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Cardiff,
the largest city of Wales has a large number of diving
centers and clubs. Cardiff diving centers offer
classes for all levels of divers all year round. The schools organise
dive trips within the UK and abroad.
Always dive according to your level of training.
Never enter the water without checking with the local dive center
for safety, additional information, level required for each dive
site and without being accompanied by a professional. All the
information provided is purely informative for our readers and
shouldn't be used as is to plan your immersion.
The diving clubs have weekly meetings and a number
of activities are organised. Trips to dive within the UK and abroad
are planned during the get togethers. Other activities which involve
non divers are organised as well like charity events, beach clean
ups etc... After training is finished in summer the dive schools
organise trips for the new divers to exercise the skills acquired.
One popular site is the Landrover Lagoon in Chepstow.
This site has 3 training platforms at 6, 7 and 8 metres (20, 23
and 26 feet) constructed from shipping containers of 40ft x 20ft.(12x6
metres). These are ideal for training and can accomodate upto
12 students at a time. There are a number of attractions as well.
There's a Royal Air Force (RAF) Wessex Helicopter
Mk5 at a depth of 17 metres (56 feet), an Alvis Stalwart Amphibious
Vehicle 'Stolly' and Alvis Saracen Troop Carrier at 11 metres
(36 feet), a cruiser at 18 metres (59 feet) and a Royal Navy Wessex
Helicopter Mk3 at 25 metres (82 feet). An explosives cabinet can
be seen at 22 metres (72 feet), a Devonshire Aircraft at 25metres
(82 feet) that was sunk in summer 2006, a small two man diving
bell at 23m and a cruiser at 25 metres (82 feet). At 27 metres
(88 feet) there's a BAE 146 Airplane, a motorbike at 21metres
(69 feet) and a Mondeo reef at 22 metres (72 feet). It's called
a Mondeo reef because there really is a mondeo down there. Other
attractions are swim throughs and a North Sea diving bell at 16
metres (52 feet). At 50 metres (164 feet) and 75 metres (246 feet)
there are buoys with a trapeze attached for decompression stops.
This site is is truly wonderful and has been carefully planned
to cater for divers of all levels due to its varying depths. You
will not be dissapointed by this site.
West Wales makes for some great diving as well
for outings from Cardiff. There are good shore dives at
St.
Martins and St. Brides which suit all levels
of divers and novices as some do not exceed 15 metres depth (49
feet).
Martins Haven is part of a marine reserve and
there's plenty to see. You will see lots of sponges and
fan worms as well as loads of squatties. Depending on
where you get in and the direction you take your dive you may
well reach 30 metres (98 feet) depth. It's one of the deepest
shore dives of the United Kingdom. St.
Brides has nice shallow shore diving and is ideal
for training and for novices. The bottom is sandy and the narrow
mouth to the bay where you start your swim has dense kelp
growth. If you swim far out you can reach a depth of
about 14 metres (45 feet) and there are a few swim throughs to
explore.
Also in the area is Hens & Chicks which is is
no deeper than 12 metres (39 feet). There are some large gullies
to swim through and you can see lots of dead mans fingers and
trigger fish in the summer months.
Stack Rocks is a polular dive a few minutes ride
by boat from St. Bride’s. There's plenty of marine life
like mackerel, pollack, butterfish and wrasse just to mention
a few. Crustacens are also present in large numbers, dead mans
fingers and very coulourful plumose anemones.
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