Hi All,
Sorry about the caption but it is was sadly true - well kinda anyway.
Heres an explanation:
I've just returned from an normal OC diving and relaxing trip in Puerto Galera in the Philippines. Due to a bad cold and a sore back, I had some dry days, and went looking for a place where I could actually try one of those magical machines. From various sources (Thankyou:
Dive Dojo /
Coco Divers) I got pointed to LBC (
La Laguna Beach Club & Dive Centre Philippines) where I breifly talked to a fast talking chinese guy called Simon So, who came highly recommended. I only wanted to breifly try to dive an evolution to see if all I had been reading, here on Rebreather World, was holding true.
So this was setup for the an afternoon two days later:
I arrived, and saw an introductory video with R.Pyle et. al. which did not contain anything really new to me.
We then went over the kit, and here's the config:
- Buddy Evolution with standard Vision software for Trimix, no Tempstick.
- Steel BP with OMS-wing
- Adjstable harness
- 7l. Offboard Bailout also used for wing.
- Big counterlungs (As this it a training unit).
Next up was training in the pool for boyancy, DSV-operation and bailout.
As the pool was very small and shallow the session was very short.
Then off for a short 30min swim in the shallows in La Laguna, and we were done - Apparently Simon thought I had an incredible boyancy-control for a first timer, myself i'm not so sure...
So here's why it sucked
:
- I was very apprehensive because after reading about Rebreather's so much getting them demystified could only be an anti-climax ....
.... which it was, eventhough I had prepared myself for this.
- My boyancy was not all over the place, but it was INCREDIBLY difficult at the shallows (2 - 6 msw). I did touch the bottom lightly twice
, but never took if for the surface. This was expected. I however see this as so difficult, that it will kill most of the fun for many dives to come.
- Swimming inside the harness the counterlungs tended to ride up, so I had feeling of swimming inside a box and looking out a window.
Anyone else get that feeling?
- Biting and sealing the mouthpiece was very heavy, and I could barely turn my head at all. After the short swim my jaws was killing me. The mouthpiece was pulling and I think it was setup with a wrong angle, also the hoses cuold have been to short?
- Breathing the loop, was very much different from what I had expected. The breathing resistence was much more spring-like in the end of inhalation and end of exhalation, and actually not very pleasent. Only when breaths were very shallow the spring-effect was not noticable. I think this is realted to OTS CL made out of neoprene?
- Breathing was more noisy than expected, with the valves and solenoid fireing and all.
- Time on Rebreather was too short
So I would actually advise against buying a short tryout dive on an Rebreather, because all the reasons listed above could perhaps get reviewed to a different conclusion if I had had some more time on the unit. Alas I did not have the time to sign up for a full MOD1 couse which I deeply regret.
It is only because I such a greast intrest in Rebreather's that I have not given up on them, and run away screaming....
So If you're going to try one for the first time, do it for more than one dive!
But since I only have 30mins on one, I have no idea how long one should try to get a decent feel for an Rebreather
Nicolai Hanssing
PS: Sorry about my rant, needed to air some of my disappointments.