Rebreather diving
I took my first training in rebreather diving in Roanoke, Virginia, USA 1996 when completing the Semi Closed Rebreather ( SCR ) Draeger Atlantis course. My Instructor was Terrence Tysall, back then co-owner of the Orlando Dive Center in Orlando, Florida, USA.
My first Closed Circuit Rebreather ( CCR ) dive was conducted during the Tek 1996 show in New Orleans on a Prizm Topaz CCR conducted by Peter Reedy. My first formal training on a CCR rebreather was completed in 1997 by Richard Pyle, Tom Mount and Bil Stone on the Cis Lunar MK5p in Madison Blue Spring, Florida, USA in preparation of my participation in the Wakulla II deep cave exploration and mapping project conducted at Wakulla Spring, Florida, USA.
After my participation on the deep cave exploration project Wakulla II in northern Florida 1998 and 1999 where I met CCR divers Mark Meadows, Brian Kakuk, Jil Heinerth, Paul Heinerth, Jim Brown, Jason Mallinson and Rick Stanton I started to focus on CCR diving. With the ongoing deep cave and cenote exploration in the central Yucatan, Mexico I bought my first CCR rebreather, a CCR Inspiration in the year 1999.
During 1999, 2000 and 2001 I conducted a series of deep exploratory CCR Cave dives in the central Yucatan, Mexico in the area of Mucuyche and Homun, south of Merida.
In 2003 and 2004 I visited Utila Island in Honduras to dive and teach on the Inspiration and Megalodon CCR rebreathers.
In 2004 I participated in the testing of the Dive Rite CCR O2ptima rebreather in Florida and Mexico which resulted in the purchase of a CCR O2ptima rebreather.
During 2004 I participated in the filming of the movie -The Cave- on location in Romania and Mexico. The CCR Megalodon rebreather was used in a shorter movie version and covered up by a silver back shell. Upon completion of the film shoot I purchased one of the movie CCR Megalodon rebreather units.
In early and late 2006 I participated in a series of wreck dives in Hurghada, Egypt and Sardinia, Italy utilizing CCR and P-SCR rebreathers. In late 2006 I conducted a CCR training program in Croatia. In mid 2005 I purchased a P-SCR Halocline rebreather.
In mid 2006 I participated in a scientific expedition in the position as Safety Diving Officer off the coast of Tanzania, Africa in order to locate and film the Coelacanth in his natural habitat. During the expedition aboard the scientific live a board diving vessel ( The Kairos ) a number of Inspiration and Megalodon CCR rebreathers where used.
During 2006 and 2007 the demand for CCR related training ( especially CCR cave diver training ) increased and upon customer request I purchased a CCR Classic KISS in 2007.
During the Yucatan 2000 cave exploration project organized by me the idea grew to open a dedicated advanced training and technology diver training facility. In 2001 I went on to open my dive shop and store dedicated to technical, cave and rebreather diving as well as Instructor training ProTec Advanced Training Facility in Playa del Carmen, Mexico with focus on CCR and P-SCR rebreather diving, training and support. To this day I am utilizing CCR and P-SCR rebreathers for cave and wreck diving applications in Mexico.
I am an active Rebreather Instructor for IANTD to conduct and teach the following rebreather training programs:
CCR Basic user course or Mod I, CCR Normoxic Trimix diver or Mod II, CCR Cave diver, CCR Wreck diver, CCR Advanced Wreck diver.
I am teaching CCR basic ( Mod 1 ) user courses on the following CCR Rebreather units:
CCR Megalodon, Sport KISS, Classic KISS, Optima, Inspiration and Evolution rebreathers.
I am teaching SCR Rebreather courses on the following units:
Active SCR Draeger Dolphin and Ray Rebreather. Apart from training agency condoned rebreathers I teach on a Passive SCR Halocline and Passive SCR Habanero.
I am an active IANTD Instructor Trainer to conduct, train and evaluate Instructors for the following IANTD Instructor ratings:
SCR Draeger Dolphin and Ray, CCR Classic KISS, CCR Sport KISS, CCR Optima, CCR Inspiration and Evolution, CCR Normoxic Trimix, CCR Cave, CCR Wreck and Advanced CCR Weck Instructors.
I currently own a m-CCR Classic KISS, e-CCR APECS Megalodon, e-CCR O2ptima and a P-SCR Halocline rebreather.
Rebreather wreck diving KT 12, Sardinia, Italy