Stoney or National Dive Centre, Chepstow ? [Archive]

View Full Version : Stoney or National Dive Centre, Chepstow ?

rob robertson

25-10-2005, 10:28

We are planning to do some OD/SD OW training Sunday.
Not sure the weather will be good enough to go in the sea,
and it looks like rain all week.
We are Surrey/Sussex borders so 2hrs to either of the above.
Never been to NDC.
Anyone got any advice/opinions on the merits or otherwise of either site?
Paticularly, how is the viz affected by rain?

Rob Robertson
Cranleigh SAC

AndyRAF

26-10-2005, 17:28

I've never dived Cheptstow, but am familiar with Stoney.

Pros
- An extensive ledge at 6m with many objects (helicopter,
tank, nautilus) to explore.
- Ample car-parking (200m trek from the furthest one).
- Excellent safety team.
- The new shop is excellent.
- Lovely butties and hot drinks available on-site.
- Varied entrance and exit points (stair, slipway & quayside).
- Very diver orientated atmosphere.

Cons
- Can be very, very busy.
- Excellent viz UNTIL numerous divers stir the bottom up.
- Entrance Fee.
- Expensive pub for post-dive refreshments.
- People start queuing at 5am to get parking near the water.

Nigel Hewitt

27-10-2005, 10:54

We are planning to do some OD/SD OW training Sunday.

We've used both. Stoney is impossible to park at the weekend while Chepstow presents some interesting logistics as they ferry you down to the water in their trucks.

I tend to prefer Chepstow so I can park but it's not very interesting in the water. At least at Stoney you have things to play with which is great. I may be OOD on this. I heard they were planning things.

They are about equidistant from me so no other reason to choose.

Dave

27-10-2005, 12:22

Have you considered Vobster Quay as an option. Near Bath so probably a bit quicker to get to than Chepstow and no fee for the Severn Bridge. More stuff in there than in Chepstow and if you phone in advance you can even book car parking in the car park by the water to ensure no long distance to the water

<a href="http://www.vobsterquay.co.uk/" >http://www.vobsterquay.co.uk/</a>

Dave

rob robertson

31-10-2005, 12:30

Dave

31-10-2005, 20:10

Thanks for your replies.
We went to Vobster for easy of parking and travel.
Viz was pretty good but it was probably quieter than usual because of the dive show.
We liked the variation in depths and platforms - ideal for our training.
Also saw some fish...

Rob

I don't know how busy it was when you went, but my experience when I was back in Eggland, is that it was normally reasonably quiet there; a lot more civilised that Stoney Cove.

Dave

gnirtS

04-11-2005, 04:01

Paticularly, how is the viz affected by rain?

Rob Robertson
Cranleigh SAC

Ive done the NDC more than id like lately due to the weather. Its a good site for training albeit a bit lacking in above water structures. Its now got heated changing rooms (aka portacabins), a heated eating area for the outdoor food van (yep..a portacabin) etc. The car park is basically puddles and mud at the moment due to weather. There are no warm showers.

That said for training its nice, metal mesh platforms at about 6m and 8m and the line of the old road sloping down gently with various sunken attractions between 10 and 20m. A lot of these are buoyed.
Vis in the 3 times i was there last week wasnt exactly spectacular. One issue seems to be rain washing mud down and off the cliffs. In my 3 visits the best i found was 2m mid water dropping to zero where other divers had been and kicked it up. This could be an issue at lots of sites though not just NDC. Im a bit nervous of rock falls lately there as well - last week a large rock had landed right in the middle of the 6m platform leaving a large dent.

Car parking is a big open area and you dont have to carry your kit more than 20m or so to the landrover or minibus which they use to ferry people and equipment to the pontoons down at the water.

Its also worth noting the NDC is shut mondays/tuesdays if planning on diving there in the week.