Vancouver Island Caves

[PrincessOfPower]

So, I have this map produced by "DiveVancouverIsland"(.com) that lists 119 dives on Vancouver island by category (drift, wreck etc). There is a 'Cave' category. Two dives are listed: Arbutus Island (near Victoria) and Hole-In-The-Wall (off Gabriola).

I've never done either site but I've heard lots about Arbutus Isalnd - but never anything about Caves there. So, are these really caves? If so, has anyone dove them? Are they worth checking out (with proper training etc etc etc)?

I've also heard (through heresay and second hand mentions) that there are other cave sites on the island. No idea if its true or not, but my curiosity is piqued. Anyone know anything about these mythical Van Island caves?

 

[nadwidny]

First I've heard of a cave on Arbutus and I've never seen one, but that doesn't mean it's not there.

As for info on caves on the Island - http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=182902

 

[MarkH]

I've never heard of the one on Gabriola, but I've been to the "caves" on Arbutus. They aren't really caves. -More like deep overhangs and they're pretty small. http://victoriadiving.awardspace.com/arbutus.html
There's also Swordfish Island near Race Rocks. http://victoriadiving.awardspace.com/swordfishisland.html
There's a great photo of it in the back of the latest issue of Diver Magazine.
Then there's Tilly Point on Pender Island, which is the biggest cavern I know of around the Islands (and it's still not very big):http://victoriadiving.awardspace.com/tillypt.html

 

[Warthaug]

I'm pretty sure their is a short tunnel on Arbatrus island; you can enter on one end, and exit the other.

 

[MarkH]

I'm pretty sure their is a short tunnel on Arbatrus island; you can enter on one end, and exit the other.

When I was there (and I swam all the way around the island), the cavern had a couple of "tunnels" where you could see light coming through, but they were too small to swim through. Maybe a little kid could fit if they squeezed through, scraping the life off the rocks as they went. I was only there once, and it was a few years ago. This is all from memory. Tilly Point and Swordfish are tunnels for sure though.

 

[Warthaug]

I'm going on info from Greg's Dombowski's dive book (last name is probably wrong). I've never done the tunnel myself, but apparently their is one big enough to swim through if you've got good boyancy control...

 

[BMW]

There is also a cave/tunnel at Tilley Point on the south side of Pender Island. It is a decent swim-through and fairly easy to find. It can be done as a shore dive.

The entrance is at about 20'-25' depending on tides. It goes straight in and then turns right, and descends to an exit about 50'. The first part has some life, but the second half is much better.

Currents can be quick there so plan carefully.

 

[PrincessOfPower]

That's a lot of great info - you guys rock! I have a special place in my heart for overhangs and short tunnels, but have only ever seen such things out on the east coast of the island.

 

[wedivebc]

Vancouver Island has quite a few real caves as well. Be ready for cold, sidemount, high flow, muck diving though (or so I'm told). I plan on learning more this summer when the water table goes down a bit.

 

[creamofwheat]

I've also heard of caves up on the Sunshine Coast...one near Okeover (in Powell River) i believe, but it requires a boat. I don't know anything else about it though.

But it makes sense for there to be underwater caves around the island...after all, there are a bunch of dry ones, so why not any under water?

I'd like to dive them one day, when I have more than just my cavern training.