MarkH
Contributor
Some video frame grabs from Enterprise Channel (Oak Bay, Victoria), yesterday. I was diving on slack, but as usual the current was swirling around. I don't know if I'll ever figure that place out.
Enterprise Channel ( Jul.29/05)
- Thread starter MarkH
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OP
MarkH
Contributor
I went again today (Aug. 7/05) and just for fun decided to use the Current Atlas to decide slack ( even though I've had enough interesting experiences to swear never to use it again) . It was an hour earlier then the real current tables, but I went in anyways and sure enough the current was stupid. It was also going in the opposite direction than what the atlas said. Of course it also shows around 2.5 knots as the maximum at Dodd Narrows and the slack for Race Passage is often almost the opposite as the real tables. Oh well, I guess it's not supposed to be taken seriously by divers anyway. I'm sure it's fine for sailors who don't care if the current is .5 or 3 knots. Vis was a miserable 10 feet by the way. Stills captured from the video: As you can see, there are a lot of rockfish.
Just another unwanted drift dive. Nice pictures Mark
Cheers
Al
Cheers
Al
ChillyWaters
Contributor
Hyper-limits:
I'm waiting to see some of his video on an octopus, six gill, or some friendly eels...
- ChillyWaters
OP
MarkH
Contributor
I have an overflowing warehouse full of wolfeel videos (mostly Ogden Point), a couple octopus videos (nothing exciting) and everyone knows sixgills are allergic to photo/video equipment.ChillyWaters:
OP
MarkH
Contributor
I dove here again this morning because I felt like being slapped around by colour. Vis was around 25 feet (typical). Someone must have stolen the moon because there wasn't as much current as usual. I swam out a bit farther than normal and found some nice colourful reefs off to the right. The whole place was swarming with huge lingcod (must be breeding season). Here are some frame-grabs from the video: (try to ignore the light cable on the right side of some of the pictures).
KOMPRESSOR
Contributor
I've visited Victoria back in '85 but didn't dive at the time. I did get a dip with a much too big drysuit, without tanks, and the marine life was splendid! The tidal currents also amazed me! Although the ones we were in (with Zodiacs) weren't very big, they sure were fast. I wonder if you could tell me what the fastest current in these waters is?
To compare, we have something called "Saltstraumen" up north in Norway, ranged by National Geographic as among their Top 10 diving destinations in the world. There's a new dive center there too, for the daring ones...
Enjoy their photoalbums! They're great!
http://www.saltstraumendykkesenter.com/en/index.htm
AND Here's a cool video of the current:
(Yes... They actually dive here!)
To compare, we have something called "Saltstraumen" up north in Norway, ranged by National Geographic as among their Top 10 diving destinations in the world. There's a new dive center there too, for the daring ones...
Enjoy their photoalbums! They're great!
http://www.saltstraumendykkesenter.com/en/index.htm
AND Here's a cool video of the current:
(Yes... They actually dive here!)
OP
MarkH
Contributor
The current around Victoria isn't as fast as that. I think the fastest around here is Race Passage which I'm told goes up to 9 knots, but according to the current tables, doesn't usually go above 6 knots. The currents around the small islands and channels of Race Rocks might be faster. I don't know if anyone has measured them. Enterprise Channel only goes up to 3 knots or so, but predicting slack is difficult. Most maximum currents around Victoria are in the 6-knot range.The fastest currents in B.C. are on the mainland (Nakwakto Rapids, Sechelt Rapids) which apparently have been measured at 19-20 knots, but on the tables don't usually go above 15. I think Seymour Narrows by Campbell River is up there too. Other than that, there are lots of narrows and channels around the coast where current reaches the 10-knot range.
KOMPRESSOR
Contributor
Victoria is a place I'm going back to, definitely! To me this is one of the most exciting places is the world. And I can't wait to dive there too!
On our Zodiac "expedition" we had some surprises... We camped late the first night, on a small island. I woke up early next morning and couldn't see our Zodiacs where we put them! They were gone!! I alarmed the rest of the crew, and they all came out pretty scared by the fact that we might have been robbed in the dark of the night... After an minute or two I walked foreward to the rocks where we had tied our boats, and all I could see were the ropes going over the rocks and straight down..... about 15 feet to our boats hanging in the air with the outboard deep into the mud! Low tide you have over there!
The same day I took the 14 footer with a 35 hp outboard up a narrow sound with a strong current. I had the sun and the wind from behind, but we were barely moving along the shore even at full throttle. Before I could react a huge whirlpool in the water grabbed the boat and tossed us around within a second, and suddenly we were doing 45 knots over the bottom, and with heavy wind and sun in our faces! Darn!! We didn't try that again...
Anyway, I have a strong fascination for currents and narrow sounds. They are excellent fishing spots, and great to dive in when the current slows. We regularly dive in currents up to 8-10 knots at my favourite place Hitra, but that's in a very controlled environment. But of course, we only take experienced divers with us there. "Our" spot have current up to 15 knots at the most, but "Saltstraumen" (last post) is likely the strongest and largest current in the world, with speed up to 22 knots, and that with tremendous amounts of water. It's a popular divespot, but of course only as the tide slows and shifts. -And with guides only...
See you in Victoria one day!
On our Zodiac "expedition" we had some surprises... We camped late the first night, on a small island. I woke up early next morning and couldn't see our Zodiacs where we put them! They were gone!! I alarmed the rest of the crew, and they all came out pretty scared by the fact that we might have been robbed in the dark of the night... After an minute or two I walked foreward to the rocks where we had tied our boats, and all I could see were the ropes going over the rocks and straight down..... about 15 feet to our boats hanging in the air with the outboard deep into the mud! Low tide you have over there!
The same day I took the 14 footer with a 35 hp outboard up a narrow sound with a strong current. I had the sun and the wind from behind, but we were barely moving along the shore even at full throttle. Before I could react a huge whirlpool in the water grabbed the boat and tossed us around within a second, and suddenly we were doing 45 knots over the bottom, and with heavy wind and sun in our faces! Darn!! We didn't try that again...
Anyway, I have a strong fascination for currents and narrow sounds. They are excellent fishing spots, and great to dive in when the current slows. We regularly dive in currents up to 8-10 knots at my favourite place Hitra, but that's in a very controlled environment. But of course, we only take experienced divers with us there. "Our" spot have current up to 15 knots at the most, but "Saltstraumen" (last post) is likely the strongest and largest current in the world, with speed up to 22 knots, and that with tremendous amounts of water. It's a popular divespot, but of course only as the tide slows and shifts. -And with guides only...
See you in Victoria one day!
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