Why Vancouver Island Snorkeling and Diving?
Some interesting and unique tours are offered here on the Island - join a guide and snorkle with salmon, or swim with seals. Some excellent diving charters are operated where you'll definitely see Giant Pacific octopus and wolf eels, and the rare 6-gill shark that can grow to over 20 ft, inhabiting the areas around south Denman and Hornby Islands.
Vancouver Island diving offers some pretty interesting underwater topography, from rocky outcrops to sandy seabeds. There's also has a handful of decent artificial reefs that have been sunk for divers to explore, including a couple of Boeing 737's located off the eastern shores of the Island.
Other popular dive sites include Jedediah Island, Madrona Point and Nanoose Bay.
When's The Best Time To Go?
Winter is prime season for Vancouver Island diving. The Island's sea life is vibrant and plentiful year round, but local divers prefer winter. That's when the view-obscuring plankton dies off and visibility can reach 150 feet, with water clarity rivaling that of the most popular Caribbean dive sites (but not as warm!)
Underwater viewing distances from fall to spring is about 80 to 100 feet.
