Trip Report- Quadra Island

[Sail 'n Dive]

Hi, I just got back from a long business trip -- and I managed to take a week off to go diving near Quadra Is., BC in late March. I had a blast -- it was mind blowing. I stayed with, and dove with, Abyssal Diving. Earl was a great host. Accommodations were fine, terrific meals, spartan but clean bedrooms, great hot tub. Nice dive operation: boats were well suited to the conditions, etc. And the diving was spectacular. My favorite location: Row and Be Damned. Also did several other dives, including Seymour Narrows -- which actually was really really tricky given the powerful eddies. Viz was pretty good: 30-40'. Water and surface temps were cold, (48 degrees F at depth; sometimes hail and snow at surface !) but what the heck, I expected that.The walls we dove were typically blanketed in strawberry anemones, with plenty of soft coral, nudibranch of all types, etc. PS crabs the size of hubcaps piled on top of one another in little caves on the wall. Beautiful tube worms. A few octopi (sp ?), a wolf eel, red irish lords, rockfish. Seals and sea lions hung out with us at the surface; eagles nesting in trees along the shore.
As a newbie, and with a new drysuit, I had to work hard to keep up with the group. Dive buddies, whom I met there, murray and tim, deserve special thanks for their kind leadership underwater. After 2 or 3 dives, though, I felt quite comfortable with the current and my drysuit, so that I could really take in the spectacular view. It was an unforgettable experience, and I intend to go back -- especially when the viz is that good.
Sail 'n Dive

 

[deepdiverbc]

I agree it is a great destination. I was at Abyssal in February and had a lot of fun. The vis was very good and Seymour Narrows was running slow. I am probably going to make it an annual trip. Glad you had fun.

 

[diveborg]

OK, where did you see the wolf eel? I did that trip with DeepdiverBC as my dive buddy and we didn't see any. In fact, I don't think that any of our group saw a wolf eel.

I have to agree with you about the rest of your experience. I had a great time too.

My Quadra trip report​

 

[deepdiverbc]

OK, where did you see the wolf eel? I did that trip with DeepdiverBC as my dive buddy and we didn't see any. In fact, I don't think that any of our group saw a wolf eel.

I have to agree with you about the rest of your experience. I had a great time too.

My Quadra trip report​

Just so you know we do have them up here I saw about seven when I dove the west side of Denman Island last month. You're going to have to come back up here and do more diving.

 

[Les]

That sounds and looks fantastic. I have never been but has always been one of my places to go to. the photos are awesome. can't wait for my LDS to set up another charter with them.
Les

 

[diveborg]

Just so you know we do have them up here I saw about seven when I dove the west side of Denman Island last month. You're going to have to come back up here and do more diving.

I've seen them in Nanaimo, just not farther north in the Campbell River area. I sure would like to get back up there for some more diving.

 

[Sail 'n Dive]

the wolf ell: we think it was an older female; about half along Row and Be Damned hanging out on a ledge at 60'. she blended into the surroundings so well I practically bumped into her. and I forgot to mention the ubiquitous ling cod.
I should also say again, this trip was a stretch for this newbie diver. I lucked out by meeting up with great guys who did not mind buddying up with me. I saw one beginner on the boat who had a really awful time of it. Luckily I stayed for a week, had great support, and was able to take the time to figure things out a bit.
Also those eddies are no joke -- three guys diving with us on nitrox got swept down much deeper than they wanted to be.
but for those with skills and experience -- (please do not rely on luck like I did) -- its a brilliant trip.
sail 'n dive

 

[freefall2]

Fantastic! I did my first few open water dives off Quadra Island with Abyssal back in '92 when Mike Richmond still owned it. I was in a wetsuit! We saw a wolf eel. Right after that I moved to the Bahamas and I haven't been in cold water since. We're lobbying to move the boat up to Vancouver Island next spring. I'd love to dive there again and show my husband how beautiful it is but I don't know if we could handle the cold. Him especially, he's had frostbite on his feet and face before and is really sensitive to cold. Maybe I'll just show him videos.

 

[Virgogirl22]

Somebody asked where there were wolf eels at Campbell River... I was up there in April and we found a pair at Row Or Be Damned - male and female in a den at 95ft. We were able to feed the male an urchin but he wasn't too keen on coming out to visit, so we had to settle for a photo instead. Heading back up there today actually for the weekend so I'll let you know if we find any more!

Another great spot for wolf eels is Port Hardy, way up at the north end of the island, but apparently some of the best cold water diving in the world. We did a trip in September '04 and I was blown away - spectacular!! I think the group spotted at least 8 or 9 wolf eels over the weekend, sometimes more than one on a dive. Hunt Rock, Browning Wall, and the wreck of the Themis (?) were definite sightings. Enjoy!

 

[Virgogirl22]

Just back from Quadra... and happy to report we did find a wolf eel, potentially three, at Copper Cliffs. The den is at 95ft on the south side of a big rubble pile (where Earl drops you at the notch in the wall if you're diving with Abyssal) and there are apparently a male, female, and baby all in that den, though we only saw one. But he ate the urchin we fed him so it was a fun visit!