Victoria dive site recommendations and/or tour guides wanted - Sep 20-25

[ChevaYEA]

I own the company that builds the reefballs and there are actually several hundred of them out in front of Sidney. There will also soon be a couple hundred off of Ogden Point.Winter is best for viewing them as they are completely covered in kelp and seaweed the rest of the year.They were installed to remediate the seafloor in the area as it used to be the town dump.It's been extremely successful in that regard and is an incredible nursery for all types of sealife. Depths are from 15' out to 35'. Soon we will be expanding the reef to include a memorial reef with each reefball containing cremated remains this could add many hundreds more. For great details see Reef Ball Foundation Designed Artificial Reefs or www.Canadianreefstructures.com

Thanks Sunday Diver, I would love to come in and see your establishment if that's okay. We've heard of the reef balls down here and everyone is curious for more information. Reef Balls are about to be installed in one of our popular sites soon, called Titlow.

 

[wedivebc]

Why does Ogden point need reef balls? There is plenty of life growing there already and putting more manmade junk may just detract from what has already grown up over the years.
I dove the Sidney reefballs and was not too impressed. There was alot more to see growing on the pilings of the pier than the reefballs.

I own the company that builds the reefballs and there are actually several hundred of them out in front of Sidney. There will also soon be a couple hundred off of Ogden Point.Winter is best for viewing them as they are completely covered in kelp and seaweed the rest of the year.They were installed to remediate the seafloor in the area as it used to be the town dump.It's been extremely successful in that regard and is an incredible nursery for all types of sealife. Depths are from 15' out to 35'. Soon we will be expanding the reef to include a memorial reef with each reefball containing cremated remains this could add many hundreds more. For great details see Reef Ball Foundation Designed Artificial Reefs or www.Canadianreefstructures.com

 

[sunday diver]

Seriously wedive do you not have anything positive to add to these forums? Reefballs are anything but "manmade junk" they are a tried and proven product used successfully worldwide! Perhaps you hadn't seen the Sidney waterfront before the addition of the reefballs but it is substantially better than it was and while there is a nice display of sealife on the pilings, reefballs don't leach toxic and/or carcinogenic substances into the sea! As far as Ogden Point goes, the reefballs are being placed away from the breakwater not against it. They will form a reef that will be enjoyed by countless divers and will provide a classroom setting for courses.
If you don't like them don't dive them but please do some reading before expressing your opinions on forums as widely read as these are. See Reef Ball Foundation Designed Artificial Reefs for an incredible amount of information about reefballs around the world.

 

[ChevaYEA]

We're pretty excited to have them installed down here in the Puget Sound. We're sad to see the pilings go away (they're covered with stuff) but at least the reef balls leech stuff into the water.

 

[Darnold9999]

Seriously wedive do you not have anything positive to add to these forums? Reefballs are anything but "manmade junk" they are a tried and proven product used successfully worldwide! Perhaps you hadn't seen the Sidney waterfront before the addition of the reefballs but it is substantially better than it was and while there is a nice display of sealife on the pilings, reefballs don't leach toxic and/or carcinogenic substances into the sea! As far as Ogden Point goes, the reefballs are being placed away from the breakwater not against it. They will form a reef that will be enjoyed by countless divers and will provide a classroom setting for courses.
If you don't like them don't dive them but please do some reading before expressing your opinions on forums as widely read as these are. See Reef Ball Foundation Designed Artificial Reefs for an incredible amount of information about reefballs around the world.

But you didn't answer the question - why does Ogden Point need reef balls.

The breakwater itself is enjoyed by countless divers and provides a classroom setting for courses. I did my first open water dives on the breakwater 25 or so years ago, and I am sure the vast majority of divers trained in Victoria can say the same thing. It is still one of my favourite dives in Victoria. Easy to get to, lots of life and a variety of environments to explore. I don't see how reefballs will add anything to the experience or the marine environment in that location, but am perfectly willing to have you tell me what I am missing.

Rather than criticize a perfectly valid opinion - you might consider actually answering the question. It seems a fair one.

I had exactly the same question when I read your post but Dave beat me to it.

 

[sunday diver]

The question was fair, the manner in which it was posed was not. The fellow spearheading the Ogden Point project is John Roe of the Victoria Watershed Society their website is www.salishsea.ca I'm certain he can provide you guys with an explanation if you want as to why Ogden Point. But really, any effort we as divers and non-divers alike can make to enhance our marine environment should be commended. Hats off to John and the many other enviromentally conscious advocates of the sea! As a sidenote the Sunday divers dive club are doing a cleanup at the Tsehum harbour wharf in Sidney on Saturday the 13th from 9-3 with a BBQ to follow.Let's stop arguing and do something to help I know there's some common ground between us all somewhere!