Scuba Dive BC: Take a journey beneath the waves to the greatest underwater playground on Earth
In This Scuba Diving Article You Will Discover:
- Where the Best Scuba Diving in BC Can Be Found
- How to Access Each Location
- What To Expect When You Submerge
The late Jacques Cousteau rated the waters off British Columbia, Canada, as the second-best temperate diving waters in the world — next to the Red Sea. Personally, I think Captain Cousteau visited BC on an off-day, because I doubt anything could compete with what BC’s waters offer. The “Emerald Sea” boasts speckled ling cod, silvery salmon, playful seals, imposing-but-harmless basking sharks, shy wolf eels and a host of other sea creatures. Have you ever seen a scallop swim or come face-to-face with a giant Pacific octopus? Check out these scuba diving meccas for the best BC’s underwater has to offer, and then find the locations on the map at the bottom of the post:
Vancouver Area
Whytecliff Park
Located near the BC Ferry terminal in Horseshoe Bay, Whytecliff Park is one of the most popular diving spots in BC’s Lower Mainland. You don’t even need a boat — a few of the best-known dives in the park are accessible right off the shore. Make sure to check out Whytecliff Marker, known for giant octopus and friendly seal. It is a nice spot for newbies, too, as regular classes and local dive instructors hold tours here.
Porteau Cove
Slightly further up the Howe Sound than Whytecliff, Porteau Cove Provincial Park offers three scenic scuba shore dives. Popular because it is off-limits to boaters, making it a safe dive locale, take in the Porteau Wall (a haven for crabs); or The Bay, full of natural and artificial reefs; and the stunning Nayaka, a sunken, 125-foot navy minesweeper-turned-fish-packer, which enjoys its third life as an underwater hotbed for all types of marine species.
The VT 100
It may not be the Edmund Fitzgerald, but the wreck of the VT 100 is still an impressive site. A former US Navy minesweeper, later converted to a tugboat, it rests in Davy Jones’s Locker in about 20 metres of water. Sunk by vandals in 1953, it is mostly decayed, but still offers the adventurous a great dive, as sea life has flourished in the wreckage. Located near the town of Belcarra, about 20 km from downtown Vancouver, it is at the gateway to the diver’s paradise of Indian Arm.
Victoria Area
Fisgard Island
A shallow shore dive, Fisgard Island offers fun for both scuba divers and snorkellers. Become entranced by eerily beautiful kelp forests, which hold a variety of sea life. Fisgard Island is located in Esquimalt Harbour, just a few minutes’ drive from downtown Victoria
Ten Mile Point
The underwater world is preserved in its purest form at Ten Mile Point — the whole area is a marine ecological preserve. Recreational access is allowed — but look and don’t touch. The rocky bottom holds fish to rival any tropical sea. Who knows, you may even see the famous Cadborosaurus, a sea monster rumoured to inhabit the waters off Victoria’s Cadboro Bay, where Ten Mile Point is located.
Nanaimo
HMCS Cape Breton
Sunk in 2001, the massive Second World War-ear Naval Vessel the HMCS Cape Breton sits in 40 metres of water offshore of Nanaimo, on Central Vancouver Island. This massive boat has become the region’s signature dive, with the crow’s nest in an easily accessible 12 metres of water, and the bottom of the engine room resting some 30 metres beneath. The range of depths ensures both beginner and advanced divers will be satisfied — and the Saskatchewan, another artificial reef, rests nearby once you’re done with the Cape Breton. But since it’s the world’s second-largest artificial reef, I’m guessing you’ll be occupied for a while…
Comox Area
Flora Islet
From the Comox Airport, head south for about 25 km to the Buckley Bay Ferry Terminal, your jumping off point to access Hornby Island. Accessed by guide boat from Hornby, Flora Islet is one of the great BC dives. Scuba in the shallows around the islet, and gaze on the magnificent six-gill shark, as Flora is the only spot in the Strait of Georgia they can be found. Nearby Norris Rocks, Chrome Island and Eagle Rock are also on the must-dive list.
King Coho
Located on the eastern shore of Comox, swim out about 20 metres off shore and you’ll find a submerged sailboat teeming with life – the King Coho. Three octopi are known to dwell in the boat’s hull, providing divers with great photo opportunities. Watch for ling cod patrolling the sea too, as well as spiny sculpin and the occasional salmon.
Powell River
The Mermaid
Arguably the most beautiful underwater statue in the world, this three-metre-tall bronze statue, located in the Saltery Bay provincial park, offers a truly one-of-a-kind underwater adventure. Watch as rockfish circle the statue, and keep your underwater camera ready for octopi. Nearby, there is a 30-metre drop-off, alive with the bizarre and beautiful tube sponge, if you dare to dive into the depths.
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It’s really a great and useful piece of info. I am glad that you simply shared this helpful info with us. Please stay us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
Around the Olympic Peninsula is good, I hear. Hawaii and in the Gulf of Mexico too. To be honest, BC has better diving…
What are some good scuba diving sites in the United States?
I would like to exchange links with your site acrossandabroad.com
Is this possible?
Nice article but you forgot to mention http://www.cooldives.com as a great source of information about diving in British Columbia.
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