 |
Powell River and Area Dive Sites
This page will be updated and added to on a regular basis. Keep checking back. For detailed directions to these sights, drop into the store. We have dive site maps for some of these locations as well.
If you know of any good local dive sites not listed, let us know and we will check it out and add it.
Saltery Bay Area Shore Dives
Mermaid Cove
Location: Saltery Bay Provincial Park
Experience Level: Beginner to Expert.
Summary: This is one of the more popular dive sites in the area. There is shallow diving and snorkeling available right in the cove for newer divers. More experienced divers may want to see the Emerald Princess, a 3 metre tall bronze statue of a mermaid at a depth of 18 metres (60 feet). Advanced divers call descend down the wall behind the statue to depths of 66 metres (200 feet) or more. This sight boasts large ling cod, rockfish, huge plumose anemones, giant swimming nudibranchs, and occasional octopus. Chimney sponges, and cloud sponge can be found deeper down the wall.
Amenities: Change rooms, outhouse and fresh water showers. Wheelchair accessible to the waterline (at higher tides)
Hazards: Extreme depth, careless boaters, watch for current, and in the summer months, Lions Mane Jellyfish.
Octopus City
Location: Saltery Bay Provincial Park Picnic Area
Experience Level: Beginner to Advanced
Summary: A scattering of boulders located on an otherwise flat sandy bottom at a depth of 18 metres (60 feet), this site is home to octopus, rockfish, ling cod, cabezon, ratfish, nudibranchs, red urchins and one large chimney sponge. Look under the rocks to catch glimpses of octopus. During night dives, they may come to investigate you.
Amenities: Outhouse, picnic tables, parking lot.
Hazards: Heavy boat traffic. This is where the boat launch is in Saltery Bay. Tow a float or flag to warn boaters.
|
Saltery Bay Area Boat Dives
Ball Point
Location: Off of the northern tip of Hardy Island.
Experience Level: Advanced
Summary: Cloud Sponges. This is a great wall dive. Large boot sponges, lots of fish, brittle stars, nudibranchs, perch, sea cucumbers and as you get a little deeper… cloud sponges. The bottom turns white with these beautiful sponges. We have even had an encounter with a 4 ft salmon shark at this spot.
Amenities: Boat Launch and parking available at Saltery Bay Provincial Park.
Hazards: Current and exposure to weather.
Power Lines
Location: South of the Saltery Bay Ferry Terminal, on the east side of the channel.
Experience Level: Advanced
Summary: This wall dive is another nice dive. Wall descends quite deep here so good buoyancy control is required. Swim along the rocks and look at all the life. Rockfish, including quillbacks and tigers, brittle stars, nudibranchs, perch, sea cucumbers, kelp craps, hermit crabs. Amenities: Boat Launch and parking available at Saltery Bay Provincial Park.
Hazards: As this site is located close to the Saltery Bay Marina watch for boat traffic. Use a dive flag or float. Poor cell phone reception in the area, however there is a pay phone at the marina. There can be some current here to turn this into a nice drift dive.
Powell River Area Shore Dives
Beach Gardens Marina
Location: Beach Gardens Resort –south side of southernmost marina breakwater.
Experience Level: Beginner
Summary: Best done at higher tides. Follow the breakwater out to the end and enjoy all the sea life that lives among the rocks. Sea perch, rockfish, starfish, jellyfish, and occasionally octopus. This is a great night dive spot. Depths to 30 feet.
Amenities: Dirt parking lot by beach.
Hazards: Dive on the slack or beware of strong currents at the end of the breakwater. Also watch for boat traffic when near the end of the breakwater. Use a dive flag or float.
Grief Point
Location: Grief Point Park at the end of Malaspina Ave.
Experience: Advanced
Summary: Although this is a relatively easy dive, it is easy to get caught in the current if not done on slack tide. About 50 metres straight out from the storm gutter outfall on the beach, there is an old outfall pipe. Fish congregate around the pipe and octopus use it for shelter as well. This pipe goes down to a depth of 25 metres (75 feet). Another great close to town night dive.
Amenities: Limited parking.
Hazards: Current, boat traffic.
Wreck of the Malahat
Location: Seconds Beach Breakwater (by the Mill) in Townsite.
Experience Level: Beginner to Advanced.
Summary: Great wreck of an old wooden hulled 5 masted schooner with an interesting history. Although not recognizable as a ship, this site still has some of the wooden ribs and some steel water or fuel tanks left. This wreck site is covered with sea life. Ling cod, rockfish, plumose anemones, sea cucumbers, sunflower starfish. Do this site in late November until February and you have a good chance of having a Sea Lion encounter!!
Amenities: Limited parking. Nice beach.
Hazards: Current, boat traffic, sea lions(only when aggravated)
Gibsons Beach
Location: North of town off of Hwy 101, just past Wildwood.
Experience Level: Beginner
Summary: Relatively shallow (<30 feet). Home to starfish, sea cucumbers, anemones, and crabs. Nice night dive spot.
Amenities: Parking, boat launch, fire pits, and outhouse.
Hazards: Watch for current and boat traffic. Dive flag or float is recommended.
