Vancouver/Vancouver Island recommendations for late November

[TSandM]

A group of four of us (or maybe more) want to come up and dive over the weekend of Nov. 24th. Three of us will be coming from the Seattle area. We're all experienced cold water divers, and would like some enjoyable diving for the weekend, and don't care much where it is, except that travel time from Seattle has to be considered.

I've done the wrecks in Nanaimo, and that would be fine, and I know where to stay there.

I'm curious about the Ogden Point charters that weekend, and about whether conditions are likely to be good (knowing that weather is always an unknown this far in advance) and where anybody would recommend we stay if we do that.

It also seems to me that there is a charter operator on the mainland just north of Vancouver, but I can't remember the name of it.

Anyway . . . throwing it out there for ideas. Two days of good diving, and preferably no more than a half day's travel.

Thanks!

 

[wedivebc]

If you'd like to do the Nanaimo area again give me a shout. There's more just the wrecks here too

 

[Diver0001]

Dave,

What about Sechelt? I remember that they had at least one good operator with zodiacs available. Are they still running?

R..

 

[TSandM]

Rockfish Divers does Sechelt. We have dived with them (I think they would remember ). I love the cloud sponges. Those are deeper dives -- Rob, are you okay with doubles with 25/25 and a stage of 32% for the second dive?

 

[Diver0001]

I'm game for anything. I'll need to get dialed in on your gear and your way of planning though, but that probably speaks for itself. Are they double 80's or steel tanks?

R..

 

[SeahorseDeb]

Porpoise Bay does Sechelt too. I've never dove there, that's on my bucket list!

 

[cooldives]

GreenSea Diving is a great charter operator for a group of 4 or 5 divers. His boat is on a trailer so can go anywhere between Campbell River and Nanaimo. His charters are very well priced and very flexible.


Custom Nanaimo Wreck Diving Vacation packages

GreenSea Diving - for scuba diving on Vancouver Island

 

[Scuba_Noob]

I'm not sure if Port Hardy (i.e., Browning Pass) is still an option this late in the year, due to currents, but check it out. But then, travel time is a lot.

If you're looking for charters around Victoria, Pinnacle is also a good outfit for charters, while I use Frank White's for fills and such. I'd totally recommend Race Rocks, especially now. WOW, so many sea lions.

Even with shore dives, you'd have a great amount of life. Vancouver has plenty of spots along the Sea to Sky highway. Plenty of great shore dives around the Nanaimo area too, as well as numerous wrecks (Cape Breton and Saskatchewan plus many others). Nanaimo Dive Outfitters and SOS Scuba are good dive shops.

 

[cooldives]

I agree with Scuba_Noob - Pinnacle (based out of Sooke) is great for weekend trips and diving with the sealions is awesome!

 

[renoun]

Lynn, are you thinking of the Sea Dragon Charters running out of Horseshoe Cove in North Van? I don't know much about diving Howe Sound but the people have gone up on trips to work on the Annapolis and then dove with Sea Dragon.