A Tri-partisan look at the state of Rebreathers by ANDI, TDI and IANTD @ RF3

One week today CCR Pioneer’s ANDI, IANTD and TDI will release historical training data at Rebreather Forum 3.  The three agencies have worked together and will announce the total number of divers certified on rebreathers.  This has not been done before, and it will give the Industry some idea of just how big the CCR (Closed Circuit Rebreather) market is.

“There has been a lot of speculation out there about just how many people lean to dive on CCR’s”, stated TDI’s President Brian Carney.  “I am really glad to participate with Ed Betts of ANDI and Joe Dituri of IANTD and release our certification numbers”.

“The rebreather industry is fickle and I laud the other big rebreather certification agencies getting together and setting the record straight,” stated IANTD’s Vice President Joe Dituri.  “I have never been more excited to be part of this growing culture.  Our cooperation is a win for the diving public”.

“Our corroboration will hopefully provide some clarity and result in a stronger, safer industry for all of us”, said Ed Betts, President of ANDI.  “Rebreather Forum 3 should be about improving safety and understanding.  Safety should not be a competitive issue”.

Due to the fact that ANDI, IANTD and TDI have slightly different ways of classifying rebreather certifications the numbers will be broken down as ‘Basic’, ‘Intermediate’ and ‘Advanced’ certifications by year.  Basic qualifications will include any entry level program to SCR’s (Semi-Closed Rebreather) and CCR’s.  Intermediate qualifications will include any training that includes minimal decompression.  Whilst Advanced qualifications will include Trimix and exploratory qualifications.  The companies will also be showing the difference between SCR and CCR certifications.

This information will be released post RF3 for anyone not able to attend this event and will be included in the published Conference Proceedings.

“20 Years of CCR Training Data from ANDI, IANTD and TDI” will be presented on Friday 18th May 2012 at 11:30 in Boca Room IV, Caribe Royale by Ed Betts, Brian Carney and Joe Dituri

 

Duke Research Team wins NASA Award; Preventing DCS in Astronauts

A research team at the Duke University Hyperbaric Centre, (North Carolina, USA) has won a Johnson Space Center (JSC) Group Achievement Award from NASA. The Durham based team comprising Dr Neal Pollock, Dr. Richard Vann, Mike Natoli and Dr Richard Moon. Dr Neal W. Pollock and Dr Richard D. Vann developed an in-suit light exercise pre-breathe regime to prevent decompression sickness developing in astronauts.

Dr Neal W Pollock and Dr Richard D Vann

Although it might not seem immediately obvious, there is a strong link between astronauts, rebreathers, diving physiology and physics. A space suit is effectively an oxygen rebreather with the contents of the suit recirculated through a CO2 scubber. However the helmet doesn’t suffer the same CO2 retention problems that some diving helmets can, mainly because the gas is far less dense, therefore it circulates easily around the system.

“When an astronaut transitions from Space Station pressure (1 bar) and dons a space suit (0.29 bar), the pressure on them drops by 0.71 bar”, stated Neal Pollock. “It’s the same effect as instantly going from ground level to a thousand feet above Everest. Consequently one of the dangers of space walking is that decompression sickness will result if there is no intervention or treatment. Although the astronaut hasn’t been diving, he does have nitrogen in his tissues – in equilibrium with the content at ground level pressure. With an immediate drop in pressure the gas comes out of solution forming bubbles and possibly symptoms of decompression sickness, just like diver experience. We needed to wash out nitrogen from the astronauts’ tissues by having them breathe pure oxygen; an old trick used since World War II by bomber and fighter crew.”

The full story can be found here, see page 6 of X-Ray Magazine, May Issue, # 48

Dr Neal W Pollock and Dr Richard V Vann also work at DAN Headquarters in Durham, respectively as Research Director and Consultant.  They are two members of the team behind Rebreather Forum 3.

