Snorkeling in BC - where and why?

[David Wilson]

Where in BC are you in? I live in the Vanouver area and i know many places good for snorkelling!

Vancouver became one of my favourite cities even before I landed there from Minneapolis a decade and a half ago. I can still envision the snow-capped peaks of the Rockies which we flew over. Which places are best for snorkelling around Vancouver?

 

[David Wilson]

I like snorkeling/freediving and in some ways prefer it to scuba diving. It's easier, less dangerous, less constricting, and feels more natural (plus when I snorkel/freedive I seldom wear a wetsuit...I really enjoy the feeling of the water against my skin).

I notice that you're based in Southern California, but not on the coast. I snorkelled at La Jolla Cove a number of years ago and I very much enjoyed the experience of swimming with the large numbers of other snorkellers there. My last visit to the United States, in summer 2004, included a trip to Los Angeles and Santa Monica. I took the opportunity to go for a walk along several beaches, including Venice Beach and Long Beach, but there didn't seem to be any snorkellers around, only children with surfboards. I didn't have my snorkelling gear with me, otherwise I would have plunged in too!

Do you ever snorkel or freedive in SoCal? If so, can you recommend any good places to snorkel in that part of the state? Is La Jolla still a good snorkelling venue?