The National Dive centre is the only professionally run inland dive location in England and Wales where it is possible to dive to 80m. Having said that, most people go nowhere near that depth! It is, however, nice to do a 35-40m dive and be able to look down into the blackness and wonder what is down there and think maybe one day, or maybe not!

On a sunny Sunday in March, Jason, our illustrious DO, Robin and Ivor travelled down to the NDC for a days diving. Mrs Divalotski came along as DM, still not convinced humans should enter water colder than 26 degrees. The car park area overlooks the water, some distance below. The NDC is unique in that divers and their kit are ferried between car park and waters edge by old army trucks and Land Rovers, so considerably easing the problem of transporting kit.

The first dive was, unfortunately delayed by 30 minutes whilst Robin had to return to the shop to purchase a replacement mask for his, which had managed to break itself between the car and the buddy check. The first dive was planned as a 35m deco dive over the wall and down. We would return to 25m, deploy the DSMBs and ascend with stops at 18m (1 min), 12m (1 min), 6m (2 mins) and 3m (4 mins), giving a total dive time of 35mins.

The second dive was to 25m for 30mins to play in the plastic tunnels. They are, sadly, quite short and in an area of poor visibility, but give the diver the chance to see what tunnels are all about in relative safety. The interest soon fades and we set off for the wall to investigate that area, slowly rising to exit near the pontoon. The final dive of the day was an 18m dive, descending on a small boat, then following the wall along and touring round the shallow end, via a second sunken boat, also quite small, to, once again, exit at the pontoon. Apart from the hailstorm prior to the last dive, the weather was good all day. Mrs D reported feeling a little chilly at times. The boys endured 6 degree water with no complaints.