majka@ubc-visi.UUCP (06/04/83)
A good guide to diving in Southwestern BC and Northwestern Washington is "141 Dives" by Betty Pratt-Johnson. I don't know about its availability in Washington, but you can get it at most dive shops in BC. It deals mostly with shore dives with reasonable road access, in the waters from Puget Sound to Campbell River. She includes a few boat dives, often in areas where it is possible to hire a boat to get to the dive site. Apart from the diving areas that you can access yourself, there are several charter operations in BC that offer great diving. You might have some trouble getting on one of these charters if you are not local. They are all very popular with local divers, and there are long waits (usually) for bookings. Check the ads in "Diver" magazine. The best charters I have been on are: 1) The RENDEZVOUS - operates in Barkley Sound, on the west coast of Vancouver Island. The package includes min. 2 boat dives a day, accomodation, excellent food, and a sauna. The cost is CAN$500 / day. This is a complete diving experience. The cabin (where you stay) is in a secluded bay in Barkley Sound, accessible only by water. The solitude is wonderful. The diving, especially in the cold months, is also wonderful. If the weather is very calm, a possible dive is the wreck of the VANLENE, a freighter that sank in 1976, or the 1934 (?) wreck of the THIEPVAL, a minesweeper that hit a reef while chasing a rum-runner. The many reefs, rocks, passages and islands of the area offer a great variety of dives. The marine life is exciting. Sealions winter in the area, and Killer whales and Gray Whales are not uncommon. Lots of Wolf eels and Octopii. Note, however, that teh charter operator does not allow spear-fishing or the taking of any live animals from the area. Be thankful that he does, so that there will be some life left there if you return in a few years. 2) The SEA VENTURER - operates wherever you can find it. Usually it is based in Vancouver, chartering to the Gulf Islands or the Powell River areas. This summer is on Barkley Sound. The boat sleeps 6-8 people comfortably. Cost is similar to the RENDEZVOUS, but no sauna. The boat is pleasant and the operators are good people, so ship-board living is easy. 3) HORNBY ISLAND DIVING - operated by "Uncle Bob" Zelinsky, at Ford Cove on Hornby Island (50 km north of Nanaimo). This is one of the least expensive diving charters in BC - $25 / day divers, $10 / day non-divers. Shore accomadation is in an enormous cabin, but campers and tents can find space nearby and pay even less. For $25, don't expect anything fancy, but do expect good diving. Bob's herring skiff will quickly deliver you to a great spot, and will pick you up as soon as your head breaks the surface. Winter diving is the best, but be prepared for cold! You can visit a few very productive scallop and abalone areas to help feed yourself (food not included in charter). Sealions and Killer whales in the winter and spring, octopii, and the BIGGEST red snapper you have ever seen are the stars of the show. The dive sites include some of the best walls I have seen in BC. - out of air - Marc Majka