BSAC ’ S NEWLY RELEASED ADVANCED OCEAN DIVER COURSE HAS RECEIVED A positive response , with clubs and centres welcoming the opportunity to offer more choice to their entry-level divers .

Launched last month , Advanced Ocean Diver ( AOD ) is an optional course that gives qualified Ocean Divers the ability to extend their diving depth from 20m to 30m .

The ‘ next step ’ course has been developed in response to feedback from BSAC Centres , and to support the delivery of BSAC entry-level diver training in an increasingly competitive market .

Advanced Ocean Diver is open to all Ocean Divers ( or divers who have an equivalent certification from another recognised diver training agency and have also completed Nitrox training ) aged 14 and over . On completion , Advanced Ocean Divers can conduct no-decompression dives to 30m , accompanied by a Sports Diver ( or equivalent ) and above .

BSAC ’ s Head of Diving and Training , Dom Robinson , recently led a live webinar covering the new Advanced Ocean Diver course for BSAC Instructors .

This informative webinar can now be viewed as a catch-up recording as part of BSAC ’ s webinar archive , which can be found at bsac . com / catchup

Dom said initial feedback via the webinar on the new AOD course had been mainly positive , with many recognising the benefits for clubs as well as commercial centres , including new member retention . The opportunity for divers to progress their diving while moving towards Sports Divers was viewed as particularly useful by many clubs .

BSAC Centres and clubs looking to offer Advanced Ocean Diver can access the training materials , including the instructor manual , at bsac . com / instructorresources

For more information on the Advanced Ocean Diver course , go to bsac . com / AOD

SCUBAHUB

ONE OF THE UK ’ S MOST POPULAR inland dive sites , the National Diving and Activity Centre ( NDAC ), has shut down to the public .

In a short statement on its Facebook page , the company behind the Chepstowbased dive site announced that it had permanently closed , but gave no specific reason for the closure . The centre did , however , thank its many customers for their support .

Opened in 2003 , the National Diving and Activity Centre ( popularly known by its acronym and pronounced ‘ endak ’) was based in the former Dayhouse Quarry in Tideham , which was flooded in 1996 . NDAC became a key training ground for many BSAC divers thanks to the 80m-deep site , which also provided a range of sunken attractions at depths to suit all diver levels . NDAC was also a popular site for technical diver training , thanks to its deeper depths .

In recent years , NDAC had diversified its business and added other activities alongside diving , including open water swimming , a zip wire and paddle-boarding .

The UK diving community was quick to respond to the news . Peter Davies , Chair of the Wessex Federation of Diving Clubs ( WESSFED ), said NDAC ’ s closure was a great loss to the diving community .

“ Within its catchment area there are many thousands of divers from various agencies . Although there are a couple of other excellent open water dive sites within a reasonable drive , NDAC was unique in the facilities they offered both above and below the water .

“ The closure will also be felt more widely across the whole community who enjoyed the many other activities on offer .”