Better Time Zero gravity or Inner space

[caveseeker7]

That sort of exposure can only help the rest of us (as well as the naysayers, if you really think about it).

From what I gather on this thread, Prism divers really aren't welcome???

To be certain let them know what rig you're diving and send them copy of your c-card to make sure that they'll accept it. In writing.

On a brighter note, Divetech has a quite a good rep for Prism friendlyness, as does Protec Belize. Roni Lieberman has gone out of his way in that regard in past. Matt from Protec in Playa Del Carmen has been diving with Prism divers and invited me to visit, so that's another facility to dive with. The Cortez Club in La Paz has been supporting several Prism and MK divers tagging sharks.

Stefan

 

[nitrojunkie]

I was lucky enough to dive both Innerspace and Zero Gravity this year. I did my Inspiration certification at Innerspace and then decided I really wanted to do ZG to get the unit wet and log some time.

Innerspace was all Inspiration in 04 with Mike Fowler (SDS) diving the first Evolution on our continent, great looking piece of kit. IS was about 50/50 divers training and folks just there to dive. Since it was training intensive and AP Valves specific it was an excellent environment to learn and train. I logged about 17 hours of dive time on the Inspiration and felt Warren Miller's class was good. We also had the benefit of getting input from Mike Fowler to expand the learning and better understand some of the in's and out's of the units. Tom Mount was training the Trimix CCR as well as doing presentations. Divetec is top-notch and Cobalt Coast has great rooms. The shore diving is good but it is a hump out over the sand flats to the wall.

Zero Gravity was the perfect compliment to my Innerspace experience. Having the opportunity to dive with folks on just about every kind of rig under the sun, KISS, KISS-Shearwater, Cis, Inspiration w&w/o Hammerheads, Megs w&w/o Hammerheads, Ourorboros - I would have liked to check out a Prism too, but none showed up.

ZG was actually less diving focused and more knowledge sharing oriented. One good long boat dive in the AM 2-3 hours and then presentations from the sponsors and hanging out in the afternoon into the night. For me it was great to have the designers of the rigs presenting their work and learning the unique differences between the them. I would often buddy up with someone to do some additional shore diving in the afternoon or evening, the Sunset House reef and wall is great for that! There was no training during the week except a cross over cert. Rooms at Sunset are motel 6 level but fine, they certainly have a better range of food options on-site and within walking distance.

Since I am only recreationally certified on the Inspiration I was worried that the sites would only be good deep sites, but they were all great. I usually stayed above 150 and most of the diving about 130 and up. No big complaints about that. As long as you have adequate bail-out they were not restrictive in any way... besides how deep do you want to dive air. Reg and Erika put on a great week.

I will definitely be back to both events. The big catch is how much do you want to dive Cayman. Having logged 37 hours between June and August and no time anywhere else this summer it could get a little routine. Oh another amazing wall dive..... I think the next trip is to the Pacific for some big stuff!

Doug Rice
www.thedepthfinder.com

 

[padiscubapro]

I was lucky enough to dive both Innerspace and Zero Gravity this year. I did my Inspiration certification at Innerspace and then decided I really wanted to do ZG to get the unit wet and log some time.

Innerspace was all Inspiration in 04 with Mike Fowler (SDS) diving the first Evolution on our continent, great looking piece of kit. IS was about 50/50 divers training and folks just there to dive. Since it was training intensive and AP Valves specific it was an excellent environment to learn and train. I logged about 17 hours of dive time on the Inspiration and felt Warren Miller's class was good. We also had the benefit of getting input from Mike Fowler to expand the learning and better understand some of the in's and out's of the units. Tom Mount was training the Trimix CCR as well as doing presentations. Divetec is top-notch and Cobalt Coast has great rooms. The shore diving is good but it is a hump out over the sand flats to the wall.

Zero Gravity was the perfect compliment to my Innerspace experience. Having the opportunity to dive with folks on just about every kind of rig under the sun, KISS, KISS-Shearwater, Cis, Inspiration w&w/o Hammerheads, Megs w&w/o Hammerheads, Ourorboros - I would have liked to check out a Prism too, but none showed up.

ZG was actually less diving focused and more knowledge sharing oriented. One good long boat dive in the AM 2-3 hours and then presentations from the sponsors and hanging out in the afternoon into the night. For me it was great to have the designers of the rigs presenting their work and learning the unique differences between the them. I would often buddy up with someone to do some additional shore diving in the afternoon or evening, the Sunset House reef and wall is great for that! There was no training during the week except a cross over cert. Rooms at Sunset are motel 6 level but fine, they certainly have a better range of food options on-site and within walking distance.

Since I am only recreationally certified on the Inspiration I was worried that the sites would only be good deep sites, but they were all great. I usually stayed above 150 and most of the diving about 130 and up. No big complaints about that. As long as you have adequate bail-out they were not restrictive in any way... besides how deep do you want to dive air. Reg and Erika put on a great week.

