Reap The Benefits Of Closed-Circuit Scuba

Reap the benefits of closed-circuit scuba at Wakatobi Resort, where rebreathers have been a staple since the early days

- Walt Stearns

The reef system surrounding Wakatobi Resort presents divers with an impressive array of underwater topographies with profiles beginning a mere one to three metres (3–10 feet) from the surface plunging to drop-offs bounding into the abyss. For opencircuit divers, a single bottle will easily provide a run time of 60 to 70 minutes without even going into deco. The one limiting detail is depth, as recreational divers are pretty much confined to the upper part of these reefs, between the surface and 39 metres (128ft). For these divers, what lies beneath will remain a mystery, unless of course they happen to be diving a closedcircuit rebreather.

While this sophisticated underwater breathing apparatus has in no way replaced the widespread use of open-circuit scuba, their popularity has grown substantially. In addition to the benefits of delivering warmer, moister gas for the diver to breathe, which can go a long way in reducing the loss of body heat and dehydration for added comfort, the most beneficial aspects of a closed-circuit rebreather (CCR) is the ability to provide extended range dive profiles in terms of both depth and time. Then there is the silent factor, as most rebreathers can perform this task without making hardly any noise at all, which often allows divers to approach marine life without startling them.

The one complication for diving CCRs in remote locations around the world is the operations offering support must be able to provide more than a sufficient supply of pure oxygen and absorbent medium for the rebreather’s scrubber as well as air, nitrox or even helium for the unit’s supply cylinders and bailout tanks. The operation’s staff should have adequate knowledge and understanding of CCR diving, as they often encompass modified diving itineraries to accommodate longer run times.

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