Best time of the year (Vancouver Island)

[Kokeldil]

Hello fellow divers!

We´re planning to spend some time in BC next year (2014), preferrably on Vancouver Island. Of course it´s well possible to organise things from here in Germany, but I would be thankful for every advise you guys can give regarding BC diving. I´ve browsed the internet a bit already and know some things, okay, but what I am missing still is a clear statement about WHEN to visit Vancouver Island, if all you´re interested in is diving. Would it be the spring, whale watching season, the summer? Maybe some entirely different time of the year due to visibility reasons? Tipps are welcome as well as different opinions of course. Thanks in advance and greetings from the other side of the "great lake"

 

[Ken T]

My understanding is that there can be some algae blooms during the summer months that cut down on vis.

My wife and I were there late summer/early fall last year and had at least 60 foot vis on a couple of boat dives out of Courtney/ Comox and the same vis on some Victoria shore diving.

It seems most of the sea lion encounter dives occur early in the new year, February, March.

I've read that the signature bucket list dives up around God's Pocket are usually done out of the summer months time frame as well.

I'm from the Province next door though, should be some BC divers signing on to the board soon.

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---------- Post added May 8th, 2013 at 10:04 AM ----------

Quick book suggestion:

151 dives in the protected waters of British Columbia and Washington State

Betty Pratt-Johnson

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[VicScubaVentures]

Much depends on what part of Vancouver Island you plan on visiting .... it is 1,000 KM long with different diving on the south, mid, and north ends. Personally, I like winter dives around Victoria (the southern end) when the algae is not a big concern and the bull kelp has died off. Winter storms can really mess up diving in the Victoria area though. Because of the fast currents around Campbell River (mid island) the water is always fairly clear year round, being a less exposed location I expect that you could dive year round without difficulty. God's Pocket & Port Hardy (north end) should be good summer dive destinations with wall dives and more "open ocean" dives than Campbell River or Victoria. Winter storms can be nasty on the north end of the island.

Cheers,
C.

 

[Darnold9999]

Personally I like the diving here late summer early fall. After the major algae bloom and before winter storms. If I had absolute control over when, I would pick mid September. Weather is still summer like, and virtually no chance of a storm but vis is likely to be good or at least acceptable. Later is better for vis until some time in November, but the surface weather starts to deteriorate in October some time and we are very likely to get a significant storm in November. Significant as in very high winds 60 + MPH.

However as others have said you can always find good diving somewhere on the island. The closer you get to open ocean the more likely the vis will be good, but also more likely that you will be weather restricted. Somne locations you can dive in pretty much any weather.

Have alook at the Victoria vis thread to get a sense of how bad/good it can get.

 

[StuartT]

Some of the best diving anywhere is the browning pass area near Port Hardy at the north end of Vancouver Island. There are 2 operators that have "land based" all inclusive dive trips in the area. God's pocket, and Browning pass hideaway. Both places dive similar sites, and include all meals, boat diving, and accommodation. There is also the option of a couple of live aboard charters that dive up there. Nautilus Swell and the Mamro. If that doesn't fit into your plans there is also day trip diving out of the area with Sun fun Divers. Hope that hepls

 

[Divegoose]

Some of the best diving anywhere is the browning pass area near Port Hardy at the north end of Vancouver Island. There are 2 operators that have "land based" all inclusive dive trips in the area. God's pocket, and Browning pass hideaway. Both places dive similar sites, and include all meals, boat diving, and accommodation. There is also the option of a couple of live aboard charters that dive up there. Nautilus Swell and the Mamro. If that doesn't fit into your plans there is also day trip diving out of the area with Sun fun Divers. Hope that helps

I have made numerous trips up to Port Hardy area. I have always found late August to late September to be the best time of the year. Water has usually cleared up from the algae and plankton blooms that can occur, so visibility is really good. Many great dive sites to explore, and the operators, as noted above all know them quite well. After late September you start running into fall and winter storms, so conditions can be unpredictable. If you make the trip, please post about where you stayed, and your experiences with some of the best cold water diving in the world.

Divegoose

 

[Kokeldil]

thanks for the helpful posts, so I guess we´ll be going there late summer / early fall ... in fact that fits well with all other plans for the next year. I will definitly be posting here about my expieriences there :]

And also thanks for reminding me that it´s quite some distance from north to south of Vancouver Island, because honestly ... whenever I look at an Island on a map I believe I can go everywhere on it in just a couple of days and forget about the scale. Happens, when you live in Europe, drive on german highways regularily and spend quite a few weeks around the mediterranean sea each year ;-)