have He and O2 on site and can get you sorb if you ask ahead. The charters allow you to do up to 2:20 run time on the deep wrecks, primarily the Speigel Grove but occasionally the bib, Duane and northern lights.
  • Vancouver Island – Depends where you go and who you know. Generally speaking you have to arrange sorb, O2, etc ahead of time.
  • Grand Cayman – DiveTech - ask for Rachel or Jo
  • Great lakes – belowthegrade.com
  • North Carolina
    
    • Olympus Dive Center, Morehead City, NC: They can supply O2 and they do allow CCRs on their boats. But, they do not have trimix or sorb. They also do not have CCR cylinders. But, you can rent an AL80 to use for bailout.
    • Dive Hatteras (the Lion's Paw), Hatteras, NC: They can supply O2 and do allow CCRs on their boat. But, they do not have trimix or sorb. They do not have CCR cylinders. I am unclear on their status for renting bailout cylinders from them. I know they have steel tranks to rent for OC diving. I'm not sure what they have for aluminums (if any).
  • California: Catalina Divers Supply - ask for Bob or Tina
• Central America
  
  • Mexico
    
    • Socorro. I also had a great time diving with Nautilus at Socorro. Easy to get fills. They gave me a keg of sorb which easily lasted the trip. Got much closer to the mantas and had better profiles than the divers on nitrox.
    • Tulum – Mexico dive factory – 200B O2 fills, Helium , Sorb, air fills, guides, CCR tanks, DPV's
    • Bonaire: CCR support from Technical Diving Services, onsite at Captain Don's Habitat, or from Buddy Dive.
    • Curacao: I know they have CCR support there somewhere, as I know one CCR instructor that goes there to teach CCR classes. But, I don't know what shop.
    • Cozumel: One of my favorite places to dive. Deep Exposure dive shop has full CCR support. I have not dived my CCR in Cozumel, but I have stopped by Deep Exposure to check it out in person. Next time I go, I will definitely try to take my CCR and use DE for support.
    • Utila: Utila Dive Center has full CCR support.
• South America
  
  • Brazil
    
    • Natal and Recife in Brazil. Sea, O2, Sorb, Trimix, various profiles, tech guides, and, in Recife, wrecks.
    • Mina da passagem, in Mariana, total facilities, a flodded 18th century gold mine with various profiles. The dive center owner recently released it's own designed front mount CCR called Smart rebreather, with IANTD training
    • Subaquatica in Sorocaba Brazil, wich i am associated through Inspiration Brasil, who, although not in a touristice destination, can arrange pretty anything needed for CCR trips
  • Galapagos – Dirty Dozen is doing CCR liveaboard trips.
• Asia
  
  • Chuuk or Bikini with Dirty Dozen and Master Liveaboards checks off everything on the list including the DPV.
  • Rangiroa: CCR rangiroa is a great shop in a remote AF location. O2 fills, sorb, tech guides, endless sharks and visibility.
  • Egypt
    
    • Sharm el Sheikh with Emperor Divers as basis for all local, Ras Mohammed and Tiran diving
    • Dahab for the blue hole
      
      • Lagona Divers (Formally Team Blue Immersion) - 200B O2 fills, Helium , Sorb, air fills, guides, CCR tanks, DPV's (they can organize them)
    • Blue O' Two Liveaboards - ask for Emma
  • Indonesia
    
    • Bali Dive Trek – 200B O2 fills, Helium , Sorb, air fills, guides, CCR tanks, DPV's
    • Tekdeep – 200B O2 fills, Helium , Sorb, air fills, guides, CCR tanks, DPV's
    • Dark Horizon Diving – 200B O2 fills, Helium , Sorb, air fills, guides, CCR tanks
    • Trawangan Dive – 200B O2 fills, Helium , Sorb, air fills, guides, CCR tanks, DPV's
    • Manta Dive – 200B O2 fills, Helium , Sorb, air fills, guides, CCR tanks, DPV's
    • Blue Marlin Dive – 200B O2 fills, Helium , Sorb, air fills, guides, CCR tanks
    • Sulawesi Dive Trek – 200B O2 fills, Helium , Sorb, air fills, guides, CCR tanks (limited but if you give him a head up he can organize more from his partner)
  • Thailand
    
