"100 trillion cells. 280 days. One human life. A BBC Science series, produced in partnership with The Open University, exploring the making of you."

On Monday 28th September you may have seen the National Diving & Activity Centre feature on BBC 2 Science show ‘Countdown to Life: The Extraordinary Making of You‘.

As part of the show Sam Amps from Saltfree teaches the presenter Dr Michael Mosley how to Freedive at Chepstow’s inland dive site.

The whole show is fascinating and well worth watching and you can catch it on the IPlayer. If you don’t want to watch the whole thing, the freediving section starts at around 46 minutes in

SaltFree Divers offer freediving courses, training, coaching and competitions at all levels at The National Diving and Activity Centre, a beautiful flooded quarry in Chepstow, near Bristol.

Their purpose-built freediving platform is the deepest of its kind in the UK, possibly in the world, fully equipped for safety and comfort.

Whether you want to learn to dive deeper, hold your breath longer or perfect your underwater swimming technique, SaltFree is the perfect location for Constant Weight and Free Immersion breath hold dive training.

Find out more about Saltfree and book on their courses via their website at www.saltfree.biz

We recently spotted the following tweet on the NDAC Twitter timeline by Emily Norris (@emilyanorris).

@NDAC_co_uk I made a wigwam ☺️ pic.twitter.com/8DqdsMI6kD

— Emily Norris (@emilyanorris) August 22, 2015

We were so impressed by the models she made of our Wooden Wigwams that we got in touch with Emily to find out the full story.

Emily is an artist studying Technical Arts and Special Effects at the University of the Arts, London. During a visit to the Wire Zip Slide Emily came up with the idea of a glamping trip to the NDAC as a fun present for her boyfriend’s birthday.

The gift was for my boyfriend’s birthday as a little fun getaway when we are both home from university.
We go to different universities so it is a great way for us to spend a bit of time together"

Rather than just telling her boyfriend about the gift with a card, Emily used her creative talents to create the model of our Wooden Wigwams.

Making him the model wigwam was the only fitting way to explain what I had bought him. I like to give gifts that the individual would never have thought of. On visiting the centre to have a go on The Wire, I realised the Wigwams were the perfect present"

More of Emily’s creative work can be seen online via her Facbook page.

The National Diving & Activity Centre in Chepstow has been awarded a 2015 Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site.

TripAdvisor awards a Certificate of Excellence to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from visitors.

TripAdvisor offers advice from millions of travelers and is the largest travel community in the world, reaching 375 million unique monthly visitors, and more than 250 million reviews and opinions covering more than 5.2 million accommodations, restaurants and attractions.

Thanks to all our customers who have taken the time to write a review of the centre. If you would like to leave your own review, please visit the NDAC page on TripAdvisor.

From an original article on UKBungee

At UK Bungee, they’re not ones to shy away from a challenge. So when asked to help 73 year old daredevil Ray Woodcock take on a record breaking 500ft water touch to promote EE’s new Action Cam, they couldn’t say no! With weeks of working out the logistics of such an epic jump behind them, they set off for the National Diving and Activity Centre in Chepstow, Monmouthshire for one of their craziest adventures to date.

An extreme jump like this needed an extreme crane and so a 300 tonne Leibherr with a 42 metre extension was bought in at 6am to begin a gruelling 6 hour set-up. Bearing in mind that this took another smaller crane to assemble, this was one big crane!

While a number of test jumps took place, firstly with a bag of weights matching that of our daredevil diver and then with a member of the UK Bungee Team, Ray arrived on site with his partner Heather by his side and was soon in his bright yellow wetsuit shooting interviews with the production team from Barcroft Media, the company appointed by EE to capture the challenge for promotion of their new product. EE’s Action Cam allows the action to be streamed over 4G from the camera to ‘Skeegle’, a new video sharing app where you can invite friends and family to watch. Using this innovative technology, Ray’s family back in Essex were able to watch the action unfold and share the experience.

With Ray harnessed and the Action Cam strapped to him, everyone took their place and the cage was lifted. What followed was a spectacular jump that saw him submerge into the water below all the way up to his knees. Giving the prearranged ‘OK’ hand signal to the ground crew on the ascent of his first bounce, the crane slewed back in towards towards the landing area and two members of the UK Bungee crew ensured that Ray landed back on the ground safely. Awaiting medics were straight by his side to check that he had escaped unscatched. With plenty of nodding and thumbs up, it was clear to see that Ray had loved every minute of the adventure!

Jon Snape, Managing Director of the UK Bungee Club said of the day, ‘Today has been a great success and one that we’ll all remember for a very long time. My team have been working on the logistics of this event for quite a while and to know that we achieved what we set out to and more importantly Ray is thrilled, we couldn’t have asked for a better outcome. His welfare was always our number one priority.’

Ray definitely isn’t a stranger to the UK Bungee Club crew. Back in 2013, they helped him smash the Guinness World Record for the Highest Bungee Jump into Water (400ft) at the NDAC! No stranger to danger, Ray’s other adrenaline fueled experiences include climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, trekking through Death Valley and taking on the chilling 30,000ft Halo Jump.

