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Last time we looked at the amazing underwater sights to be seen on a Vancouver sailing vacation, if you fancy doing some diving whilst in British Columbia. So to continue in this series let’s look at more amazing dive sites that you can see on your Vancouver sailing vacation here in Part Two. As part of your Vancouver sailing vacation, then going on a dive with one of the many dive companies around, really shows you why Vancouver island and Nanaimo are listed as one of the top dive destinations in the world. Let’s have a look at more of the local dives available;
The Rivtow Lion
This is the latest artificial wreck to be sunk in the Nanaimo area, it is the Rivtow Lion, which is a 40+ meter North Sea Rescue Tug and it was sunk on the 6th February in 2005. The Nanaimo Dive Association acquired the ship in 2002 and after the clean up operation and preparation was finished, she was sunk in Departure Bay and is now a brilliant artificial reef, sunk in shallow water and therefore excellent for beginners at scuba diving. There is plenty of marine life to be seen on her hull, and she sits perfectly bow down in the sandy bottom. The Rivtow Lion is accessible all year round and the visibility is normally excellent in these clear waters.
Dodd Narrows
This is an exhilarating dive site, as currents can be up to 9 knots, so probably better for the more experienced diver. There is plenty of colorful marine life to see.
This dive site is located in Hammond Bay and consists of a rocky pinnacle which is home to a very wide variety of sea life, including octopus and wolf eels. This site is great for divers of varying experience.
Gabriola Bluffs and Gabriola Passage
Gabriola Bluffs dive site consists of sheer walls that fall into the ocean down to a depth of almost 280 feet, with masses of holes and small caves along the surface which contains all sorts of marine life. Gabriola Passage is another drift dive, again probably suited to the more experienced diver as there are current shifts here, but due to the constant movement of the water there is also a lot of sea life to witness here.
Wall Dives
If it is wall dives that you are looking for, then Orlebar Point, off Gabriola Island is the dive site to head for. Once you have worked your way through the shallows, at a depth of about 60 ft, you will come across a sheer wall that reaches deep down into the water to around 200 ft. Snake Island Wall dive is another great wall dive which drops to over 600 ft. Harbour seals have been glimpsed here as well so keep your eyes out for them.
Jessie Island
This is another great dive site for beginners and all levels of diver, as it is a shallow dive with a maximum depth of only about 80 ft. This sandstone islands has been eroded by the ocean over time to create a fascinating topography that is certainly worth an explore, also for the plethora of sea life to be found here.
So with just a cursory look at some of the dive sites available to you if you are on a Vancouver sailing vacation, it is definitely worth doing some diving to experience some of the amazing marine life in this beautiful cruising area of Canada.