    • Blue Label – 200B O2 fills, Helium , Sorb, air fills, guides, CCR tanks, DPV's
    • Koh Tao Tec Divers – 200B O2 fills, Helium , Sorb, air fills, guides, CCR tanks
  • China
    
    • Blue Flag International – 200B O2 fills, Helium , Sorb, air fills, guides, CCR tanks
    • Guangzhou Hailang Watersports Ltd. Co – 200B O2 fills, Helium , Sorb, air fills, guides, CCR tanks, DPV's
    • Legend Diving Center – 200B O2 fills, Helium , Sorb, air fills, guides, CCR tanks, DPV's
  • Philippines
    
    • Oceanplayer – 200B O2 fills, Helium , Sorb, air fills, guides, CCR tanks, DPV's
    • Blue Lagoon – 200B O2 fills, Helium , Sorb, air fills, guides, CCR tanks, DPV's
    • Dauin Tech – 200B O2 fills, Helium , Sorb, air fills, guides, CCR tanks, DPV's
• Europe
  
  • Malta: Techwise - ask for Alan
  • Spain
    
    • Malaga: Natura Dive Center - ask for Alvaro
    • Tenerife: Diving Canarias - ask for Lu or Alé
  • Portugal (Lagos): WeDive - ask for Delfi or Nuno
  • Croatia
    
    • Vis island. Every dive center in Komiža has sorb and helium, along with standard bailouts rental and 3l tanks.
      Most of the let you do you own thing for tec dives, but there is always a guide in the water.
      Dive positions go from 0m reefs to 130m deep wrekcs, and everything in between.
  • UK
    
    • Scapa Flow in Orkney, Scotland. Pretty much all of the boats will rent you 3l cylinders, lead, stages and sell lime. Great wrecks, and stuff out of the flow around the islands available too. We tend to dive off the Clasina and Bob will help with lazy shot or trapeze etc as needed for bigger diving. Also got to consider Malin Head well set up for ccrs there. It's relatively shallow with a max of 45m/150ft and is sheltered so you won't loose too many days if the weather's bad. It isn't easy to get to. The diving and the history of the diving is great though.
    • Malin Head in north west Ireland is utterly amazing diving, probably the best around the British Isles. There's big wrecks at 70m/230ft MOD2+ depths and deeper at MOD3 depths which are simply sublime. There's a couple of boats which go out of Malin both are well set up and supply gas. You will need to arrange for rentals which can be done through people who organise trips up there (Kieran Hatton divingindepth.co.uk who took these photos). I've been a couple of times and it's easily the best technical diving I've done. Weather's an issue though. We managed five of the six days but made a trip up to the Giant's Causeway for the off day (highly recommended).

 

[stuartv]

Some additions and nit picks.

You have Bonaire, Curacao, and Utila listed under "Mexico". Bonaire and Curacao are independent countries, not part of Mexico. Utila is an island in the country of Honduras.

Grand Cayman is probably more appropriate in Central America, rather than North America. Or just call it Caribbean, instead of Central America.

Under North Carolina, you can add:

Atlantis Charters (aka the Pink Boat), Atlantic Beach, NC. Very comfortable 6-pack. CCR-friendly and tech dive-friendly. They have no CCR support, though. But, you can get O2 and air fills at nearby Olympus Dive Center. Bring your own sorb and all cylinders.

Under Florida, you can add South Florida Dive Headquarters, out of Pompano Beach. They run tech and CCR charters all the time. I do not know what their CCR support is, but I imagine they have it or can refer you to someplace local that has it. They have CCRs on their boats all the time. There are some great, deep wreck dives just minutes out of the inlet where SFDH runs.

 

[berndo]

Malin Head is Ireland, not the UK.

 

[sea_ledford]

Roatan Honduras: Coconut Tree Divers - Roatan's Premier PADI Dive Center | Offering The BEST Caribbean Scuba Diving | Located in West End, Roatan, Honduras - Coconut Tree Divers - Roatán Dive Shop - Honduras Scuba Diving

They have a big OC tech support system, particularly sidemount, but I've done a couple classes down there and they can provide CCR support as well including sorb, a few 3L bottles (we dive al30's so have to bring them along anyway), He, booster, O2.

Anthony's Key chamber is 15 minutes away, so great medical infrastructure, diving as deep as you want to go.

Roatan is now one of California Academy of Sciences long term mesophotic monitoring stations, and they run CCR ops to 500' and use Coconut Tree as surface support.