Inspiration diving from Airlie Beach, QLD, Oz

Stralachlan

Hi,

Does anyone have any idea where I might be able to hire Inspiration cylinders near Airlie Beach? I'm travelling over at the end of March for two weeks, and bringing my YBOD with me, but may not have the weight allowance to take the cylinders as well.

Fortunately I'm staying with a friend who has his own boat, and can supply Draegar sorb (as he runs SCR).

Another option is to get my mate Luke to buy bare cylinders in advance, as we have the right valves, or ship spares cylinders out from the UK as freight.

Mary

Lancer4545

Hi Mary,

There are none that I am aware of down that way. There are a couple of us up here in the Cairns/Port Douglas area and then the only others are down around Brisbane.

I have tanks and sorb here, let me know if I can help you out at all.

Regards,

Lance

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sadave

If Lance can't help you out, Jason from Dive Dive Dive: Welcome Page in Brisbane can probably send some up for you. He has plenty of Inspiration Cylinders lying around.

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bendomatic

along with the cylinders, have you sourced O2?

rachel

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wizbang

Hi Mary, as SA Dave said Dive Dive Dive is probably your easiest bet.
There may be the odd "pony" bottle which is a 3l steel faber at some of the local dive stores but they wouldn't be O2 clean etc.

Be careful regarding British valves in Australian cylinders, they look similar and feel kinda right when you screw them in BUT they are not the same.

The other option you have is to put the Inspo in a "travel" frame and then you can use most cylinders available.

Good luck and safe travels.
Wiz

Stralachlan

Thanks everyone for your responses. Based on the information I'm getting back from the airlines, BA is giving me 32kg luggage + 23kg dive kit, and Virgin Blue is giving me 15kg luggage + 32kg dive kit. Which means I should be able to bring over my UK cylinders, even if I have to move them from one bag to another in Sydney!

Fortunately, Luke has a compressor, O2, helium etc in Airlie, and since this wont be a commercial sale and he's happy to fill in date UK stamped cylinders we should be alright.

Just for the record, it was Australian in-line valves we were planning to put into Australian bare cylinders, its just his current cylinders arent steel so wont fit inside my inspo fibreglass case properly - typical. This is when a DT box looks handy.

I thought taking the inspiration to Egypt was bad - this is a major logistical planning exercise!

sadave

You just have to make sure you tell the checkin agent that its "sporting goods" for that allowance. And make sure the bag is UNDER 32kg. At 32.1kg, they are not allowed to accept it, and you'll have to re-pack it.

(I work for the airline! Any other questions, drop me a PM)

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Stralachlan

Thanks Dave, I had quite a helpful response from VB by email, which I'll take with me. I suspect my problem bag will be the "normal luggage" one, as depending on how fussy BA get I'll probably have to pack the cylinders in with my normal luggage to get the rebreather case down to 23kg, and then move them into the rebreather suitcase in Sydney before checking in with VB. (Must weigh the cylinders tonight!) Life is never simple is it. I might try checking in an overweight dive kit bag with BA to save me having to do this - the worst they can do is ask me to repack it in Heathrow. Why cant they just say this is your total luggage allowance, pack it how you like in 2 bags, neither one weighing more than x.