Here are some comments made by our customers and the diving
press...
Well done Darren at the NDAC
A few weeks ago I was diving at the NDAC Chepstow. My buddy wanted
to practise with a blob, as he's new to UK diving, so at the end
of the dive he sent up his new 'red and yellow' blob (one side each
colour). I should add that he did not buy it on my recomendation!
When
we got out, the guy on the pontoon came over and had a very friendly
chat with us to let us know about a new-ish (to us anyway) rule
that yellow blobs should only be used in emergency, and as my mates
blob span round he coud see yellow, red, yellow, red! He was very
nice, and said if we used it again to let him know before we got
it - absolutely fair enough. Was nice to know he was watching in
all honesty - certain other more 'stoney' sites don't seem to have
that level of surface supervision.
Recently, I was arranging another trip, and pointed out this rule
to the others I was going with. In doing so, I could not find any
reference to the rule on the NDAC website, so dropped a mail to
the contact us address. I was pleasantly
surprised to get a prompt reply with thanks, and that they would
add the information to the site. Today I get a mail from the Web
Designer and from Darren telling me the change has been added to
the rules page and thanking me again. I
have to say I was very impressed with all of this.
Coupled to this, the NDAC actually seem keen to develop their site
(like the new concrete
road, new
plane and helicopter
'attractions' etc), which again makes
a pleasant change to 'our stoney friends' in the north. The only
other place with a smilar attitude seems to be Vobster, and guess
which two sites most of my training will be at this spring? The
new attractions make a change; very nice to see a new improvement
every time we visit. The concrete
road made for a much smoother ride to the pontoon, and I imagine
must save you pounds in van tyres.
So, once agian, well done the NDAC. And no, I don't have any connection
apart from as a happy customer.
Cheers
Paul
Hi
I have just completed
an AOW course with Lee
Sutton and Dave Mager at the NDAC and I would just like to let you
know my thoughts.
I thought the course
was very professionally run, although very intensive and the knowledge
great, it was also great fun.
Lee and Dave are great
instructors and went above and beyond in their instruction. They
both made me feel very confident but not complacent in my new found
diving skills.
I would recommend
a course with them and look forward to doing more myself.
They are a credit
to your organisation!
James
Seaward

"One of the key
priorities with training divers at any level, from novice to technical
is obviously safety with the need to construct an appropriate risk
assessment for any dive site chosen.
Whilst the preference
with diver training would be to use a training site as close to
the conditions the trainee wishes to dive in post training, example
Trimix divers would be best taught in the Ocean where factors such
as weather and tides apply, At times a sheltered site for initial
training or additional training or a good site to guarantee course
completion in the case of unexpected poor weather.
Over the last few years
at least one high quality inland site has been there for the professional
instructor teaching in the 35m range, but a site with good conditions,
surface facilities and high safety in the 35m plus range has been
hard to find.
The National Diving
& Activity Centre fulfils this requirement very well. The Safety
features include waterside staff at all times on the Pontoon network
that gives easy access to the variety of buoyed dive sites. The
waterside support has radio contact with the main office and shop
where rescue staff and equipment are available. There is also a
RIB on site by the surface support shed on the pontoon to give fast
response to all areas of the quarry.
Transport is supplied
from the large car park for divers and equipment to the waterside
where sack trolleys are available to transport equipment to the
appropriate entry point.
The centre offers air,
nitrox and trimix fills and a well equipped
shop, good onsite catering and a professional and friendly staff.
As a professional instructor
the staff went out of there way to accommodate my needs for meeting
the safety and training needs of my students and I would not hesitate
to use them again for training in the 6 to 80 m range.
Phil Short IANTD Pheonix Oceaneering
www.phoenixdivers.com

"...very safe and very well organized. It gave us a perfect
place for testing the equipment up to -75m, and to repeat again
and again all the skills in every condition. A highly recommended
place for training."
Dr Jerome Meynie, deep cave explorer
www.snoopyloop.com

"It was refreshing to see a genuine hospitality
at Chepstow.... immensely friendly and helpful...One of those
places where you feel 'at home'. You could see they had a heart
in what they were doing."
Izzy Imset
Underwater Explorers, Portland

"A dive site set up with divers in mind"
Sport Diver Magazine
May 2003

This dive site has got to be the "Safest place to dive in
the U.K.
Whilst teaching a novice diver the finer points of diving, he
became separated from us in low visibility (due to recent adverse
weather conditions). The plan was, "if we became separated,
we would search for each other for one minute and if still separated,
surface." Needless to say, this inevitably happened and we
surfaced ahead of our novice.
Our novice was following diving procedure to the letter, by ascending slowly
and monitoring his computer, compass and air, which left
him around two minutes behind us. Within seconds, the safety officer,
Mike,(I think) was on the case, radio at the ready, along
with Jon the Landy driver, without being alerted by us, and
comfortingly concerned for our novice.
Fortunately, our novice surfaced as planned, albeit two minutes
behind us. We were concerned, but not over worried, because he
had proved great competence to us with his diving, but the sheer
vigilance of the safety crew amazed us.
"Well done guys!" We are well impressed and will be
back.
Martin Versfeld

Hi
I do apologise
for taking an age to contact you I was a student on an entry level
trimix course run by Robinhood Watersports in Yorkshire.
Your help and friendliness
was probably the best I have ever received in 20 years diving,
it even started with help to contact local accommodation before
we set out on our travels.
I will be visiting
you again and have recommended you to many of the dive clubs in
our area.
Keep up the good
work and again many thanks.
Paul
Gaunt
Thorne S.A.C Branch - Diving Officer
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