Northern Vancouver Island Diving
Northern Vancouver Island is rated one of the very best “cold water diving” areas in the world.
Leaving Port Hardy for a days adventure diving there are at least six world class dive sites within a 60/90 minute trip from leaving the dock. Some of the more renowned sites are “Browning Wall”, the wreck of the “Themes”, and the wreck of the SS Suwannee, along with “Hunt Rock”, “Five Fathom Rock” and “Nakwakto rapids”. Some of the marine life one can easily encounter on these dives are the various nudibranches, northern sun star, octopus, hermit crab, orange sea cucumber, king crab, dungeness crab, red irish lords, sculpins, snakelock anemone, sunflower star, wolf eel, basket star, black rockfish, rat fish, china rockfish, ling cod, sea lion, gooseneck barnacles, kelp crab, greenlings, sea urchins, and many other life forms too numerous to mention but available depending on the dive site and the available feed.Browning Wall
This is the "awe" of cold water wall dives. The wall is shear, and actually starts about 100 feet above the water line. The wall is about 300 yards long, and its the depth varies from about 180 to 230 feet.This wall is covered with a conglomeration of some of the most beautiful invertebrate marine life you will ever see. Sponges, anemones, soft corals, nudibranchs, urchins, crabs, starfish, bryozoans, and other life forms cover the wall and come in almost every shade of the rainbow, although brilliant reds, oranges, yellows, purples, and white are the most common colors. On the wall, you will often encounter Longfin Sculpins, Red Irish Lords, King Crabs, the occasional octopus, and various varieties of rockfish (Yellowtail, China, and Quillback to name a few). Large Orange Peel Nudibranchs, Giant Barnacles, and large sprawling Basket Stars are common. Deadman's Finger Sponges and large scallops stick out form the wall at different locations. An occasional Lingcod can sometimes be found resting on ledges. Small crabs of seemingly unlimited variety can be found if you look closely. The marine life here just seems to go on and on. Take some time to examine the small life here. Find an interesting looking patch and spend five minutes just admiring the microcosm of life that every square foot of this wall hosts. You will be amazed at what you find. - Thanks, Keith and Jon. Wreck of the "SS Themes"
This dive site is actually located just outside of the northeast end of Browning Pass, in the Queen Charlotte Strait. It is located in some big water, and can be very exposed to certain winds, surge, and currents. The Themes was a large ore freighter that hit an offshore reef (Croker Rocks) just after the turn of the century. This is a very cool dive site. The wreck lies in about 70 fsw, has completely collapsed, and is impenetrable. Other than some old ribs and steel plates, you wouldn't know that this was a ship. Nature has reclaimed this wreck and transformed her into a modern Wolf-Eel and Lingcod condo. Some of the friendly Wolf-Eels live here. These creatures will let you handle them if you are gentle. However, please remember to never impose your will on any wild creature. The Lingcod here are also a spectacle, and amongst the biggest I have ever seen. They are readily found resting under collapsed parts of the old ship. Some of them must be 5 feet long. However, there is much more to see than the wreck. After all the ship sunk here for a reason and that reason is a rocky reef. There is plenty of interesting structure around the reef covered in the usual Browning Pass ecology - colourful anemones, hoards of starfish, bountiful sponges, and vivid soft corals. Cruising the reef area you will find Copper, Quillback, and China Rockfish, Red Irish Lords, octopus, the occasional King Crab, and darting Kelp Greenling. In the shallower depths, expect to find Bull Kelp creating a sanctuary for schooling Black and Yellowtail Rockfish. -Thanks Keith and Jon.Hunt Rock
Hunt Rock is probably one of the best known dive sites in the Port Hardy area. It is right up there with Browning Wall. However, it is a very different dive than Browning Wall, and the conditions can be more challenging. Hunt Rock is located in some fairly big water, and is subjected to nasty weather and swells, especially from the northwest. It is not always diveable, and should only be done on slack water, preferable slack before flood. The nice thing about being out in the open is that visibility sometimes runs a bit better than normal at this site. The "rock" is actually comprised of two pinnacles that rise from depths of over 200 feet to close to the surface. The southern pinnacle sports a shear face on the western side, and tapers down more gradually to the east. One descends the 25 feet or so to the top of the pinnacle, and then follows a "channel" cut through the rock that heads to the west. Where this channel ends is where the wall begins! The wall here is simply