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UK scuba diving sites, Chepstow, NDAC, National Diving and Activity Centre, Rosemary E Lunn, Roz Lunn, XRay Mag, X-Ray Magazine, scuba diving news
The loss of this exceptional training resource will be deeply felt within the recreational and technical diving community. NDAC is a unique site in that offers diving in the 6 metre to 80 metre range

NDAC: Top UK dive training quarry closes

The National Diving & Activity Centre is based at a large flooded quarry in Tidenham, Gloucestershire, England. This dive site is located on the English / Welsh border at Chepstow, just a few minutes' drive from the M48 Severn Bridge. For 52 years, this was a toll bridge - cars would pay £5.60 to cross the River Severn. When bridge tolls were scrapped on 17 December 2018, NDAC suddenly became financially more attractive to dive. 

NDAC is permanently closed. We are not taking bookings for leisure activities or public diving.

Membership Question

Divers have asked NDAC about membership refunds. Ashley Bryce, NDAC Manager responded stating that all memberships had been extended by seven months to account for the Covid-19 lockdown. 

What's next for NDAC?

At the time of writing this, it is not known what will happen to NDAC. Rumours have been circulating for a number of weeks that the Ministry of Defence has bought this dive site. This is unlikely. There are other rumours that the quarry is going to be developed into a holiday park. Whether recreational and technical divers will be able to access and dive these unique waters again, is not known at this point. 

Pemba Island: Diving in Tanzania's Zanzibar Archipelago

Nudibranch, Pemba, Tanzania. Photo by Pierre Constant
Nudibranch, Pemba, Tanzania. Photo by Pierre Constant

Pemba Island is part of the Zanzibar Archipelago in Tanzania. Pierre Constant shares his adventure there, which took him through lush emerald forests, home to the Zanzibar leopard and rare endemic species of monkeys, a reserve with Seychelles tortoise, as well as diverse dive sites with a delightful variety of corals and marine species, and ample opportunities for underwater photography.

Reunion Island: Jewel of the Southern Indian Ocean

Soldierfish under an overhang at Tahiti, Réunion Island. Photo by Pierre Constant
Soldierfish under an overhang at Tahiti, Réunion Island. Photo by Pierre Constant

Elliptical in shape, Reunion Island is located in the southern Indian Ocean, 800km east of Madagascar as the crow flies, and 200km west-south-west of Mauritius Island. With a surface of 2,512 sq km and a perimeter of 207km, it is the emerged tip of a volcanic mound that rose 7,000m above the ocean floor. Pierre Constant shares his adventure to this exotic and remote island.

Indonesia's Raja Ampat: A Papuan Odyssey

Whale Shark, Teluk Namatote, West Papua, Indonesia
Whale Shark, Teluk Namatote, West Papua, Indonesia. Photo by Pierre Constant

The Raja Ampat Islands, located in Indonesia’s West Papua province, nestled between the Pacific Ocean, the Halmahera Sea and Seram Island, are at the crossroads of tremendous biodiversity and coral diversity—home to 75 percent of the world’s reef species. Pierre Constant returned to the region and shares his tales of diving and cultural experiences there.

MUSAN: New Underwater Sculpture Museum in Cyprus

MUSAN, with artworks by Jason deCaires Taylor, in Cyprus
MUSAN, in Cyprus, features 93 sculptures created by British artist Jason deCaires Taylor. Photo by Andrey Bizyukin

Cyprus has unveiled a new underwater attraction: A museum of 93 underwater sculptures by British artist Jason deCaires Taylor. Andrey Bizyukin went to Cyprus to check it out. He shares his surreal experience in this underwater wonderland.

Vera Figner Wreck: 20th-Century Paddle Steamer in Russia's Silva River

Diver inspects the wreck of the Vera Figner wreck. Photo by Pavel Lapshin
Diver inspects the wreck of the Vera Figner wreck. Photo by Pavel Lapshin

Scuba diving is a diverse and breathtaking activity where, upon submerging, one can find oneself drifting along the waves of history. Such an opportunity presented itself to me during my recent visit with fellow divers in Perm, who discovered an interesting object under the ice in the Sylva River.

Mexico's Quintana Roo: Cave Diving on the Yucatán Peninsula

Diver in Cenote Zacil-Ha, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Photo by Pierre Constant
Diver in Cenote Zacil-Ha, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Photo by Pierre Constant

As a cave diver, you do not come back from the Yucatán and say, “I have done Mexico,” boasting with pride and glory. It takes more than one visit to fully appreciate the enormous potential the peninsula has to offer underground. That means having not only the guts for it, but also the necessary training and experience to be able to do so. “Rome was not built in a day,” as the saying goes.