West Coast Dive Trip

[Ozwald]

Hi all

I'm out in Manitoba and looking to get to the West Coast for some of that cold water diving. I was hoping I could get some recomendations on dive operations out there that also have access to accommodations, or not.

I'd be looking at 3-4 days of diving sometime in late September or October. As far as cert's go I'm Safety, Intro Cave and just finishing up my DSAT Deep Tech as well as a few others.

Any recommendations would really be appreciated.

Thanks

Rick

 

[Scuba_Noob]

I'd recommend going to Vancouver Island and going up north - Port Hardy, Barkley Sound, Campbell River, Quadra Island - anywhere up there, with Port Hardy being the most recommended. But these trips would be better if you stayed at a dive resort for a few days.

If you don't have that much time and want to stick around the Victoria area, there are two major dive ops that do boat charters (I know that Frank White's has a three day Barkley Sound dive trip in September). Or you could do the local shore dives. Nanaimo is probably even better for diving.

 

[decompression]

The northern part of the island has great vis and great life....and great costs to match, if that's a consideration. Most of the diving is charter. The nanaimo area has great shore and wreck charter dives. 2 of my top ten cold water shore dives are there (madrona point and seducers cove). Victoria has an abundance of shore dives and charters to race rocks and HMCS mcKenzie and GB church. Some good tech dives as well. Contact Mark Gottfried (UTD instructor email list) or Howie G at frank whites dive shop, they can steer you in the right direction. Say hi to the wolf eels for me!

 

[Ozwald]

Not really concerned with cost. Staying at a dive resort would be ideal and if need be i can be there longer or staying near a shop that goes out daily.

Thanks

 

[decompression]

Then for sure checkout port hardy, google it, the life is amazing and some excellent vis (50-80'). Some world class diving!

 

[Hawkwood]

Since you mentioned a place with accommodation, have a look at these two:

scuba diving Vancouver Island, Canada, Port Alberni, Bamfield, Barkley Sound, British Columbia, West coast

God's Pocket Resort : Scuba Diving & Kayaking

 

[decofreako]

The only dive hotel I know of is the Buccaneer inn in Nanaimo. Almost stayed there once, but cancelled because of work. If it's your first time out there, try a bit of everything. Nanaimo has a bunch of charters for wrecks(HMCS Sakatchewan, Cape Breton, etc). Victoria has good drift dives (10 mile point is a shore drift dive, or charter from Ogden Point dive shop to Race Rocks). A wicked fast drift dive is at Dodd Narrows. I like the walls the best, and concur with decompression's post about Seducer's cove and Madrona point. Parking might be a problem. Bring a good light, it gets black deeper down but there is so much to look at compared to MB. The vis is way better than West Hawk or Clear Lake too, and the water not any colder.
Maybe you'll see a six gill!

 

[TSandM]

God's Pocket resort at the north end of Vancouver Island is an awesome place -- lovely accomodations, FABULOUS food, and a well run dive boat with a lovely amenity -- an elevator to reboard divers. We had an extraordinary time there, and I would return in a heartbeat.

But when you talk about West Coast diving, you don't need to confine it to Canada. There is excellent diving in the Puget Sound region, with Giant Pacific Octopuses and wolf eels, and great dive operators, as well as excellent shore diving. Monterey, California, has huge granite pinnacles covered in corynactis anemones and pastel hydrocoral, and the Channel Islands off LA have the beautiful kelp forests with Garibaldis, and nudibranchs galore.

For my money, the best diving in the world is on the West Coast of North America; all you have to do is decide where you want to go!

 

[nford]

+1 for Scuba_Noob's comment..head north Vancouver for amazing dives, particularly Port Hardy,