awesome, and just brimming with life. To round out the rockfish collection, there are Tiger, Quillbacks, China, Puget Sound, and Yellow-eye rockfish that make Hunt Rock their home as well. The first dive I did here, I did a quick tour of the wall, then headed around the side of the wall to the south. In addition to the rockfish and Wolf-eels, expect to see countless invertebrates, Lingcod, Kelp Greenling, small sculpins, the occasional Giant Pacific Octopus, and most other species that make this place so great. This is serious diving out here. With an experienced captain, the right currents, and cooperative weather, it is a pleasant dive. However, it would not take much to make this dive a real challenge. Conditions can change very quickly in exposed sites such as this one. -Thanks Keith and Jon.5 Fathom Rock
The variety of marine life here is overwhelming. Absolutely beautiful soft corals, anemones, and sponges line the pinnacle. You can find Giant Pacific Octopus hiding in their dens. Schools of Yellowtail and Copper Rockfish can be found loitering around and in the kelp. Irish Lords lie in blankets of anemones and soft corals and are easily found if you look closely. Large Orange Peel Nudibranches, giant scallops, and volleyball sized Red and Purple Sea Urchin add even more vivid colour to the seascape. Schools of Black Rockfish and darting Kelp Greenlings grace the kelp beds. Quillback and China Rockfish, Lingcod, and Wolf Eels can be found in abundance on both sides of the rock, as can colourful Puget Sound King Crabs, Basket Stars, etc, etc, etc. This dive just ROCKS! Words or pictures do NOT do it justice.
Port Hardy Coast Guard Dock.
In this part of the world you never know what's just around the corner or just under the dock when you least expect it. While doing a quick barnacle scrape on the bottom of the "Malei Isle", this curious "River Otter" decided to give me a thorough checking out. From swimming tight circles around me while submerged to tugging at my fins when I was more interested in the bottom of the boat; this "River Otter" was intent on getting my attention. That she did. Upon closer inspection it appears that she was quite pregnant and by all indications soon to give birth. I wonder if her hormonal change was what was making her act so silly. I should have got her some dill pickles. June 26 2009.| Other Common Dive Sites | ||
| Turret Rock (Nakwakto Rapids) | Mary Rock | Berry Islet |
| Wreck of the "SS Suwannee" | Lucan Chute | Willes Island |
| 7 Tree Island, Hussar Point | Wreck of the “SS Dora" | Tribune Rock |
| Dillon Rock | Slave Island | Willes Island |
| Thornton Reef | Harlequin Rock | Bear Cove |
Dive Charter Rates 2009
| "Inside Hardy Bay" – single dive charter* |
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| Divers: |
2
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3+ |
4+
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| Rate: |
$80 per diver
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$65 per diver |
$55 per diver
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| "Inside Hardy Bay" – two dive charter* |
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| Divers: |
2
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3+ |
4+
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| Rate: |
$140 per diver
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$110 per diver |
$85 per diver
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| "Outside Hardy Bay" – two dive charter** |
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| Divers: |
2
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3+ |
4+
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| Rate: |
$275 per diver
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$205 per diver |
$165 per diver
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* "Inside Hardy Bay" means any of the following: 5 Fathom Rock, Masterman Islands, or Daphne Point.
**"Outside Hardy Bay" means any of the following: Browning Wall, Hunt Rock, Dillon Rock, Berry Island, Wreck of the Themes, of the Deserters. Actual details finalized on day of charter.
Enquire about trips farther afield, such as Seymour Inlet, Turret Rock etc.
Equipment Rental Rates 2009
| Item | Rate | Item | Rate | |
| Tank with air fill | $15.00 | Wet suit package complete | $75 | |
| Tank with NITROX | $17.50 | Dry suit package complete | $100 | |
| Refill Air | $8.50 | Wet-suit | $23.50 | |
| Refill NITROX | $14.50 | Dry-suit | $45.00 | |
| Regulator / SPG | $12.50 | Dry Suit complete | $60.00 | |
| Wrist computer | $10.50 | Hood | $4.00 | |
| Snorkel | $2.50 | Dive light | $3.00 / $8.00 | |
| Boots | $4.75 | Fins | $6.00 | |
| Weight belt | $4.50 | Gloves | $4.50 | |
| BCD | $12.50 | Mask | $5.50 | |
| Digital Camera SeaLife 8 MP *credit card deposit required |
$75.00 | Video Camera Sony PC1000/Gates *credit card deposit required |
$500.00 |
All rates are per day in Canadian funds