What’s Rebreather Forum 3 all about? Neal W Pollock explains

“The main aim of RF3 is to evaluate the state of the art”, stated Dr Neal W Pollock, DAN’s Research Director and one of the organisers behind RF3.  “In a nutshell the theme of RF3 is to improve understanding, which we hope will translate to improved safety across the board.  We can always do things better.  So it is a rationality check to see if we can make things safer.

We’re therefore going to assess the current situation re manufacturing, testing, training and diving protocols to check that we are doing this as safely as we can, and highlight areas that need improving so that we can move forward.  Hence we’ve convened this Conference to put a lot of opinions into the room, rather than relying on a set of interpretations from one particular organization or company.  Doing it this way allows us to pull together all the different views and we then analyse the results through one lens.

The training agencies all say we are doing it right, so therefore why do we still have a number of fatalities every year?  At RF3 we intend to be as honest as we can about issues and address every one of them.  This may sound to some divers that we are suggesting current standards are dangerous.  We are not.  Our ethos is more along the lines of ‘how can we do it better and safer’?

So why will RF3 be useful to the Industry?  When you understand where something is failing; be it manufacturing, training or diving protocols, then everyone benefits from knowing how failures can occur.  Then we can see and evaluate how to successfully improve performance.”

You can be part of this important peer review, just log onto www.rf30.org, check out the agenda and book your tickets to the most significant rebreather conference this decade; Rebreather Forum 3.  You’ll kick yourself if you miss it!

Join an Innovative and Exciting Team @ Fourth Element

Fourth Element are on the look out for new talent and they currently have two vacancies;

Junior Designer for Web

Salary: 16 – 20k (Depending on Experience)

We are currently looking for a graphic designer with web experience to join the team at Fourth Element. The role involves a wide variety of tasks covering everything from advertising, marketing, print graphics, design for web and social media. The successful candidate would ideally have a basic knowledge of design for web. This represents a fantastic opportunity for someone with limited knowledge to get hands on experience and training in website design, coding, marketing and management. Training and mentoring will be available through the UCP programme to help develop knowledge and skills in key areas for the successful candidate.

For more information and to apply, visit the UCP website here: Unlocking Cornish Potential

UK Sales Manager

Salary: 20 – 25k, OTE 35K plus Company Car or Car allowance

Location: Head Office: Mullion and UK Regional Sales

Fantastic opportunity to join a dynamic company that is showing significant expansion in the UK and overseas. Fourth Element has established itself as the worldwide market leader in Scuba Diving thermal protection and clothing, producing a range of high performance thermal solutions for recreational and professional scuba divers throughout the world, including neoprene wetsuits, drysuit underwear and a casual clothing range.

The successful candidate will visit dive stores throughout the UK and Ireland, to show new products and to encourage sales. This will require on average approx 10 days every month to be on the road and the remaining time working from the head office located at Higher Bochym, Nr Mullion. The successful applicant will inherit an active customer list, but will be expected to open and develop new business throughout the UK.

The position would suit a qualified and active Scuba Diver although this is not essential. Sales promotional activities such as attending dive shows and ‘demo’ days over a small number of weekends throughout the year will form a critical part of the job role.

Please apply in writing to : Jim Standing, Fourth Element Ltd, Higher Bochym, Helston, TR12 7AZ.

Going underground at TEKCamp 2012

With preparations for TEKCamp 2012 moving ahead at full speed, details are leaking out about what promises to be a bigger and better event than ever before!

Kicking off on the 9th July, TEKCamp 2012 will see attendees getting involved in a range of exciting activities and talks. The highlight of the event promises to be an exclusive ‘out of hours’ field trip to the amazing show caves at Wookey Hole with CDG cave diver, Dr Duncan Price. Duncan will be taking TEKCamp attendees on a fascinating history of cave diving in Wookey as they explore these world-class show caves for themselves. Prepare to be gob-smacked by the breath-taking beauty of these amazing caves – but watch out for the Wookey witch!