Something tells us this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Ray Woodcock and his wild challenges!

UK Bungee are back at the NDAC this August (14th, 15th & 16th Aug) and November (14th & 15th Nov). Spaces are limited and selling out very fast, so be quick to avoid disappointment.

Places can be booked for UK Bungee at the NDAC Chepstow here >

Alternatively anyone is welcome to come along and watch from the View Cafe Bar onsite at the NDAC.

We have some fantastic new products and offers from MUVI in the NDAC Dive Shop.

Why not pop in for a look next time you’re visiting.

MUVI K2PNG Digital Camcorder – £249

The MUVI K-Series is the ultimate action camcorder featuring 1080p high definition recording, 16 mega pixels stills, built-in WiFi and timelapse

Only £249 (and with further offers for customers who pop in the shop)

 • Full HD
 • Rated to 100m
 • LCD Screen
 • Fully charged and ready to use out the box

Further Product Details »

MUVI Atom Digital Camcorder – £79

The brand new super tiny MUVI™ Atom redefines the world of small.

Measuring less than 2 inches high it’s one of the smallest camcorders in the world.

Includes:

 • A Waterproof Case to 30m
 • Spring Mount
 • Neck Chain
 • Carry Pouch
 • Mounting Bracket for Bike/Helmet
 • Head/Helmet Strap

All of this for only £79!

Further Product Details »

Pebble Device Charger – £25

The Pebble™ Smartstick+ emergency portable battery pack charger for mobile devices has been enhanced with an increased 2800mAh power supply, ergonomic re-design with protective port dust cap and handy clip on karabiner.

Charge your portable device on the move without the need for mains power. Small and light enough to carry around in your bag, or clip on your rucksack, the Pebble™ Smartstick+ portable emergency charger will provide your mobile device with over one additional charge, charging most popular devices including; Apple 30 pin, Blackberry and devices that use mini or micro USB.

The USB port on the Pebble™ Smartstick also allows you to charge your mobile device with the supplied manufacturer’s cable.

Further Product Details »

MUVI K2PNG Digital Camcorder

The MUVI K-Series is the ultimate action camcorder featuring 1080p high definition recording, 16 mega pixels stills, built-in WiFi and timelapse.

The MUVI K-Series has a new smaller & sleeker form factor which makes this camera even more versatile than the previous MUVI HD models. Measuring only 6cm x 4cm x 2.3cm (2.7in x 2in x 1in) the K-Series is the smallest high definition MUVI yet, meaning handsfree video capture is easier than ever before.

The MUVI K2 records high definition 1080p video at 60 FPS as well as 720p at 120 FPS using the new MUVI XA-7 Achilles chipset and has a choice of bit rate, the default being 19 Mbit/s. As well as settings great for handsfree video capture the K2 also has settings to enable broadcast quality video capture for professional and pro-sumer use.

The K2 captures stills at 8, 12 and 16 megapixel, and now comes equipped with photo burst mode that allows you to take up to 10 photos per second, which is perfect for trying to achieve the perfect action shot. Additional new features include 180 degree rollover which means if you are mounting your K-Series upside down the footage plays back the correct way up and G-sensor auto-start which allows you to set your MUVI to start recording on a change of gravity. You can also now capture interval stills during video capture at a set of pre-defined periods so you can save the best still images handsfree while capturing footage.

The MUVI K2 now has an interchangeable, rechargeable lithium battery which has a capacity of 1500mAh, the largest on the handsfree camera market, which will allow up to 4 hours of continuous recording.

It also ships with the K-series waterproof case enabling dives of up to 100m and has operational buttons for video control and photo capture underwater. The K-Series waterproof case also has a changeable back door for use with or without the detachable LCD screen and has a port opening for charge and record purposes when your waterproof case is mounted outside water. The K2 NPNG is also fully compatible with all the current mounts and accessories in the MUVI HD range.

The K2 NPNG bundle ships in a protective carry case that also includes a detachable viewing screen so that you can change settings and navigate the on screen menu, use as a view finder or review your footage. The NPNG bundle also packs 8GB of memory to get you started as well as additional mounting options.

The MUVI K-series now comes with built-in Wi-Fi with a range up to 60 metres, which allows you to connect and pair with your smartphone. The MUVI K-Series APP allows you to connect your K-Series camcorder wirelessly to your iPhone via WiFi so that you can view live, record videos, take photos and share through email, Facebook, Twitter and more. The app is available on the Google Play Store & also on the Apple iOS App Store.

The MUVI K2 NPNG still has all the features as its predecessor, such as loop-recording, auto video, time lapse continuous photo, exposure control & digital zoom.

MUVI Atom Digital Camcorder

The brand new super tiny MUVI™ Atom redefines the world of small. Measuring less than 2 inches high it’s one of the smallest camcorders in the world.

The MUVI™ Atom’s tiny size does not compromise quality, recording at 640×480 @ 30 FPS using Frame Rate Enhancement technology. The MUVI™ Atom also introduces the ability to take photo snapshots @ 1280×960 and comes bundled with the 2GB micro SD card and sports mounting kit.

