GUE’s Historical Incorporation of Rebreather Training

Global Underwater Explorers has a long and rich history in underwater exploration. The agency’s creation was inspired by a desire to enable exploration-minded divers with the best tools possible, including highly refined skills and purpose-built equipment. These tools and related training have always included the use of rebreathers. For more than two decades, the Halcyon PVR-BASC and later the RB80 were the standard tools of exploration in GUE.

Beginning in 2010, Jarrod Jablonski requested that GUE’s leadership begin testing various closed-circuit rebreather systems. He was convinced the technology would become mature enough to provide a safe and credible tool for the diving expeditions that GUE was regularly undertaking. The BOD consensus was that one CCR rebreather made the most sense for the foreseeable future, allowing the agency to more easily become experts in this evolving technology while building out training programs and incorporating CCRs into GUE diving activity. The JJ-CCR has proven a wise choice, allowing an ongoing expansion of GUE exploration projects while limiting complexity and building a strong relationship with JJ-CCR. GUE has every intention to maintain this fruitful and mutually valuable relationship.

The Growing Need for Diverse CCR Support Across GUE Projects

Since incorporating CCR classes into the agency, the industry has evolved considerably, with CCR diving becoming far more mature than it was previously. Meanwhile, exploration projects are occurring in progressively more remote locations, more often including small passages, dry caves, and vertical ascents/descents. Travel to these remote locations continues to present logistical challenges. The cost and availability of helium have also become a dominant concern in many regions, whereby open-circuit deep diving is now becoming uncommon.

While the RB80 remains a perfect tool in some settings, it is not ideal for a growing number of projects, including those with variable depth, complex operations, or difficult gas filling logistics. Halcyon maintains ongoing refinements to extend and complement the operational use of the RB80 but has progressively refocused on a more modular approach. The JJCCR fills many gaps left by the RB80 but remains a relatively large setup, sometimes adding complexity throughout the evolution of GUE divers and explorers.

The Symbios Rebreather

The modularity of the Symbios Rebreather, which is useful across a wide range of divers and project needs, is one of the attributes GUE finds attractive for its community. The chest-mounted position allows the addition of a rebreather to any type of back, side, or no-mount configuration. The absence of a rack and flexible configuration simplifies travel and diving with remote logistics. This setup preserves the relevant GUE equipment configuration with no meaningful changes, which simplifies learning, adaptation, and logistics. Meanwhile, several patented technologies offer a highly capable system that remains compact, light, and easy to use.

GUE’s Objective and Holistic Evaluation of the Symbios

Senior GUE instructors and BOD members have been testing the Symbios rigorously since 2023. This testing has explored the ways that Symbios fits with GUE’s projects, training, and underlying ethos. We approached this testing in the same way we approached our relationship with the JJ-CCR: an objective and holistic assessment of the system’s capability, collaboration with the manufacturer, identification of the manufacturer’s ability to accommodate GUE principles, and evaluation of the system’s capabilities to support GUE training and other initiatives. Countless test dives and detailed debriefings have proven that the Symbios design and functionality, combined with the long-standing relationship between GUE and Halcyon, make the incorporation of the Symbios a natural fit for GUE.

BOD Approval of Symbios Incorporation into the GUE Curriculum

During its June meeting, therefore, the GUE Board of Directors preliminarily approved the Halcyon Symbios Rebreather for incorporation into the GUE curriculum. It was agreed to allow the CE process to be completed in order to ensure a smooth global integration. Now that the Symbios has passed CE testing, GUE will begin the rollout of a Symbios training curriculum. The BOD recognizes this inclusion as a possible model for additional rebreathers, which should present advantages over those available with currently approved designs. The BOD will continue to explore this as GUE begins Symbios training.

GUE’s Intended Rollout of Symbios Training

GUE is now developing online and related training materials in support of GUE CCR programs. Interested GUE instructors are encouraged to register their interest so that Symbios Trainers may support appropriate coordination. GUE intends to allow the Symbios Rebreather at all levels of its training progression, but will focus first upon the CCR Fundamentals program. Incorporation of the Symbios as an approved platform for CCR-F will allow training by new rebreather divers and those wishing to include the Symbios as an additional rebreather. GUE’s Program Directors will refine the progression path for divers looking to extend the Symbios into more advanced diving activities.

Properly credentialed Symbios instructors may begin advertising forthcoming Symbios courses with the understanding that GUE cannot guarantee unit supply or availability.