where is the best place to dive in Canada?

[sunnyboy]

I was from Calgary, but moved to the west (Vancouver Island) last year mainly for the diving (and the weather). I dove the west coast for many years before moving so I knew the area, but it's even better being out here. Most weekends I spend doing shore dives seeking out octopus and wolf eels to photograph. Haven't been disappointed.

If you like the praries, Minnewanka is a nice freshwater dive. There's a sunken hydroelectric dam (smallish) that you can tour from shore. Waterton is nice but cold - there's the remains of a small paddlewheeler in one bay.

Or, for the absolute pinncle of prairie diving, try Twin Lakes in central Alberta. That dive is an awesome dive experienced, or so the Edmonton divers say! ;-)

-S

 

[mgarrett]

That'd be awesome to see wolf eels and octopus. I'm stoked!

Yeah, I've been thinking about checking out lake Minnewanka. Heard the vis there is best either right after the surface ice melts in spring, or right before it starts to ice over in late fall. What was your experience?

 

[sunnyboy]

Don't know about right after the thaw. VERY shortly after thawing the vis is about 3" or less. Tends to stay that way until mid-July or so, depending on weather. A rainy June will keep the vis poor for quite a while. Around mid-August the vis starts to improve a lot, and just keeps getting better until freeze-up, usually late in December or early Jan (lately, anyway).

Some of the best Minni diving I've done has been from Sept-Christmas.

After thaw, the level of the lake is pretty low as well, esp. April-May. Again, that's been my experience the last few years. Can't tell you about this year as I'm not there anymore!

Cheers,

-S

 

[nadwidny]

Or, for the absolute pinncle of prairie diving, try Twin Lakes in central Alberta. That dive is an awesome dive experienced, or so the Edmonton divers say! ;-)

-S

Oh, way to go Richard. We're trying to keep Twin a secret and you go and blow the lid off the whole thing. Now everyone will be there.

 

[sunnyboy]

Oh, way to go Richard. We're trying to keep Twin a secret and you go and blow the lid off the whole thing. Now everyone will be there.

I'm sorry, Brian - I didn't know. The way you folks brag about it, I thought you wanted to get the word out! ;-)

-R

 

[scuba66]

greedy guts saying no one should dive there but him huh? figures.. they come to nova scotia and dive all over there and no one says anything to them. sheesh.. get yer head out of the clouds you dont stand that high.