Adventure Sports

Americans love to celebrate warm weather by taking to the waters: surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, you name it. And while most of us would spring for a Caribbean cruise, there’s just as much to see up north, just across the border.

British Columbia in Western Canada boasts a bustling marine wildlife that’s sure to catch the eye of avid and novice divers alike. Diver Paul Kennell of CoolDives.com says the BC coast offers some of the most exciting diving in the world—and he would know, having plunged into the world’s oceans for the last 15 years. Legend has it that explorer Jacques Cousteau proclaimed the very same waters the best in the world for cold-water diving.

Those willing to dive into cooler waters are rewarded with an amazing encounter with the ocean’s flora and fauna. The waters of summertime BC are home to a collection of ubiquitous colorful fish, sea turtles, and friendly water mammals all too eager to cuddle up to divers. Giant sponges form ethereal underwater forests along with corals, anemones, and sea cucumbers, dotted with colorful sea stars and the occasional giant Pacific octopus. Practically every rock has a sprinkling of color on it, says Kennell.

One of the bigger attractions is the wolf eel, often playfully referred to as “puppies of the sea.” Their wart-laden faces and bulging eyes may take first-timers by surprise, but they are surprisingly warm—experienced divers insist that they’re among the friendliest creatures on land and sea.

Greg Dombowsky, author of Divers Guide Vancouver Island South and curator at Dive.BC.ca, says that the best underwater views in the North Pacific actually come during the winter, when the waters are much clearer.

When asked about the best diving spot in BC, most divers name Port Hardy, just before the northern tip of Vancouver Island. It is home to the Browning Wall, which houses a microcosm of Northern Pacific marine life and is widely recognized as one of the best wall-diving sites in the world.

Culture and history buffs will enjoy the stretch of ocean floor just off Nanaimo, where a number of aircraft and ships have crashed. Among the most popular sites are a Boeing 737 and a World War II supply ship. The sponge- and coral-rich Saanich Inlet, the Race Rocks Ecological Reseve, and Porteau Cove also come highly recommended.

All diving in Canada requires a diving certification, so make sure to plan ahead and look up the costs. Experts recommend taking a guided tour when the waters are cooler—local dive masters know their way around the waters and can direct divers to the most scenic spots.

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