BC Scuba Diving
British Columbia, Canada EH!

British Columbia, Canada is a top underwater diving destination in the world! Jacques Cousteau, the famous underwater explorer, once said that British Columbia is the second best place to ocean dive on the globe.

Scuba divers arrive every year, all year, just for an opportunity to explore our dive sites and observe our marine life. Dive sites like our numerous decommissioned underwater ships and planes, underwater caves, exposed reefs, wilderness islands and islets are all worth exploring.

The number of decommissioned ships off of our coastline is attracting more and more divers every year. The "Cape Breton" is a 120 metre navel vessel scuttled in 2001 near Snake Island off the coast of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. Nearby is the "Saskatchewan", a 110 metre navy ship scuttled in 1997. There are over 5 decommissioned dive sites on the west coast.

When exploring our waters watch for marine life. Some of which can only be found here. There are Six Gill Sharks, Giant Pacific Octopus, Stellar and California Sea Lions, Harbour Seals, Wolf Eels, whales, porpoises and various species of Invertebrates.

The underwater conditions for scuba diving varies per season and as the weather changes. For example the visibility underwater in the summer months ranges from 35 ft. to 65 ft. because the water is so active therefore it becomes unsettled thus reducing visibility. Another factor is that summer is algae bloom season which will also decrease visibility.

British Columbia ocean temperatures reach 6 Celsius in the winter and 17 Celsius in the summer. Scuba divers in BC wear protective scuba gear at all times. Winter is considered the best time to dive on the west coast because visibility is at it's best.

Scuba Diving is enjoyed all over the west coast. Some of the top destinations for scuba diving in British Columbia include the waters around Port Hardy, Campbell River, Courtenay, Nanaimo, and Victoria on Vancouver Island. On the Sunshine Coast scuba divers explore the waters around the communities of Lund, Powell River, Sechelt and Gibsons. There are scuba shops operating in most of these communities.

The Gulf Islands is another destination for scuba diving. Although the channels and straits in between the islands are often very busy with marine traffic. The islands are small and scuba shops are few. However there are scuba dive shops on Vancouver Island and on the Sunshine Coast providing dive tours exploring the islands.

Rodale’s Scuba Diving Magazine gives British Columbia, Canada the thumbs up as one of the best dive destinations in the world! Come and see for yourself.

Thank you for planning your dive with us on our BCeh.com Travel Planning Network!

Be well, Be active, Go deep,

The EH Team.