Vancouver Diving....HELP

[wetvet]

Hello to all you freaky west coast divers.

I am FINALLY making the big trek west to get wet in the Canadian Pacific. The missus and I are travelling to do Christmas with the In-laws from Dec 20 - 27 in North Vancouver. With that in mind, I am hoping to get a couple or three days diving (and away from the familyeyebrow ). I have quite a bit of experience in both current, cold water, deep and low vis diving, so I am up for pretty near anything. I will be bringing all my own gear, except tanks and weights. Any advice regarding dive operators, dive sites, good places for gear etc., would be greatly appreciated. Another wrinkle in the plans is that I won't have my own vehicle, and will need to be driven wherever I need to go, so I have somewhat limited mobility....otherwise, I'd be tempted to drive to Port Hardy, and really escape.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Wetvet

 

[AtomicWalrus]

The lack of a vehicle could make things tricky - lots of decent shore diving around Vancouver, but nothing accessible without a car. Your best bet might be to see if your in-laws will drive you up to the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal so you can hop over to Nanaimo for a day trip. A lot of the charter operators there will pick you up at the ferry terminal, take you diving, and then drop you off again, allowing you to travel as a foot passenger. There are several charter operations to check out in Nanaimo, with Technically Speaking and Ocean Explorers being the first to come to mind. Best to give them a call now and see if they'll have any openings while you're out here. For some local diving in North Vancouver, you should give Great Pacific Diving a call. They're located on Capilano Road, and I believe that they coordinate local charters & fun dives. Have fun! (By the way - water temperatures should be about 46-48°F in December, and it's actually some of the best vis you'll get around BC with ~30 ft in the Vancouver area ranging to something like 80 ft in some places like Sechelt inlet...)

 

[Paul F]

Nanaimo or Sydney here on the island are your best options I have gone with Ocean Explorers out of Nanaimo a few times to the capebretton and they were great. most of the shops around here will find a way to accommodate you. enjoy your time out here. the waters fine come on in

 

[kdesjardine]

Hello to all you freaky west coast divers.

I am FINALLY making the big trek west to get wet in the Canadian Pacific. The missus and I are travelling to do Christmas with the In-laws from Dec 20 - 27 in North Vancouver. With that in mind, I am hoping to get a couple or three days diving (and away from the familyeyebrow ). I have quite a bit of experience in both current, cold water, deep and low vis diving, so I am up for pretty near anything. I will be bringing all my own gear, except tanks and weights. Any advice regarding dive operators, dive sites, good places for gear etc., would be greatly appreciated. Another wrinkle in the plans is that I won't have my own vehicle, and will need to be driven wherever I need to go, so I have somewhat limited mobility....otherwise, I'd be tempted to drive to Port Hardy, and really escape.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Wetvet

If you're car-less in Vancouver, the Nanaimo ferry walk-on may be your best option. I've had great dives with both Divers Choice and Ocean Explorers (I think Technically Speaking is not in operation). Both are situated close to the ferry terminal in Nanaimo, and offer some local wildlife diving as well as the awesome wrecks off Snake Island. Have fun!

 

[gcbryan]

If you're car-less in Vancouver, the Nanaimo ferry walk-on may be your best option. I've had great dives with both Divers Choice and Ocean Explorers (I think Technically Speaking is not in operation). Both are situated close to the ferry terminal in Nanaimo, and offer some local wildlife diving as well as the awesome wrecks off Snake Island. Have fun!

What's the deal with Ian, Terry and the rest at Ocean Explorers? Out of business? I hadn't heard this before.