TEKCamp 2012 is a unique opportunity to ‘speed date’ ten of the UK’s foremost technical diving instructors at Vobster Quay in Somerset. Over five solid days, attendees will participate in a series of in-water skills development and coaching sessions, lectures and talks – all designed to give divers a unique opportunity to develop and improve their diving skills and knowledge under the guidance and coaching of some of the UK’s foremost technical instructors. Some of the biggest names in technical diving will be giving attendees the benefit of their considerable knowledge – names already committed to the event include Martin Robson, Phil Short, Paul Toomer, Rich Walker and Mark Powell.

For recreational and budding technical divers alike, TEKCamp 2012 offers a unique opportunity to improve your skills and increase your diving confidence under the direct guidance of some of the UK’s foremost technical instructors. Buoyancy control need work? Finning technique less than efficient? Wish you could pop up a DSMB mid-water without losing control? TEKCamp 2012 will fine tune these skills and more…

Attendees can look forward to a packed schedule of talks throughout the week covering a broad range of diving subjects. The talks schedule is still being finalised but attendees can already look forward to…

• MONDAY 9TH – Acclaimed cave diver John Volanthen will be presenting a fascinating talk on the expedition to dive the cave system at Pozo Azul in Spain. John and other team members managed to set a new record for the worlds longest cave diving penetration, covering a distance of over 9 km!

• TUESDAY 10TH – Ever-popular rebreather cave expert Phil Short will be headlining Tuesday evening. Phil will be giving a talk entitled ’20 Years in Diving: The good, the bad and the ugly’. If Phil’s previous talks are anything to go by, this one is sure to be packed with seat-of-your-pants anecdotes and humour!

• WEDNESDAY 11TH – Fancy a field trip? On Wednesday night, TEKCamp attendees will be heading down to Wookey Hole for a guided tour of the stunning show caves lead by none other than CDG explorer, Dr Duncan Price. This promises to be the highlight of the week so don’t miss out!

• THURSDAY 12TH – Pioneering technical diver and rebreather guru Kevin Gurr will be returning to TEKCamp 2012 to give another fabulous talk. Marking the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, Kevin will be taking attendees on a journey to the world’s most famous wreck. Recounting his own dive to the RMS Titanic onboard the MIR submersible, wreck dives don’t get much bigger than this!

• FRIDAY 13TH – Friday night is party night at TEKCamp 2012 will a celebratory hog roast to mark the end of another very successful event. The instructing team will be in attendance, giving attendees the opportunity to rub shoulders and chat with some of the biggest names in diving. We’ll also be running our raffle with prizes galore up for grabs!

Tickets for TEKCamp 2012 are selling fast with over 80% already snapped up but there’s still time to get yours. Two ticket options are available offering either five or nine training sessions over the course of five days. For more information on booking options, visit www.tekcamp.co.uk

Ambient Pressure Diving support the race to the bottom of the Mariana Trench

We know less about the deepest points on our planet than we do about the surface of Mars. This could all change quite soon because Richard Branson in Oceanic / Deep Flight Explorer and James Cameron in Deepsea Challenge are currently racing to the lowest point in the Mariana Trench; the Challenger Deep. This lies 6.83 miles below the ocean and it’s the first extensive scientific exploration in a manned submersible of the deepest spot on Earth.

Two rebreather manufacturers have been quietly involved with this project. Branson has embraced the Poseidon Mark VI as his bailout, whilst Cameron is using Ambient Pressure Diving’s technology for life support within the submarine.

“Up until today we’ve had to keep schtum about our involvement on this project”, stated Martin Parker.  ”We’re aware that Cameron has just finished Deep trials in the New Britain Trench.  The Deep Sea Challenge Team have spent the last four weeks off the Coasts of Papua New Guinea and New Britain mounting a series of increasingly deeper dives to prepare for James Cameron’s dive to the bottom of the Marina Trench. Surpassing 8,000 metres (actual depth 8,221 metres) for several hours James Cameron is the deepest solo submarine pilot and is in the deepest operational submarine”.

Ambient Pressure Diving is responsible for keeping the pilot alive in the submarine – not a small role.

