X-Ray Mag

News

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

2 years ago By Rosemary E Lunn

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. 

Time to Surface, Nick Cunningham-Moorat, Dominic Housiaux, Lankey and Limey, diving safety, Rosemary E Lunn, Roz Lunn, risk assessment, dive boat safety, XRay Mag, X-Ray Magazine, scuba diving news
Explore Beneath the Surface: Diving Whilst Informed

Be part of the solution with 'Time To Surface'

2 years ago By Rosemary E Lunn

Do you worry about the health of this Blue Planet of ours? 

Want to explore, but don’t think the price of entry should be major sponsorship, a camera crew, and a public relations department?

‘Time to Surface’ is launching a series of workshops, to explore how communities, organizations and individuals can determine what incentivises better outcomes for themselves and others.

'Diving Whilst Informed'. Time To Surface

Time to Surface Chosen Charities
 

The British Cave Rescue Council
The BCRC is the representative body for voluntary underground rescue in the British Isles. When requested the BCRC will also send qualified, experienced cavers / cave divers overseas to be part of a rescue team. Probably the most high profile rescue the BCRC has been involved with to date, was the Thai cave rescue in 2018. 

Andy Gates, Rosemary E Lunn, Roz Lunn, XRay Mag, X-Ray Magazine, Michelle Haywood, Discover Diving, Isle of Man, UK scuba diving
Recreational scuba divers about to explore the waters off the Isle of Man | Image Credit: Rosemary E Lunn

Covid-19 and Diving: Research Survey

2 years ago By Rosemary E Lunn

Dr Tina Spence, a qualified doctor / GP trainee is looking into the affects of Covid-19 as part of her Master's programme. During the process, she will be working closely with DDRC Healthcare. The 'Diving Diseases Research Centre' is also based in Plymouth, Devon. 

All UK divers are invited to help with this research, even if you have never had Covid-19. Tina Spence, University of Plymouth

The Research

We all know that Covid-19 has had a huge impact on the UK and the world. However, there is currently limited anonymous field data around divers participation in recreational diving during the pandemic. 

You will be asked about your opinions and diving practices - your views and experiences are what this project is interested in exploring. Tina Spence, University of Plymouth

Information being sought include

BSAC, British Sub Aqua Club, dive planner, 2022 planner, Rosemary E Lunn, Roz Lunn, XRay Mag, X-Ray Magazine, scuba diving news

Download a free dive planner

2 years ago By Rosemary E Lunn

BSAC has kindly made it available to all divers, for free. 

The PDF can be printed off in A4 or A3 format. Alternatively, if you require it in a bigger format, the planner has been created in A1 and A2 sizes. The relevant file can be sent to your local printer or copy shop. 

Divers should note that whilst tide heights vary, springs and neaps occur at the same time around the world. 

Download the 2022 year planner

Please click below to download the PDFs.

Explorer Victor Vescovo (left), Founder of Caladan Oceanic, along with Dr Osvaldo Ulloa, Director of the Instituto Milenio de Oceanografia (IMO), have completed the first-ever crewed dive to the deepest point of the Atacama Trench
Explorer Victor Vescovo (left), Founder of Caladan Oceanic, along with Dr Osvaldo Ulloa, Director of the Instituto Milenio de Oceanografia (IMO), have completed the first-ever crewed dive to the deepest point of the Atacama Trench

First-ever crewed dive into Atacama Trench

2 years ago By Catherine GS Lim

On 21 January 2022, two men dived the first-ever crewed dive to the deepest point of the Atacama Trench, the deepest trench in the southeastern Pacific.

This feat saw explorer Victor Vescovo, Founder of Caladan Oceanic, and Osvaldo Ulloa from Instituto Milenio de Oceanografia (IMO) descending to 8,069m below sea level, in the submersible Limiting Factor. This dive was the first in the Chilean leg of the Ring of Fire Pt 2 (2022) expedition.

Peter Sotis sentenced to 57 months in rebreather smuggling case

2 years ago By Chief minion

Sotis was the 80% owner of Add Helium, a diving equipment and training company in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The charges stem from the defendants’ scheme to cause the illegal export of rebreather diving equipment to Libya in August 2016.

If rebreathers are to be exported to any countries with national security concerns, such as Libya, it requires a license from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Tamara Brown, Tammy Brown, Divers Academy International, US Department of Justice, WDHOF, Women Divers Hall of Fame, Rosemary E Lunn, Roz Lunn, XRay Mag, X-Ray Magazine, scuba diving news, commerical diving news
Tamara Brown pictured in circa 2000, when she was part of the inaugural class inducted into the USA centric 'Women Divers Hall of Fame'

WDHOF Member jailed for fraud

2 years ago By Rosemary E Lunn

In addition to the prison term, US District Judge Joseph H Rodriguez has sentenced Tamara Brown to three years of supervised release, fined her US$50,000 and ordered restitution of US$1.1 million.

The 58-year-old commercial diver of Haddon Heights, New Jersey had previously admitted guilt to one count of wire fraud in connection with her operation of a commercial diving school from January 2012 through to July 2018.

WDHOF Responds

A spokeman for the Women Divers Hall of Fame exclusively told X-Ray Mag on 16 January 2022 "WDHOF takes pride in our members’ accomplishments and efforts that were so significant they were inducted into the organization. We also appreciate their continued enthusiasm for helping the organization strive to make a positive impact through our training grants and scholarships. WDHOF has always had the expectation that our members continue to be ethical and honorable in their actions.

Subscribe to News