Diving In Port Hardy in Jan.

[OE2X]

Four of us are planning a trip to Port Hardy area this January. I have a boat, but need local knowledge.
1. Places to dive
2. Places to stay
3. Places to get Nitrox fills
4. Dive Charters that are open that time of year if all else fails.

Thanks.

 

[AtomicWalrus]

Four of us are planning a trip to Port Hardy area this January. I have a boat, but need local knowledge.
1. Places to dive
2. Places to stay
3. Places to get Nitrox fills
4. Dive Charters that are open that time of year if all else fails.

Thanks.

You might really want to take a close look at option 4. There's substantial current around Port Hardy, and it'd probably be easier to take advantage of an expert boat captain. A good charter operation up there is Catala Charters. The Quarterdeck Inn is also a pretty nice place to stay.

 

[*Scuba*Princess*]

You might really want to take a close look at option 4. There's substantial current around Port Hardy, and it'd probably be easier to take advantage of an expert boat captain. A good charter operation up there is Catala Charters. The Quarterdeck Inn is also a pretty nice place to stay.

Totally agree with AW. Far less stress if you let someone else worry about the "driving". Otherwise someone would have to miss out on the diving & keep the boat live....anchoring is pretty much out of the question. Also, being experienced/advanced/careful divers is a must to protect the life there.

I was up a few weeks ago. You really need experience to read the currents & know the times because of the all of that water funneling thru the channels & islands. Also, my understanding is that the season is quite short to get to the outside of the narrows. Wicked open ocean & unpredictable weather limit where you can go. November to March can be awful. If you have to go at that time you may be better off heading in to Port McNeil.
We dove with Sun Fun Dive Charters (based in McNeil) and you might have more options in January with them. He does Nitrox.

Happy diving
SP

 

[Uncle Pug]

Substantial Currents?
Wicked open ocean & unpredictable weather?

 

[Snowbear]

WooHoo! My kind of diving.
Sounds like it could be almost as fun as diving the Gulf of Alaska

 

[OE2X]

Substantial Currents?
Wicked open ocean & unpredictable weather?

I had nearly forgotten how much you like drift dives. Perhaps we should go for a trip to Nakwakto rapids about an hour away from Port Hardy. They have the fastest tides in the world - upwards of 16 knots. It will make D-Pass seem like a float in the tropics.

How is the vis. in Jan.?

 

[wolf eel]

[Four of us are planning a trip to Port Hardy area this January. I have a boat,]

Is their something in Port Hardy you already know about and are planning on diving it ?

The seas can be nasty in away you may not want to take a boat out at all. Our weather at that time of year can be down right awfull Excellent time to be diving. Along with bad weather comes fantastic viss 2+ and the diving is just outrages full of life. You can access the west coast from Port by going over to Port Alice from there stay on the main line and follow it west and you will come out on the west coast excellent beachs no people. No air. So you would have to pack everything in. All kinds of caves and bottom less lakes to dive all over that area.
If its remote diving you want then Port Hardy in the winter is it. As for dive sites there is loads of em what type of dives are you interested in ?

Another out of the way destination is Zeballous they have air and that is about it. But the diving is fantastic.

I must agree about Port Mcneil. If you have your own boat from Mcneil you can get to all kinds of excellent dive sites.

Cheers
Derek

 

[OE2X]

Is their something in Port Hardy you already know about and are planning on diving it ?

The seas can be nasty in away you may not want to take a boat out at all. Our weather at that time of year can be down right awfull Excellent time to be diving. Along with bad weather comes fantastic viss 2+ and the diving is just outrages full of life. You can access the west coast from Port by going over to Port Alice from there stay on the main line and follow it west and you will come out on the west coast excellent beachs no people. No air. So you would have to pack everything in. All kinds of caves and bottom less lakes to dive all over that area.
If its remote diving you want then Port Hardy in the winter is it. As for dive sites there is loads of em what type of dives are you interested in ?

Another out of the way destination is Zeballous they have air and that is about it. But the diving is fantastic.

I must agree about Port Mcneil. If you have your own boat from Mcneil you can get to all kinds of excellent dive sites.

Cheers
Derek

Thanks Derek. Guess U.P. and I will have talk about this when we get together next week. I'll bring the charts.
We have heard that the Port Hardy area has some of the finest diving to offer in the world. While the weather can be foul in the winter, the vis. is the best. I think we are looking to find what ever the best is that the area has to offer. If Port McNiel is better suited because of weather for that time of year, then that is fine. Probably would like to stay away from Cape Scott and opt for something more protected. If the tides are right and weather favors us then Nakwakto would be very cool. If there is some good stuff around Kingcome or Knight Inlets that would be good. I'm aware of how Queen Charlotte Strait can blow up. Been there in 15' seas.
Generally speaking I think we are looking for wall dives, pinnicles, swim throughs and anything where the amount of life is outstanding. A wreck would be o.k. but I think we will take a day each in Nanaimo and Quadra Island for that. How about diving with Orcas? Shane will love that!!!

 

[wolf eel]

[How about diving with Orcas? Shane will love that!!!]

You can dive with them all over but I think it is frowned upon now. Robson Bite is still the best place to see them. They rub along the bottom to clean themselves or what ever they do. I do not think anybody really knows why ? But they do and it is soo cool to watch. Not that I ever have

Knights inlet is outrages the diving is just fantastic. You have loads of old history everywhere.Can hardly wait to show you all kinds of places to splash and have an excellent time

Cheers
Derek :sunny