Dive Site Directory> Nanoose Bay Dive Sites> The Jib Dive Site
The Jib dive site in Nanoose Bay, is a good dive for beginners, but it is worth doing for advanced divers as well.
It has great access from a nice beach, and can be accessed no matter what the weather or tide happens to be doing.
You get to this site off of Northwest Bay Road, and then turning on to Claudet Road. (follow the signs to Beachcomber Marina)
Claudet Road naturally turns into Marina Way, and just past the marina, a road comes up on your left called, "The Jib"
This short turn about, has access to the beach between two houses on your left. Just park along the road, and please be respectful of the neighbors.
For a more shallow dive profile, when you enter the water, take a 270 heading from
the beach and maintain this bearing for a nice dive to about the 60ft.
(18m) range.
For a deeper dive profile head out at 220 degrees, there are some shelves you go past and then the depth will begin to increase.
Its mostly fairly gradual, but there is a nice wall if you hold to your bearing.
Then follow the wall to your right or west until it runs out after which you will likely be turning back.
You can get down to well over 100ft. (30m) so watch your gauges.
We prefer to drop down to this wall first, (100ft or so) and then do a sweeping turn back, as we come up
Go to Dive Site Directory From The Jib Dive Site
There is a decent of marine life at this dive site, and always a strong possibility of encountering Sea Lions, as they live nearby.
There are also lots of fish and even the odd Octopus to see, and when you reach the shelves in the shallows, you will find them loaded with Sea Urchins and small critters.
Maybe not the best dive site in Nanoose Bay, but it is a good dive just the same and an excellent site to practice new skills.
Work on your navigation, or on your trim and buoyancy for those getting used to dry suit diving.
You won't be disappointed if you come to this site, as there is enough to see and do for every level of skill.
This site also boasts a magnificent beach for a picnic!
Dive safe, cheers!
Here is an excellent link to
tide and current charts
for Nanaimo, BC.
At the bottom of displayed
chart you will see two links,
"other tide stations" or
"other current stations"
follow these links for
information from California
and right up to Alaska.