I will definitely be back to both events. The big catch is how much do you want to dive Cayman. Having logged 37 hours between June and August and no time anywhere else this summer it could get a little routine. Oh another amazing wall dive..... I think the next trip is to the Pacific for some big stuff!

Doug Rice
www.thedepthfinder.com

Hey Doug,
I enjoyed talking with you... Remember if you ever need anything just pick up the phone..

 

[caveseeker7]

Thanks for the report, Doug, it reads like a wet dream.

 

[tnt2020]

I've got my deposit down on an ocean front suite and can't wait for May. I was wondering who I might meet from the board. I am looking forward to doing the west bound express scooter dive It does cost extra but sounds like a great dive and I won't have to worry about air 1 hour at 65' along the base of the mini wall from cobalt coast to the turtle farm.

Great review Doug I hope you go again and I get a chance to meet you and hear about your first year on a Rebreather.

Tim

 

[nitrojunkie]

Joe, it was great meeting at ZG, I'll definitely be in touch sometime in the future.

Tim, after the certifications a few folks did the dive from CC to the turtle farm on the rebreathers, no scooter needed. I imagne it would add a bit of fun on the scooters but one of the best thing about the breather is the silence.

Hopefully I'll catch many of you there next year.

Doug

 

[Diver Mike]

You guys have spoiled me. I just put the Money down for IS next year. Seems it is not only Inspirations but all RBs will be welocme.

I am still trying to decide about ZG, think I might go there as well.

I am looking forward to being someplace where have an RB does not mean you are "wierd" just normal....

 

[newt]

I just got back from Wyoming, thinking nobody would of paid attention to my note-Gee! Thank you for all the information. I will try to make Zero-G /Inner Space this coming year. In response to the "flushing" during a dive- I know that you would have to flush coming up, but how often do you guys turn over your circuit going down? Don't you just add your dilutent and perhaps a little oxygen (to make up for your metabolites)?
Perhaps I asked the question in the wrong way. I am more interested in what is going on in the tissues of a rebreather diver, and if your waste products are building up a mass spec anaylsis of your loop may lead to some new information.
I am truely a novice here. I place unconcious people on a SCR all day, but it is at ambient pressures. I use my tools to diagnose what is going on with thier physiology. Would this same approach work with divers? It does appear that open scuba equiptment is "safer" than RB equiptment, but that should not be the case. Is it the complexity of the equiptment, or are there hidden dangers? I do have a some theories, but none that I would promote without evidence. Perhaps I need to get with some people at DAN first so I don't waste anyone's precious time in the Carribbean.
I'd better get to bed so I can dive in the morning...
Mark Gillis MD (Newt)

 

[newt]

BTW- Padiscubapro, thanks for the post. I think the Argon would be absorbed from the skin into your blood, only to we washed out through your lungs. I think that is the only way you could get it in your loop, unless you are doing some creative things with your Argon bottle!

 

[padiscubapro]

BTW- Padiscubapro, thanks for the post. I think the Argon would be absorbed from the skin into your blood, only to we washed out through your lungs. I think that is the only way you could get it in your loop, unless you are doing some creative things with your Argon bottle!

Nope.. The Argon is from The Oxygen bottle if it is not 100%.

One VERY common way to make oxygen is using medical grade PSA systems, on a PERFECTLY working system it produces about 95.5% oxygen and approx 4.5% argon (yes there are slight other impurities but they will be ignored)

In many places the systems are not working perfectly and may produce oxygen as low as 90% (which is still within acceptable parameters for "medical" oxygen (using the lower standard) in this case there is still about the same Argon but some nitrogen as well (the zeolite was unable to bind with some nitrogen due to flow rate or bed problems). Ask any RB diver who has been to Truk and they will tell you their normal oxygen fills analyze to about 92% most of the time...

so think of it this way if your body needs 1.0lpm of oxygen per minute, you must inject more than 1.0lpm from your "oxygen" bottle to meet metabolic needs, as time goes on more and more of this "contaminate" gas makes up the loop (less the part that is diffused into your body tissues)

In areas where oxygen need is great and a plant to make oxygen by fractional distilation or similiar methods (Or shipment by lox is feasable) 100% oxygen is no problem, but in many places getting 100% oxygen is nearly impossible. For divers its getting easier to get oxygen but I have been to many places where I had to get oxygen from the local hospital, and of course I;ll analyze it before using, and you would be surprised how often its not 100%.


All the "home" oxygen generators use by people who need oxygen every day are PSA type systems, most have their alarms set at somewhere around 85%.. If you need more information let me know... I AM surprised that someone in the medical profession was unaware of this..

In by basic CCR classes I discuss this briefly, In my technical RB classes we have a pretty good discussion about this and its efffects on the loop.
Unfortunately, I have met many other RB divers, RB instructors, and RB instructor trainers, that are totally unaware of this fact.