God's Pocket or somewhere else

[roden]

I recently got back to Toronto from BC where I did some diving in Nanaimo and Tuwanek. I was supposed to dive at Race Rocks and Ogden Point, but missed those dives due to missing my original flight. This was the first time I've been to BC, and I have to say I want to dive a lot more in that area. I am definitely going to go back sometime this year, and was offered a package to go to God's Pocket for 5 days for $1689+tax. For food, lodging, and diving, this seems okay. However, I'm wondering if this is the best choice. My main interest is marine life, and I've heard that the diving up in that area is amazing. Are there other areas that can offer a similar experience, that are easier to get to and less expensive? I would love to see octopi, and dive with seals. But I really love the colour you can see in various other creatures as well as the beauty of diving in kelp. I don't mind driving around the island a bit to see different things, but I also want to maximize diving. I may actually try to dive for a couple of days elsewhere on the island before I head up to Port Hardy. The other thing is that I do not have much equipment. For example, no dry suit, no BCD, no reg. So I would have to rent that as well (it's possible I might have a dry suit by then). I will be travelling on my own. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Scuba_Noob]

Browning Pass Hideaway is the only other diving op at Port Hardy, which is probably the best diving in all of North America. It's a bit cheaper (close to half the price), but a little more rugged on the lodging and the boat. If you are there for the diving, you can get a good 4-5 dives per full dive day (unlike with God's Pocket), and the lodging is slightly closer to the dive sites. I liked the lodging, the boat, the food, and the people at Hideaway, and I was there for the diving anyway, so I didn't spend that much time inside, except to eat and sleep.

Hornby Island is another great dive area, if you are curious about sea lions (tons of them, especially at a couple of sites) and maybe six gills (no guarantee) around late summer; they . Barkley Sound (Rendezvous Diving) is another great area at any time of the year (although they do have reports of six gills in late summer). Honestly, I really do like the shore dives around Nanaimo too!

Not sure about rentals for any of the diving 'resorts', as I bring my own gear. I don't know the rental prices for a few days either. I know Hornby Island Diving offers tanks, at the very least.

 

[roden]

Thanks for the feedback. Hm, that's quite a drop in price for the Hideaway. I wonder if the differences in amenities are really that big? I won't have a dive buddy, so I'm not sure if that would be an issue. If I can hook up with anyone else, or a small group, that might be ideal. This last trip I just got back from, I just hired guides. The God's Pocket trip is offered by a dive shop in Victoria, so it would be a group going. It is also scheduled at the end of August, which seems like a good time to go.

Seeing a pacific octopus is a big goal. And apparently a seal swam behind me in Nanaimo (at Tyee Cove, great dive), but I never saw it. The only seal I saw was from the top of a cliff when hiking at Francis Point on the sunshine coast. I think it was a harbour seal. Took one look at me and disappeared.

 

[TSandM]

The difference in amenities is huge. My biggest criticism of the Hideaway is the boat. The benches are too low, and John even acknowledged that when we got on the boat. I ended up blowing a knee out because of it, and it took a long time to heal. In addition, the boat has no shelter at all, so if you are one of the first people up, you get to sit in your wet drysuit with the wind blowing over you until everybody else is through diving. There was not even any hot water on the boat to warm our hands or heads.

The accommodations have been improved since I was there, but I don't know if they have done anything about the walkways between the rafts, which were simply loose planks with no handrails. When icy, they were pretty scary.

There was one working shower on the property for nine people when I was there, and that one leaked, so it was hung with plastic sheeting.

God's Pocket is much more expensive, but everything works and you have the kind of facilities one normally expects, like one's own bathroom. The food is amazing, and the boat has an enclosed, heated cabin, and an ELEVATOR!

I've been both places, and I'm going back to God's Pocket at the end of April. 'Nuff said.

But there are lots of other places to dive. I'm sorry you missed Race Rocks -- we dove there in November, and it was awesome. The site we did was one of the prettiest places I've dived in the world, all beautiful pastel colors with coralline algae and brooding anemones and metridiums. We saw tons of animals.

We dove Saanich Inlet a couple of years ago, and the cloud sponges and tiger rockfish were well worth the trip.

I've seen great pictures from Quadra, too.

I'm not sure you can go wrong, diving off Vancouver Island, is what it comes down to

 

[Darnold9999]

The difference in amenities is significant. Think the difference between camping and a hotel room.

The accommodations at Hideaway are much better than when TSandM was last there. Everyone now has thier own shower so the shared shower is no longer an issue. The food is acceptable and plentiful - would not have said it was awesome, but it is certainly more than acceptable.