“Our job was to design and manufacturer the complete automatic life support system in the submarine. This includes the primary system and an identical back up system which can be used in a closed circuit mode in an emergency. As you’d expect the life support technology is running smoothly, removing the CO2 and controlling the PO2 in a similar way to the way we do in our standard rebreathers. The main scrubber system is fan driven, powered from the sub…should that power be lost then the pilot can move to the bailout rebreather. In total he’s got about 70 hours of life support depending on his work rate. The data is stored on board the Vision system but we also send it live to the on board PAC from where it is transmitted to the surface every 3 mins.

I am very proud to be part of the build team, and exceedingly proud of our in-house engineers and development team here in Helston who delivered the finished system in four months, from award of contract.  The fact that we used our standard rebreather components and re-packaged them gives us a massive boost in delivery capability and most importantly reliability.

We are in daily contact with the ship, receiving dive download data for cross-checking so that we can support the team out there with advice….these are truly exciting times.”

Follow this link and if you look hard enough inside the sub you’ll see APD’s logo.

Dive into history with Fourth Element!

Fourth Element / 3deep have just launched a new wreck project dedicated to the wrecks of Scapa Flow.  They are working with the Scapa Flow Landscape Partnership Scheme, the Orkney Dive Boat Operators Association and Orkney Marine Archaeological Forum to produce a web based guide to the wrecks, focussing on the 3D wreck tours.

Fourth Element would like your help and are looking for photos of the wrecks. These will be used to help build accurate 3D models and also to feature on a new website.

If you have got any photos of any of the seven High Seas Fleet wrecks that you think are particularly interesting, or show some of the features of the wreck, or just are beautiful depictions of the wreck that you would be willing to contribute to the project, please submit them to Fourth Element, via their website stating which wreck it is and describing the features in the photo. Please also include your mailing address.

There are two top prizes for those who make the best contributions to the project including a week’s diving for two. One of these weeks is on the Radiant Queen and the other will be on one of the other vessels supporting the project depending on the date. A prize draw will also be held for all contributors, with prizes including Fourth Element’s new One Piece Arctic undersuit and lightweight dive luggage.

This project is generously supported by Radiant Queen Charters, Valkyrie, Karin, Halton, Invincible,Sunrise, Jean Elaine and Sharon Rose. For more information click on ‘Submitting Info‘ and ‘Terms & Conditions‘ tabs on the relevant Fourth Element website page.

Mike deGruy killed in helicopter crash

Mike deGruy, the internationally respected and unanimously liked cinematographer of underwater nature films died today in a helicopter crash in Australia just before 4 p.m. local time. He had just turned 60 years old at the end of December, and leaves behind his wife and two children.

He was in Australia working on his next project. The crash, which also killed a pilot from Melbourne, occurred near the town of Nowra on the New South Wales coast. It happened during take-off, and the cause is under investigation.

Credits included Expedition Pacific Abyss, Abyss Live, Deep Blue, The Life of Mammals, Nature, The Private Life of Plants and Sharks on their Best Behavior.

You can read more about Mike deGruy’s extraordinary life here.

Peter Sieniewicz to join IMCA

One of the Health and Safety Executives Principal Diving Inspector’s Peter Sieniewicz (Southern Region) announced he is resigning from the HSE’s Diving Inspectorate.  ”After 14 years with the HSE I’m looking for new challenges.  I will be taking up the role of a Diving Technical Advisor at the International Marine Contractors Association and will be joining the company in April”.  In his new role he will still be involved in furthering safety in the diving industry.

IMCA (www.imca-int.com) in an international association representing offshore, marine and underwater engineering companies.  They work through and on behalf of its members world-wide promoting offshore safety, addressing technical matters and on a variety of other issues.

BSAC 2012 Elections

Following its successful introduction last year, BSAC will be repeating the online voting system for the forthcoming BSAC election.

This year’s election sees three council positions.  In addition the positions of Honorary Secretary and National Diving Officer will also available. If you fancy standing for BSAC Council you’ve got until the end of the month for nominations!  Contact BSAC Headquarters for more information.

For more information click here