Features:

 • The world’s smallest high resolution camcorder
 • Measures only 1.75 inch high x .75 inch wide x .75 inch deep
 • Includes 2GB micro SD card (up to 8GB MSD compatible) to record up to 90 minutes footage
 • Includes rechargeable battery for up to 45 minutes continuous operation
 • Standby mode with noise activation
 • Bundle sports kit
 • Photo snapshot @ 1280 x 960

Pebble Device Charger

The Pebble™ Smartstick+ emergency portable battery pack charger for mobile devices has been enhanced with an increased 2800mAh power supply, ergonomic re-design with protective port dust cap and handy clip on karabiner.

Charge your portable device on the move without the need for mains power. Small and light enough to carry around in your bag, or clip on your rucksack, the Pebble™ Smartstick+ portable emergency charger will provide your mobile device with over one additional charge, charging most popular devices including; Apple 30 pin, Blackberry and devices that use mini or micro USB.

The USB port on the Pebble™ Smartstick also allows you to charge your mobile device with the supplied manufacturer’s cable.

The stylish new design incorporates a screw on cap to protect the Smartstick+ ports and also allow the Pebble karabiner to connect so you can hook onto anything.

Please note that this product doesn’t include the Apple Lightning connector.

Key Features:

• Will charge most popular mobile devices and smartphones including iPhone, iPod, Blackberry, Samsung, Nokia, HTC
• Packed with 2800mAh emergency battery power for over a whole charge of most popular smartphones or mobile devices
• Comes with 3 connectors iPhone/iPod, mini USB and micro USB, 1 charging cable and stylish carry sock
• Blue and red LED charging indicators for re-charge notification
• Screw on dust cap for port protection with clip on karabiner

British underwater photography competition winners have been featured in the The Guardian​.

A rare fireworks anemone, a jellyfish, a blue shark and the National Diving & Activity Centre (NDAC)​ Land Rover​ feature in the winning images from this year’s British Society of Underwater Photographers (BSoUP) competition.

Elaine White’s ‘Diver on Land Rover’ at the NDAC was highly commended and we think it is a fantastic shot.

View the article and see all the photos here:

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2014/nov/19/british-underwater-photography-competition-winners-in-pictures

Find out more about the British Society of Underwater Photographers (BSoUP) on their website:
http://www.bsoup.org

StreetGames Wales are holding an exciting event at the ‎National Diving & Activity Centre (NDAC) in April.

The StreetGames Wales Volunteer Fest!

Invited guests will be spending a day at the NDAC for a free action packed day of activities at the NDAC to thank their existing volunteers and bring along new ones!

StreetGames volunteers will have the opportunity to experience a segway driving adventure, water walking, The Wire (one of the longest and fastest zip wires in the UK running the length of the spectacular quarry beneath the centre) as well as other activities. There will be a chance to relax after your busy day finishing with a BBQ at the View Cafe bar and outdoor cinema experience.

Street Games is a national sports charity that changes lives and communities. They do it by supporting a network of projects which give sports and volunteering opportunities to young people in disadvantaged communities across the UK. Doorstep sport is StreetGames’ delivery method, whereby they bring sport close to the home in disadvantaged communities at the right time, for the right price, to the right place and in the right style.

Find out more about StreeGames

StreeGames Website

StreeGames Facebook

StreeGames Wales on Twitter

You may have noticed that the Wire Zip Slide has been closed for most of February whilst we have been making some improvements.

We have had some landing break arms produced and they were delivered and installed recently by crane.

This means that we now have improved braking at the end of your 700m zip slide ride which will allow us to operate during stronger tail winds and for more of the year.

The works have all been completed now and the Wire is back open now and available for bookings. We have dates available between now and the end of August.

If you would like to brave the Wire Zip Slide, please visit thewirezipslide.com/

The Wire is one of the UK’s longest, tallest and fastest zip slides, running the 700 metre length of the spectacular NDAC Quarry.

Launch yourself from the 70m high cliff edge and speed along the length of our 80m deep flooded quarry.

Reaching speeds up to 40 miles per hour this exhilarating ride will take your breath away!

The Wire Zip Slide is suitable for all ages.
Maximum weight limit is 120kg (18.8 stone)
Lower Limit is 20kg (3.15 stone)

A few stats from the View Cafe Bar

In 2014…

You drank a total of 25,576 cups of Black Coffee

11,700 cups of Hot Chocolate

30,000 cups of Latte white toppings and

35,282 cups of hot tea!

Overall we served you over 100,000 cups of hot drinks last year!

We’ve recently been carrying out groundworks for a new £35,000 ANUA Sewage Package Treatment Plant at the NDAC site.

It may not be the most glamorous of developments, but it contributes to the continuing investment and improvement of the NDAC’s infrastructure.

This sewage plant will support the new Deluxe Wigwams and the growth of the site over the next ten years.

The images show the groundworks taking place to open up a trench, 16 metres long and 3 metres deep. Due to the limestone in the ground, this is no easy job and progress is very slow.

With the groundworks, this project is expected to cost in the region of £50,000 and forms part of our ongoing commitment to improve the your experience at the NDAC.