You dive into the water and in an instant you are in a different world. Stress, noise and the hustle and bustle of everyday life suddenly seem far away. You become one with the silent world and are acutely aware of your senses. No noisy valves, no hissing air, no annoying air bubbles - nothing. Even the ordinarily shy inhabitants of the sea are hardly bothered by your presence. And you are free to enjoy the fascinating feeling of being an accepted guest. For the first time you can experience the silence of the silent world.

You are diving with a rebreather -the Dräger Dolphin. This semi-closed rebreather allows you to experience diving as never before. What is special about rebreather systems is that your exhaled gas is not released into the water as in conventional open circuit systems, but is purified and returned to the breathing circuit. As a result, you can enjoy your dive to the fullest - not only a longer dive, but also a completely undisturbed adventure.

Dräger Dolphin - a quite new diving experience
The Dräger Dolphin removes carbon dioxide from the exhaled gas through a sodalime cartridge and then channels it into the inhalation bag, where it is enriched with fresh Nitrox from the supply cylinder.

This constant supply of fresh gas ensures that you will always be provided with enough oxygen. If,however, you should need more gas - for example if you are subjected to great physical exertion or you wish to clear your mask - a bypass valve opens automatically to supply additional fresh gas. For very shallow breathing - for instance if you are "lying in wait" for a photo opportunity - the circuit opens and small air bubbles escape almost silently through the positive pressure valve behind you.

The breathing circuit in the Dolphin
(blue) = inhaled air
(red) = exhaled air

Another aspect of rebreather diving you will enjoy is that the inhaled air is pleasantly warm and moist. This is because the chemical reaction involved in the absorption of carbon dioxide generates warmth and moisture, and as a result even ice diving can become a real joy.

As a result of optimal reuse of the exhaled gas, your gas consumption drops by up to 90%, meaning that the Dolphin's 4 or 5 liter cylinder can last for a whole weekend of diving.

Nitrox - it's the mix that makes the difference

The Dolphin uses Nitrox, in other words a nitrogen-oxygen mixture. Nitrox offers you a new range of diving. With Nitrox your breathing air contains less nitrogen, and you can stay down longer, because the non-decompression times have been increased. Say, you are diving up to a depth of 20 meters. Compared to a conventional non-decompression time dive with compressed air, Nitrox 50/50 enables you to stay under water more than 3 times as long.

How long you can dive, how often and how deep - with Dolphin this is all a question of the mixture. The variable oxygen-nitrogen mix ratio gives you enhanced capabilities. Extra training is essential though, to ensure that you learn how to take full advantage of these possibilities. We will be pleased to give you the addresses of recognized training centers.

Instructor - Phillip E. Graf

Dolphin Rebreather Classes

Dolphin Rebreather Photographs