All Navy clearance divers and Army divers carry out their basic training at the school’s headquarters on Horsea Island on the north shore of Portsmouth Harbour.
The facilities are first class and include a 1,000m (1km) salt water lake, a 5m diving tank, recompression chambers, surface and underwater engineering facilities, classrooms, conference rooms, catering facilities and a specialist diving clothing store.
In addition, the School possesses four diving tenders (boats) based at Whale Island for work in the Harbour and the Solent. Advanced diver training is conducted at Weymouth, Falmouth, Plymouth and the west coast of Scotland.
Bases and Stations
Defence Diving School
The Defence Diving School is a Joint Service Training Establishment providing military diving training to both Royal Navy and Army personnel.