Powell River Area Boat Dives
Rebecca Rock
Location: In middle of channel between north end of Texada Island and Vivian Island.
Experience Level: Advanced
Summary: Diving around these rocks are a treat any time of year. The bottom geography is very unique. These rocks are home to seals, rockfish, lingcod, dogfish, sponges, octopus, urchins, plumose anemones, nudibranchs, and all types of starfish.
Amenities: Boat Launch and parking available at Powell River North Harbour Marina.
Hazards: Current and exposure to weather. Boat traffic can be an issue here so fly a dive flag.
Vivian Island and the Wreck of the Shamrock
Location: On the west side of Harwood Island.
Experience Level: Beginner to Advanced
Summary: There are two dive sites located here. On the west side of Vivian Island there is a mooring buoy that is attached to a deep wall. This wall is home to rockfish, lingcod, starfish, nudibranchs and of course, Sponges. Like most of our wall dives around the area, giant boot sponges are common. Go a little deeper and you will be rewarded with cloud sponges. For the less experienced divers in the group, there is the wreck of the Shamrock. This wreck is located on the south side of Vivian in about 15 metres of water. Although hardly recognizable as a shipwreck, there are plenty of interesting things such as the boiler and machinery parts scattered around, as well as lots of marine life.
Amenities: Boat Launch and parking available at Powell River North Harbour Marina.
Hazards: Current and exposure to weather. Boat traffic can be an issue here so fly a dive flag.
Wreck of the Capilano
Location: Grant Reef.
Experience Level: Advanced
Summary: This boat went down in 1915 and is sitting upright on the sandy bottom in 37 metres of water. When descending onto this wreck the first thing you will notice is the amount of white plumose anemones that cover this wreck. This wreck is also home to some big fish. Lots of rockfish and lingcod are on this wreck and it is also home to a large yelloweyed rockfish. This site is definitely worth the boat ride out.
Amenities: Boat Launch and parking available at Powell River North Harbour Marina, or the Lund Marina.
Hazards: Current and exposure to weather. Boat traffic can be an issue here so fly a dive flag.
Wreck of the MV Gulfstream
Location: Dinner Rock.
Experience Level: Advanced to Expert
Summary: This boat struck Dinner Rock and sank in 1947. This 160 tonne vessel now lays on her port side at the base of Rock. Her stern lies at a depth of 38 metres and the bow at a depth of 52 metres. Although most of the wood is gone, the steel hull and machinery are very intact and make this a great dive.
Amenities: Boat Launch and parking available at Powell River North Harbour Marina, or the Lund Marina.
Hazards: Extreme depth. Divers not equipped for the depths involved (i.e. single tank) should not do this dive. This is a great technical dive. Current and exposure to weather. Boat traffic can be an issue here so fly a dive flag.
Lund Area Shore Dives
Emmonds Beach
Location: Off of Hwy 101, at the end of Emmonds Road.
Experience Level: Beginner to Advanced
Summary: Great shore dive. Surface swim out to Magoo Rock and start your dive there. (It may not be visible at high tide) This dive is best done on low slack tide. You will see lots of fish. Sea perch, rockfish, green and red urchins, sea cucumbers, starfish, octopus and if you go deep on the south side, chimney sponges. You may encounter some kelp beds as well during the summer.
Amenities: Limited Parking at end of Emmonds Road. (max.2 vehicles)
Hazards: Current and boat traffic.
Okeover Breakwater
Location: Okeover marina breakwater, located at the end of Malaspina Road.
Experience Level: Beginner to Advanced
Summary: One of the best shore dives in the area. Dive on the outside of the stone breakwater. Bottom is a gentle slope that keeps going down. Swim along the rocks and look at all the life. BIG rockfish, quillbacks, tigers and the occasional yelloweye(red snapper). Wolf eels, huge sunflower stars, brittle stars, nudibranchs, perch, sea cucumbers, lots of crabs like Dungeness, rock crabs, kelp craps, hermit crabs. Giant plumose anemones. Great night dive, deep dive, photo dive, etc. There is a small wreck located nearby as well that is teeming with life. This is a great spot when the weather on the coast gets too snotty to dive.
Amenities: Limited parking. Laughing Oyster restaurant located nearby. Outhouses at the Provincial park. Boat launch. Easy entry and exit point.
Hazards: As this site is located close to a marina watch for boat traffic. Use a dive flag or float. Poor cell phone reception in the area, however there is a pay phone at the government wharf.
Lund Area Boat Dives
Iron Mines
Location: Located just south of Lund Harbour.
Experience Level: Advanced
Summary: Great drift/wall dive. You can go a little deeper to see some cloud sponges, or stay relatively shallow and let the current do all the work for you. Lot of rockfish, including quillbacks and tigers, brittle stars, nudibranchs, perch, sea cucumbers, kelp craps, boot sponges and cloud sponges. The current can really rip here.
Amenities: Boat Launch and parking available at Lund Harbour Marina.
Hazards: Current and exposure to weather. Boat traffic can be an issue here so fly a dive flag. Divers should be equipped with a safety sausage or marker buoy on this dive so the boat can track your location.
|
