Dec. 3-10 - Lower Mainland/Island

[rolliver]

Hi all...

Well, after moving from BC to Ontario 7 years ago, I finally learned how to dive. Now I am planning on heading home for a week or so and am really, really, looking forward to making some dives when I'm out there.

I am hoping to make some dives local in the lower mainland - something like Porteau cove, Bedwell bay, Cates Park or Whytecliffe. I'd also like to take a few days to go to one of the island or Powell River, or similar.

So I am looking for either buddys or charters who would be willing and able to go during this time. I'm there from Dec. 3-10 (not including flight days).

I have 20 or so dives under my belt and am now starting to work towards a second (more advanced) cert, so instruction is something else I may be interested in. I'm comfortable diving in low-viz and to depths of about 70ffw.

Any other questions/comments/pointers, would be appreciated.

Thanks!
..rod

 

[SeanQ]

Hi rod,

You moved in the wrong direction! I used to live in Aurora seven years ago until I moved out here. Havn't looked back yet.

 

[rolliver]

Hi rod,

You moved in the wrong direction! I used to live in Aurora seven years ago until I moved out here. Havn't looked back yet.

I know, I know... I'd say I haven't looked back, but well, that's what I'm doing.

 

[rolliver]

Well, I had a really good trip. I didn't get much advice, so wound up sending out some emails and met some great people and found some awesome sites.
I spent most of the week with Peter and Kathy at Rendezvous Diving in Barclay Sound, who were kind enough to put me up and take me out diving. I completed my AOW and Nitrox courses, with a few other dives just for fun.
Then I spent a day with Kelly from docside charters who took me to a couple more great sites just out of Sydney. I was especially appreciative of the heated cabin and the hot water as I was diving wet there.
Anyways, I haven't made plans to move back quite yet, but there were so many -wows- and it really was worth every minute, so I can't wait to go back again, soon.

...rod

 

[rufous]

Glad you had a fun trip. Tell us more about your time at Rendezvous. What dives did you do there? What were they like? Thanks, Rufous.

 

[ratfish]

Hi Rod, Sounds like you had a good time. I went to the Rendezvous earlier this year in the summer and BOY how the place had changed. The old owners Dave and Renate had sold it to Peter and Kathy and they have put in some nice updates. Better water pressure, better electricity and a class/ recreation room. They do however still serve great diving and food. The last I spoke to them they had just finished building a new compressor room as aprt of their plan to implement nitrox. In their X-mas letter they also wrote me that the won the 2005 Excellence Award for best customer service. Well deserved! Before coming to them I stayed in the Fat Salmon Backpackers which was a cheap and funky place to sleep before jumping on the Lady Rose. Oh yeah, I had a Humpback whale pull up next to the dive boat at 10 feet distance ! and to top things off I saw my first six gill shark.!

My advice ..... Go West.... NOT East

Ratfish

 

[rolliver]

Wow ratfish, sounds like you had a good trip there too. A six-gill, lucky! And you're right the food was awesome, I'm sure I could've used less weights by the end of the week with such good food. It was nice to be able to run up and jump in the hot tub after a days diving...

Rufous, hard to add much to what ratfish said about Peter, Kathy and Rendezvous. I didn't see any sixgills or humpbacks, but it was December though. I think there were four sites we dove, starting with right of the dock, in front of Renezvous. There were also Pill point wall, where I did my deep dive, sitting at the top of the wall at 90 feet. A really neat entry being dropped close to the rocks, then the boat backed away. Went to Tyler Rock and Chup point near that a couple of times, not quite as deep, but very colourful. There is a bit of a bump underwater from I'd guess 80-40'. Oh - and the nudibranchs -- really neat colours and shapes -- quite unique. They're all fairly new to me, but the Orange Peel and the Dendronotids were pretty special. All this and crabs, rockfish, Huge Ling cod, etc, etc. I think next time I'll have to bring a camera, because it's pretty hard to explain, especially to my friends in T.O. just how great it is.

cheers
...rod