Port Hardy Dive Trip Review, aka Warm Water Gal Finds New Jam.
Images courtesy of Jon Bradley
Anyone who knows me well knows I don’t like the cold….period. In fact, one of the reasons I relocated to Vancouver Island after retiring in 2022 was to say goodbye to months of cold Saskatchewan winters. As a diver I’ve always preferred tropical warm water diving to cold water. Much easier, much less gear needed, much less weight required, and so much warmer! BUT some of the best cold water diving in the world is almost in my backyard. So I decided to brave the 7 degree water, and all that goes with it, and check out the cold water diving here.
This past weekend I was in Port Hardy, located at the top of Vancouver Island. The area is known as God’s Pocket Marine Park. This undeveloped park comprises a group of islands at the entrance to Queen Charlotte Strait and provides some of the best underwater scuba diving on the Pacific Coast. Most diving takes place in nearby Browning Pass; an area rated by the late underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau as one of the best cold water diving destinations in the world.
I dove with UB Diving, based out of the Comox Valley, and shared the boat with 7 other divers for 3 days. We all met at the marina Friday morning. Some had come with a buddy while others, like myself, were alone. Most were repeat visitors to the area. As the company co-owner and boat captain, Sean Smyrichinsk, made the introductions it became obvious that this was a group with a wealth of cold water knowledge and experience.
We all pitched in loading tanks and gear and then we each set up our own kit for the first dive, all while getting to know each other a little along the way. Soon it was time to get under way and we left the harbour, passing stunningly beautiful scenery, bald eagles, sea otters, and spotting whale blow in the distance. Sean, whose father was a fisherman, grew up in Port Hardy. In addition to being an amazing captain he was an excellent tour guide, sharing extensive local history and knowledge of the area throughout the weekend.
Dive conditions here can be difficult. Current, tides, wind, and weather all affect when and where it is safe to dive. Sean chose Gooseneck Grotto, a sheltered location for the first dive, where he tucked the boat into a pocket against a vertical rock wall. This put us into about 40 feet of water off the port side. He briefed the dive and covered all that we needed to know. Ensuring everyone was ready, he then helped us to exit the boat.
As I hit the water the chill hit my body and I did a quick check; seeing if I could feel any cold water seeping past all that I was wearing. Everything seemed fine so it was time to descend. Unlike the tropics, where you first drop down to the sand and then over a wall, the moment I was underwater there was so much to see. This is a place to go slow, take your time, and use your light to investigate every nook and cranny. So much is hiding in plain sight. The abundance of life, diversity, variety, and colour is unbelievable. It is impossible to put a finger on the wall without touching some kind of life form. There was life in the bull kelp; life hiding amongst the rocks; life everywhere you looked. I saw so many kinds of sea stars, including the elaborate basket star, the many armed “large sunflower star” and multiple species in between. There were anemones of every shape and size, including the giant plumose anemone. This invertebrate can reach a metre in height and it resembles a cauliflower gone crazy. Those with patience (and good luck) were rewarded with finding giant pacific octopus (or 3), wolf eels, puget sound king crabs, rockfish, sculpins, flounder, jellyfish, multiple varieties of nudibranchs and of course, the curious sea lions who would buzz by to see what we were all about. The list of undersea creatures we saw could go on for pages.
After an amazing dive, Sean moved the boat a short distance to a small rocky beach next to a beautiful waterfall. We were able to go ashore and enjoy our lunch while we excitedly chatted about all that we had seen and what we were going to see on our next dive.
The weekend continued in this fashion. Each dive site; Hauser point, Seven Tree, Barry Islands, Nudi Beach, (named for nudibranchs of course), The G Spot, (ed note. Really? Two in a row?) and the famous Browning Wall, were unique and amazing. Every surface interval saw us exploring interesting shore locations. We were able to do seven dives in total. Two on Friday, three on Saturday and only two on Sunday which allowed us to get back to the marina in good time for those who needed to travel down-island.
Over the course of the weekend and the experiences shared I’ve made some new friends; fellow local divers who use the cool winter weather here and better visibility to explore the coastline. Despite the cold, and it is COLD, I know I will join them again when given the opportunity. I am still a tropical diver at heart, but when cold water diving offers as much as it does here? I can put up with it. Perhaps even embrace it…in time.
If you ever find yourself on the island, it is well worth the effort to bring your cold water gear. The diving is phenomenal.
Cindy Brown
