Chemainus and Ladysmith, located just south of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, both have some pretty spectacular scuba diving. Here, you can explore a retired jet plane that was sunk to create an artificial reef, or a historical shipwreck site, the final resting place of a converted sailing vessel. There are also some nice walls and reefs to explore, and good crabbing to be had.
But the best diving in the area, in this diver's opinion, is in Porlier Pass! This fast piece of water that runs between Valdes Island and Galiano Island is some of the best cold water diving you will find in the Pacific Northwest. Access is by boat only from either Chemainus or Ladysmith, and trust me when I say, you will not be disappointed.
The wreck of the Robert Kerr, just north of Thetis Island, makes for an excellent and historic scuba dive.
The remains of the Robert Kerr, a converted Barque that sunk in 1911, are surprisingly intact and still identifiable considering how long she has been underwater. There is also lots of marine life that lives on or around the wreck. Various anemones, scallops, and fish are evident in large numbers. We even had a curious sea lion nipping at our fins!
This site is accessible only by boat, and at less than 60ft (18m) in depth, it is available to all levels. Much of what remains is in only 20 to 30ft (6-9m). Being a shallow dive, at least it gives you ample bottom time to explore the wreck.
You can reach the site from either Ladysmith, Chemainus, or even Cedar in south Nanaimo. The site is marked on Marine Charts for the area as a wreck, and is located on a line between Ragged Islet and Miami Islet. Modern sounders with GPS will take you right there!
The Robert Kerr is one of the few wrecks to be recognized under the BC Heritage Conservation Act. Look or photograph, but don't touch! Please be very careful to anchor off of the site!
There was a new plaque placed at the site 100 years to the day of its sinking (March 4, 1911) that has some interesting facts about the ship's history. Be sure to check it out. The plaque was placed there by the Underwater Archeological Society of British Columbia.
Apparently, before being reduced to a barge for transporting coal, she was a proud sailing ship known as "The Ship that Saved Vancouver." She became a refuge for residents who were fleeing a huge fire that tore through the city back in June of 1886.
As I believe was said, this is not only a great dive, but a part of our Maritime History; be sure to add this to your "to do" dive list.
Enjoy and dive safe!
Elliot Beach Park in Ladysmith is a great dive location with excellent shore access from a southern exposure beach. Whatever your level of experience, this dive is worth checking out!
Old school divers might still refer to this site as either Evening Cove or Shell Beach. Anyway, name it what you will, this spot is easily accessed as a shore dive, and is perfect for an evening dive because of the southern exposure.
The dive here is not especially deep, 60ft (18m), so it's just right for novice divers, but it is still interesting enough to attract even the advanced level diver.
To get there, find Brenton Page Road off of the Island Highway on the north side of Ladysmith. Turn onto this road and follow it for a couple of kms, until the road forks. Take the left fork in the road and you are now on Shell Beach Road. Stay on this winding road until the end, and then follow the sign to the right to the beach parking lot. Lots of parking, and as noted, easy access!
To do this beach dive, just head straight away from the beach and when you hit 30ft (9m) or so, begin to veer to your right. You know you are there at around the 40 to 50ft (12-15m) mark. There you will find some rock shelves and lots of jumbled rock, where various aquatic creatures make their homes. Different varieties of rockfish, shrimps, the odd East Pacific red octopus, and the largest red rock crabs we have ever seen can be found at this site.
Another dive that can be done here is to head to the left instead, as if you are going around the corner towards Coffin Point. After a good swim of about 12 to 15 minutes, you will find some rock outcroppings and crevices in the 70ft (21m) range. These outcroppings are interesting enough, but it is a long swim so make sure you are good on air.
Cheers and dive safe.
In Chemainus, you can dive on a Boeing 737 jet plane that was sunk in early 2006 to make an artificial reef. This dive site is boat access only as it is a long way from shore, and is located just outside the downtown area of Chemainus. There is a boat ramp at the end of Maple Street beside Kin Park (which by the way is great for kids and picnics).
If you have a small boat, the ramp (and parking) in Chemainus is free, and it is only minutes from the dive site. Otherwise you will likely be putting in at Ladysmith. This is a much longer run, but the ramp is much better for bigger boats and trailers. As of this post (Dec 2016) launch & parking is free in Ladysmith as well.
This is quite an interesting dive, as not too many of us in these waters get an opportunity to dive on a large sunken jet plane such as this. The project was coordinated by a fellow named Peter Luckham, and the Artificial Reef Society of BC. A big thanks and kudos to them both for backing this project and creating such an excellent dive site.
The jet plane is sitting up off the bottom on some giant tripods, and is totally accessible top to bottom if you so desire. It certainly makes for some great photo opportunities!
Remember that if you plan on penetrating this, or any kind of wreck with an overhead obstruction, you should probably have the extra training and equipment. I will add that the doors have all been removed and it is extremely easy to access the interior of the plane.
The Boeing 737 site is marked with a large yellow can buoy for tying up, and then there are a couple of floats tied directly to the plane to aid you in getting down to the wreck. This can be a hit or miss site for visibility, so you might want to save this dive for early fall, winter, or early spring. You can be fairly sure of the visibility in this case!
If you still have another dive in you and you like dungenous crab, try your luck on the opposite side of Bear Point, down by the houses. There is often good crabbing to be had, if you are quick!
Have fun and dive safe!
Alcala Point in Porlier Pass is accessed by boat from either Chemainus or Ladysmith, though some shore diving is possible from Galiano Island. This amazing piece of water lies between Valdes and Galiano Islands, and is to be treated respectfully, with regard to extreme currents.
If you plan on diving here, use either an experienced guide, or make absolutely sure that you understand the currents and slack times of these beautiful and potentially dangerous dive sites. Follow this link and select Porlier Pass, then choose your day/s and time/s to dive here accordingly.
There are a few shallow bays near Alcala Point that are fine for mooring while you dive this site. If you are planning shore diving in Porlier Pass, BC Ferries stops here. The ferry leaves from Vancouver BC (Twwsassen). You can call 1-888-BC FERRY for more information or visit their website here. But boat diving is best for this piece of water!
The best way to do this dive is on the slack and just before the water turns to head out of Porlier Pass towards the Straight of Georgia. That way you can work your way around the point, and then the current will carry you back to where you started.
Again, I want to remind you, use a guide and make sure you understand that the tide change / current change are related but not the same. Be very attentive to your buoyancy, as there are hundreds and even thousands of sea urchins on this dive. As you probably know, it is way too easy to ventilate either yourself or your suit.
We got a few good pictures of a basket star while diving there, and apparently these high current areas are the few places where you can see these interesting aquatic life forms. There are also many more interesting species to see and photograph on this dive, so make sure to bring your camera. You will often see large marine mammals like sea lions that frequent the pass, as they are there for the good fishing available. There is also a possibility of seeing killer whales, as they are frequent visitors that often travel these fish-abundant waters.
No matter what, if you dive in Porlier Pass you will be forever sold on cold water scuba diving, and amazed by the amount of marine life found at these high current sites surrounding Vancouver Island.
Cheers and safe diving!