Plunge 33ft into this man-mad divers paradise in bustling Brussels.
Brussels isn’t known for it’s diving hot-spots, more for the famous Belgian chocolates and the home of the Smurfs, not clear blue waters, exotic fish and coral reefs.
But, 13 Years ago, civil engineer John Beernaerts with a passion for diving readdressed this situation as he sat in a Brussels bar doodling a sketch on a napkin for the worlds first indoor diving complex.
John said “it was huge work to transform this doodle into the real thing, it was an obsession of mine and I had a lot of work to do to make it from point A to point Z.”
Nemo33 opened on the outskirts of Brussels seven years later after having £4 million spent on it and it was a success right from the start.
Nemo33 is the worlds deepest pool at 33m (105ft) and it holds a massive 2.5 million litres of spring water which are kept to a constant 33C (31F). Beernaerts said he “wanted to bring the Bahamas to Brussels with the tropical water temperature.”
This pool has been specially designed for scuba diving, every design feature has been thoroughly thought out by the diving lover engineer who has spent 35 years diving and 20 years instructing.
Once you’ve been kitted up you’re ready to explore this underwater haven. Drop to about 10 metres and you can swim past your friends eating in the restaurant the other side of the glass, then pass the wall of bubbles from divers below as you make your way down to the 33 metre pit. There are underwater chambers and tunnels which are filled with air which allow instructors to talk students without having to surface.
Hundreds of thousands of divers have visited Nemo33 since it opened in 2004, people come weekly to use the pool to de-stress by doing what they love the most. Just 10 minutes from the Gare Du Midi Eurostar terminal in Brussels this is a definite day trip for scuba lovers from the UK. Just take your scuba certifications and swimming gear and enjoy 45 minutes in this amazing pool.
Nemo33 is in a class of it’s own. It’s safe, comfortable and most importantly provides a great way for new divers to learn and experience the greatness of the underwater world. We would definitely recommend it!
