Lions Bay area diving

[Les]

Just out of curiousity, I went to Lions Bay Marina just to see that area and ask about the parking fee for Kelvin and Lions Bay. I was told $8 all day for Kelvin and $10 for Lions Bay. No diving within 1000' of the marina as they have a water lease so no diving there, but you'd have to boat to the South point is what they said. I mentioned that in the Greater Vancouver Shore Diving book it says there is diving there and they said "I know". hmmmm. Anyone been there before?
What is the scene at Kelvin? I've only been once when I was newly O/W certified. I was so bug eyed and concentrating on bouyancy I was not paying much attention to the site. any good?

ps when do the parking meters get covered up at porteau?

 

[Darnold9999]

Kelvin's is a nice dive, the parking lot has a couple of spots that are not covered by the parking regulations(residents only). Drop your gear at the entrance and then park, I always (three times) take a pic of my car if I need to fight the parking ticket. A bit of a hike down the hill but a nice dive. I have always gone right along the wall, left is supposed to be shallow, but could be a nice dive as well. I got some good pics of a spanish dancer at that site last year.

I can see why the neighbours got upset with classes and large groups diving, but I suspect if you are a buddy pair or solo and are respectful i.e quiet nobody is going to bother you.

 

[TheWetRookie]

Kelvin Grove, AWESOME site. HUGE vertical wall. Long, deep, lot of crevices, octos, lots of fun here.

You DO NOT have to pay for parking here, park in the lot just up the hill a bit. There are signs so park near the back and you will be fine. They are not allowed to block off all the stalls, they have to leave a couple for visitors. A friend of mine looked into this.

I have been exploring this site the past few weeks so if you want to tag alone let me know.

That is scary you going there just after OW. For the most part this is a vertical wall with no bottom, good thing you got out ok. Though it just dawned on me that you were probably in the bay on the sandy bottom, this would makes sence.

I have not dove lions bay yet and I believe that the meters at active at porteau all year.

 

[TheWetRookie]

Direction for the wall at Kelvin is head out on the right side of the bay and from the point drop in and head straight out.

 

[Darnold9999]

Yeah, once you get around the corner from the bay it is completely vertical. A couple of shelves at 110 or so as I recall - who knows what is beyond that. If you guys are going out let me know - can't make this weekend, but the weekend after works.

 

[TheWetRookie]

I will be going both Thursday and Friday, will either of those work? Probably Wednessday also.

 

[Les]

I am going to take you guys up on this offer but for the next 2 weekends I am busy. Maybe we can drag Bjorn and Ryan out as well. LOL. talk about this again soon.

 

[Darnold9999]

Doing a long weekend trip with the boat so this week doesn't work at all - trying to squeeze a last "summer" trip this weekend. Weather does not seem to want to cooperate though.

 

[The Anchor]

It seems to me that the parking meters at Porteau Cove are in effect all year, but they aren't that expensive. $3.00 for the day as I recall.

If anyone is going out for Kelvin Grove for a weekend dive, please let me know. I have been looking foreward to diving this site but havent had a chance as yet. It would be my first wall dive though so be warned you would be diving with a relative noob.

For anyone who is interested, the lattest Betty Pratt-Johnson dive book is out. $34.95 in dive stores. I highly reccomend it.

 

[TheWetRookie]

If anyone is going out for Kelvin Grove for a weekend dive, please let me know. I have been looking foreward to diving this site but havent had a chance as yet. It would be my first wall dive though so be warned you would be diving with a relative noob.

Hi Anchor, not to discourage you from exploring new sites but I see that you have less than 24 dives according to your profile, I do not recommend the wall part of this site for you just yet. This is literatlly a bottomless wall where you need good bouyancy control. It is straight up and straight down with very few spots that have any resemblance of a bottom. If you started to descend and could not control it, you are in big caca and with no visible bottom it can be very unsettling and lead to panic very quickly.

I have some buddies that are new to diving and I have told them I would not take them here until they have their bouyancy down. Get a few more dives under your belt then by all means you can come along.

This is just my opinion and others may feel different but your safety as a dive buddy is my concern.