2 weeks in BC: recommended dive spots?

[Tassie_Rohan]

Hi there all – I’m thinking of heading over to BC for a two week break in 6 weeks time. As I know absolutely nothing about the region can people suggest some ‘must do’ dive spots.

As my wife has just purchased a drysuit I wouldn’t mind spending the initial couple of days doing some easy shore dives/shallow boat dives as she gets used to the suit.

Other than that I have no firm plans at this stage. Areas that can combine good food and accommodation with great diving would be of interest.

Cheers,
Rohan.

 

[Lightning Fish]

Rohan:

There are a number of good dive sites that you can access from Vancouver. Furry Creek, Ansell Place, Porteau Cove, Whytecliff, ... Whytecliff or Porteau can also be good for easy shore dives.

Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast has some spectacular diving and the Chaudiere, a destroyer from the Canadian Navy. Nanaimo has two destroyers close to each other, a phenomenal wall dive, and lots of other options.

Victoria is supposed to be good as well as Port Hardy.

This website, http://www.surfingvancouverisland.com/dive/index.htm, provides a lot of resources for coastal BC diving.

Recommended charters out of Nanaimo are Ocean Explorers, http://www.oceanexplorersdiving.com/index.php, or Divers Choice, http://www.divingbccanada.com/. Dive shops in Vancouver include IDC, http://www.diveidc.com/, or the Edge, http://www.edgediving.com/, in North Vancouver.

Cheers,
Bill.

 

[TSandM]

Rohan,

You could PM jeckyll or creamofwheat -- Both of them live in Vancouver and shore dive extensively.

When are you planning on being there? Maybe I could talk Peter into a road trip north. I've been threatening to check out Vancouver diving for some time now.

Nanaimo was great fun -- We spent the MLK weekend there in January, diving the wrecks and the walls. Tons of sea life, but it's essentially all charter boat diving.

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

Cheers for that Bill - some good sites to get started on.

I'll keep you posted TS&M once I finalise my movements: probably head over there last week june/first week july. Always keen to catch up with SB members and do a few dives.

Anyone else - I'm interested in hearing local opinions: where would you go if you had a two week holiday in BC, preferably with a fair amount of diving.

Cheers,
Rohan.

 

[wedivebc]

Nanaimo was great fun -- Tons of sea life, but it's essentially all charter boat diving.

Who told you that? Not this guy http://victoriadiving.awardspace.com/ He's on here on scubaboard as Swankenstein and he probably does more shore diving around Vancouver Island than anyone.

 

[wedivebc]

Hi there all – I’m thinking of heading over to BC for a two week break in 6 weeks time. As I know absolutely nothing about the region can people suggest some ‘must do’ dive spots.

As my wife has just purchased a drysuit I wouldn’t mind spending the initial couple of days doing some easy shore dives/shallow boat dives as she gets used to the suit.

Other than that I have no firm plans at this stage. Areas that can combine good food and accommodation with great diving would be of interest.

Cheers,
Rohan.

Send me a PM when you get closer to the date and I will set up some Vancouver Island dives for you. I know a few good spots

 

[nadwidny]

Anyone else - I'm interested in hearing local opinions: where would you go if you had a two week holiday in BC, preferably with a fair amount of diving.

Cheers,
Rohan.

If I was interested in keeping costs down by doing mostly shore stuff I would spend a week in Victoria and a week in Nanaimo.

If I had more to spend I would do one of those weeks in Port Hardy on a liveaboard or with God's Pocket.

 

[creamofwheat]

Depends what you want, really. There is charter and shore diving all over BC...I primarily shore dive out of vancouver and could show you around a bit here, if you'd like (except I am travelling at the moment, I will be diving in vancouver again first week of july)...but I have to say...if I could go anywhere in BC and money weren't an issue, I would dive God's Pocket in Port Hardy with a charter op.

 

[kerryw]

As people have said there are lots of diving options in BC, from shroediving around Vancovuer and Victoria, to boat charters for day diving or weekend and full week charters, even still the occasional liveaboard opportunity.

A budget might be helpful. As CoW says God's Pocket is certainly one of the highlights but perhaps a bit pricey (but worth it). I've always said the big three of BC diving were the Port Hardy area, Barkley Sound and Campbell River. all three have charter operators and great diving and all three are different.

Since you are probably going to land in Vancouver, there are day boat dive options and shore dives already mentioned, if you are going to practice you might as well go to Whytecliff park, everyone else does

I'm sure you will enjoy yourself, the diving is great as long as a bit of cold water does not scare you off.

KLW

 

[Darnold9999]

WhyteCliff or Porteau to get the hang of a drysuit in Vancouver, but frankly I would skip Vancouver and head to Victoria and tune up at Ogden Point, an easy shore dive that has lots and lots to see - and you get to stay in Victoria for a couple of days. Then perhaps a shore dive at 10 Mile Point and perhaps a day trip out to Race Rocks.

Once she is comfortable I would look at Naniamo, Port Hardy, Quadra Island and Barkley Sound. Highly recommend Quadra Island and Barkley Sound some of the best diving re life I have ever done were at these two locations. Naniamo is nice, for a day trip, but they are better. I have not done Port Hardy, but am told it is better yet again. Rendevous Lodge in Barkley Sound is spectacular. Perched on the edge of the ocean miles from anything it is a wilderness experience that is unique to BC. Well worth spending several days. Book early - they fill up in the summer pretty quickly.

If you do decide to do Vancouver, Victoria or Naniamo post dates and times and I am sure a "guided ScubaBoard dive" could be made to happen. Might even have the boat ready for diving by then - sigh - work is just getting in the way of having fun.