Help w/ Dive Shop/operator

[deepdiverbc]

is the only reason for your trip to dive? If not, and you need to be in Vancouver for other times, then going to Nanaimo, Victoria, etc. is not in your best interest (the ferry crossing is more than $50 each way, and takes a couple hours).

You've got a good point. If he isn't familiar with the geography of our area and the time it takes to get around he would be fooling himself to think he could do some business in Vancouver and also dive the sites I listed on Vancouver Island.

If however diving is the main reason for being here it would be a shame to have his impressions of BC diving set by some dives at Whytecliffe Park and Porteau Cove. They're good dive sites but don't compare to diving the wrecks at Nanaimo and sites like Dodd Narrow and Gabriola Pass or even better doing a trip up at Quadra Island.

Good luck Turtle696. One things for sure is that there are no shortage of choices for a diver in our area. Next time try to book a longer trip.

 

[TURTLE696]

is the only reason for your trip to dive? If not, and you need to be in Vancouver for other times, then going to Nanaimo, Victoria, etc. is not in your best interest (the ferry crossing is more than $50 each way, and takes a couple hours).

I have to be in Prince George Sept. 19-22 for my job. I am going back to Vancouver on the 22nd and wanted to spend a couple of days diving before returning home.

 

[69_Jeremy_69]

From Prince George you could drive west to Bella Bella and try the diving there on the coast. I'm sure it would be unreal, its about 4-5 hours west. Prince George is about 12 hours north of Vancouver. If your flying around then its all good its like 1hr 30min plane trip to VIA. But from there with only 2-3 days to dive its hard to say, Naniamo is deffinatly awesome, especially the Saskatchewan and Cape Breton Wrecks. I would think about booking with a charter and diving one of the days on these to wrecks or Snake Island Wall, Dodd Narrows.

For the local area, Whytecliff at night is interesting sometimes. Ansell durring the day would be a good choice. Or take the cheaper ferry from Horseshoe Bay up the Sunshine coast and hit some of those sites, its been 3 years since I've been out there though.

http://www.divernet.com/travel2/0604nanaimo.shtml

 

[KrisB]

From Prince George you could drive west to Bella Bella and try the diving there on the coast. I'm sure it would be unreal, its about 4-5 hours west. Prince George is about 12 hours north of Vancouver. If your flying around then its all good its like 1hr 30min plane trip to VIA. But from there with only 2-3 days to dive its hard to say, Naniamo is deffinatly awesome, especially the Saskatchewan and Cape Breton Wrecks. I would think about booking with a charter and diving one of the days on these to wrecks or Snake Island Wall, Dodd Narrows.

For the local area, Whytecliff at night is interesting sometimes. Ansell durring the day would be a good choice. Or take the cheaper ferry from Horseshoe Bay up the Sunshine coast and hit some of those sites, its been 3 years since I've been out there though.

http://www.divernet.com/travel2/0604nanaimo.shtml

Holy smokes! Someone hasn't been up here since the gold rush days! 12 hours?!? We're a little less than 800km from Prince George to Vancouver proper. Shorter, if you count the suburbs.

Driving, PG -> Vancouver is approximately 8hrs... 6.5h to Hope, then another 1-2h into Vancouver, depending on traffic and number of incompetent drivers on the road.

Flying, YXS -> YVR is 1h20m by Air Canada's Dash 8's; 50m by Westjet's 737's.

Driving from PG to Bella Bella, you're looking at about 2 days -- 9+ hrs from PG to Prince Rupert, then a day-long ferry ride to Bella Bella.

You're better off flying to Vancouver... though the scenery is great, I'd not suggest driving given your time constraints and desire to dive, not drive.

 

[69_Jeremy_69]

Meh... the times were just estimates off the top of my head. I only travel through PG on my way to Vanderhoof once a year for hunting. And yeah its 12hrs to Vanderhoof for us usually. And we leave Delta at 8pm usually - and get to our spot outside Vanderhoof at about 11am. 15 hours with a 3-4 nap on the side of the road. But I'm glad you could clear that all up.

As for Bella Bella, I was thinking it was on the coast right by Prince Rupert (actually confused PR with BB). But alas I've never been to either places, the timing was just a guess to give him some reference on those ones.

 

[KrisB]

Meh... the times were just estimates off the top of my head. I only travel through PG on my way to Vanderhoof once a year for hunting. And yeah its 12hrs to Vanderhoof for us usually. And we leave Delta at 8pm usually - and get to our spot outside Vanderhoof at about 11am. 15 hours with a 3-4 nap on the side of the road. But I'm glad you could clear that all up.

As for Bella Bella, I was thinking it was on the coast right by Prince Rupert (actually confused PR with BB). But alas I've never been to either places, the timing was just a guess to give him some reference on those ones.

Again, you must be travelling slow. Vanderhoof is only 1 hour (96km, IIRC) outside of PG...

It's really disappointing to see this information spread, as people get it in their head that it's a really long trip (it's not) and as a result, they pick somewhere else to go to...

Bella Bella is on the coast... but on an island about halfway between PR and the southern tip of Van. Island (at least that's how it appears on the map I looked at yesterday).

 

[ChillyWaters]

Again, you must be travelling slow. Vanderhoof is only 1 hour (96km, IIRC) outside of PG...

It's really disappointing to see this information spread, as people get it in their head that it's a really long trip (it's not) and as a result, they pick somewhere else to go to...

Bella Bella is on the coast... but on an island about halfway between PR and the southern tip of Van. Island (at least that's how it appears on the map I looked at yesterday).

What's all this talk about Vanderhoof? I didn't know anybody really knew where that place was. My parents live there -- that's my excuse. If anybody asks where it is, I reply: Put "B.C." into MapQuest(.com) and it will point you to the most amazing of B.C.'s travelling destinations.


I usually drove from Vancouver to Vanderhoof in just a tad over 9 hours. That's with minimal stops, and travelling at slightly-above-posted speed limits.

- ChillyWaters

 

[wedivebc]

is the only reason for your trip to dive? If not, and you need to be in Vancouver for other times, then going to Nanaimo, Victoria, etc. is not in your best interest (the ferry crossing is more than $50 each way, and takes a couple hours).

Walk on is about 1/4 that amount and dive operators in Nanaimo such as this one http://www.divingbccanada.com/ will meet you at the ferry and drop you off after. He supplies weights and tanks so you don't have to drag them along

 

[KrisB]

What's all this talk about Vanderhoof? I didn't know anybody really knew where that place was. My parents live there -- that's my excuse. If anybody asks where it is, I reply: Put "B.C." into MapQuest(.com) and it will point you to the most amazing of B.C.'s travelling destinations.


I usually drove from Vancouver to Vanderhoof in just a tad over 9 hours. That's with minimal stops, and travelling at slightly-above-posted speed limits.

- ChillyWaters

Hehehe... yeah, Vanderhoof almost exactly dead centre (geographically) in the province.

 

[KrisB]

Walk on is about 1/4 that amount and dive operators in Nanaimo such as this one http://www.divingbccanada.com/ will meet you at the ferry and drop you off after. He supplies weights and tanks so you don't have to drag them along

Very cool, Dave! Thanks for the tips... that's something that's great to know.