The "dive boats" are not even compareable. The Gods Pocket boat is a real boat, the Hidaway uses two skiffs - essentially a small open boat with a bench down each side, both are in "rough" condition, but both are serviceable. The run to the lodge is short for most dives so it is rarely an issue that the boats are small and uncomfortable - until it is an issue. Last trip the smaller of the two boats swamped in very rough conditions - no damage done but it was a scary experience for all concerned.

The Lodge is a collection of floating shacks of various vintages. The floats are also of various vintages and connected by open planks with no handrails. Not an issue for me, but you certainly want to pay attention where you step. Frankly a lawsuit waiting to happen - even in Canada.

If you go Hideaway John will be late to pick you up. He does know the local waters very well and knows when and where to dive. He will also put you in the water as often as you want to dive. I have never managed to do all the dives offered as I find any more than 4 a day to be more than I can handle in cold water. Sometimes I can only manage 3.

If $ is a serious issue then Hidaway provides basic amenities and awesome diving - best on the Island. If $ is not a serious concern then Gods Pocket provides world class amenities with the same awesome diving. Is the difference worth the extra $. For some it is for others it is not - hard to quantify the value of the difference.

 

[coldwaterlloyd]

Have to agree , the diving is the same but food and lodging is very very different . If I could afford it I would choose Gods Pocket as I like clean sleeping conditions and good food . However if your budget dictates do Hideaway . You may consider taking some snacks etc as food is basic at best .
I like John and Hideaway is OK , but the differance is like camping compared to hotel .

 

[Scuba_Noob]

To continue on the tangent (sorry to ignore all the other amazing dive areas on Vancouver Island), I'd say the comparison is more like a cheaper motel and a four to five star hotel. I didn't find any problems with the food - very hearty, tasty, and filling (maybe they got a new cook since you last were there). No problem with the cabins - comfortable and soft beds with clean sheets in a warm room (upgraded from TSandM's last experience). Amenities - a nice warming room for drying wetter undergarments, a freshwater dunk tank for camera gear - all I really need.

I'm pretty much used to doing shore dives with long walks (e.g., end of the Ogden Point breakwater), and I'm young, so I had no real issue with the boat. From what I hear, God's Pocket is a lot more professional (on time, better amenities, better lodging, probably better food) - like coldwaterlloyd said, personal preference.

If you want to do 4-5 dives a day and you can handle motel conditions (and want to save a significant amount of money), Hideaway. I go on these trips for max diving, so I choose Hideaway. If you're looking for an overall experience (not just diving) with max 2-3 dives per day and great lodging/amenities/boat, God's Pocket. PS either way, I'd recommend a drysuit, not a wetsuit, or else it'll really limit your bottom time.

Plus lots of other spots around the island. We're just being really nitpicky with personal preferences for Port Hardy (i.e., Browning Pass).

 

[Pedro Burrito]

Great, another place I didn't know about and now have to convince my wife, who wears a wetsuit in 80° F + Caribbean water, that we need to visit.

Here's the links to the two places mentioned above:

Home | God's Pocket

Browning Pass Hideaway Home

 

[Darnold9999]

To answer the original question - which Scuba-Noob did pretty well in the first post. Browning Pass is amazing and the best diving on Vancouver Island and probably in North America. However it does require a dry suit and you will need to be able to manage currents, and kelp. It is possible to do it in a wet suit, but I wouldn't want to do three or more dives a day in those temperatures in a wet suit.

After Browning Pass comes - in order of preference - Barkley Sound, Quadra Island, Hornby Island, Naniamo, Victoria. In Barkely Sound I would use Rendevous Lodge, scuba diving Vancouver Island, Canada, Port Alberni, Bamfield, Barkley Sound, British Columbia, West coast about half way between Hideaway and God's Pocket in terms of amenities. Quadra island would be next, don't have an operation I would use there - someone will chime in, I am sure, with options. Hornby Island is centrally located to dive in a number of locations among the Gulf Islands, try the Dive Lodge there Hornby Island Diving - Home. Have heard good things about this operation. Have not been there, but have been diving in the area. Naniamo has some purpose sunk wrecks and some great dives (Dodds Narrows comes to mind). I think Sea Dragon charters is servicing this area these days. Sea Dragon Charters Victoria is local diving for me. Ogden Point and Race Rocks are two good dives. 10 Mile Point is a great shore dive.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Another incredible dive destination for those who like off-the-beaten-path is Nootka Sound ... north of Barkley Sound.

Tahtsa Dive Charters | Sea Kayaking Tours, Nootka Trail Water Taxi, Wildlife Viewing, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada

Tahsis BC • Tahtsa Dive Charters • ADVANCED DIVER MAGAZINE • by John Rawlings

... Bob (Grateful Diver)