Review: More information coming soon!

Dive Sites: Row And Be Damned, Copper Cliff, HMCS Columbia, Whiskey Point, etc.

Gas: Nitrox is available

Gear Rentals: None

How to get here: Travellers from the mainland take the Horseshoe Bay - Departure Bay ferry [schedule]
Then drive up to Cambell River, take the ferry to Quathiaski Cove. [schedule]

Boats: Two boats: The Tantalus is a 37" Aluminum custom dive boat. The Most Outrageous is a 26" Aluminum-hulled tender accommodating up to 11 divers

Amenities:Dive lodge has hot tub, large-screen TV,video library

Cost: $175 per day; includes 2 boat dives, accommodation, all meals

Contact: Earl Lowe [email]

Phone: (250)285-2420

Web: www.abyssal.com

Review: Based at the Moby Dick marina near the Departure Bay ferry terminal, Diver's Choice is within spitting distance of some of the finest diving BC has to offer. Owners Ken and Carolyn Adrian are charming hosts, and it only takes one visit to be made to feel like you're part of the family. But their service goes beyond simply warm chatter and copious quantities of hot chocolate and pie: they also run a very tight dive operation. Ken is a steady, attentive skipper who ensures everything runs like clockwork. We keep going back to these folks time after time after time.

Dive Sites: The wrecks of the Cape Breton and the HMCS Saskatchewan; Gabriola Pass, Snake Island Wall, and many more. Top notch.

Gas: Ken has a compressor, an air bank, and a good supply of oxygen on board; he can do Nitrox fills between dives for a reasonable $10 per fill.

Gear Rentals: None.

How to get here: Travellers from the mainland take the Horseshoe Bay - Departure Bay ferry. [schedule]

Amenities: The Shawn Tannis is a large, comfortable 50' boat with two heads, a sundeck, and no restrictions on where you can go with wet gear.

Cost: $110 per diver per day (2 dives)

Contact: Ken Adrian [email]

Phone: (250) 716-8867

Web: www.divingbccanada.com

Review: Based at the Canoe Cove marina near the Swartz Bay ferry terminal, Docside is close to some excellent dive sites. Owners Kelly Stevenson has deliberately kept his operation modest, his 24 foot boat comfortably accomodating up to six divers. We find this makes for a relaxed vibe.

Dive Sites: The wrecks of the GB Church and the HMCS Mackenzie; Graham's Wall, Arbutus Island, Burial Island, and more -- tons of good sites nearby.

Gas: unknown

Gear Rentals: None.

How to get here: Travellers from the mainland take the Horseshoe Bay - Departure Bay ferry. [schedule]
Drivers take the last exit (33) before the ferry terminal on your right with signage to Lands End Road, Foot Passengers, and the Cargo Terminal.
Go up the rise to the set of lights and straight through the intersection. Take the next right at Canoe Cove Marina.
Turn left at the brown wood sided house and go past the boat yard. Dock A is on your left as you face the water.
[Map shows it more clearly in Satellite display mode]

Amenities: Boat is a 24" Aluminum custom dive boat with head. Snug but comfortable for up to 6 divers.

Cost: $60 for 1 dive, $90 for 2 dives, $45 for non-diver

Contact: Kelly Stevenson [email]

Phone: (250) 217-4488

Web: www.docside-charters.com

Review: Amanda and Rob Zielinski run a delightfully relaxed operation. Their dive lodge sits just yards from the marina at Ford Cove, and most dive sites are mere minutes away from the dock, so there is always plenty of time to relax at the lodge between dives. In the evenings, Ford Cove itself offers good shore diving for those who have the discipline to foresake alcohol at dinner (which is invariably delicious). Highly recommended.

Dive Sites: Norris Rocks, Dinnerplate, Flora Islet, etc. Lots of opportunity to dive with Sea Lions, especially in Feb-April. Also reknowned for six-gilled sharks, but frequency of sightings seems to have dropped off significantly in recent years.

Gas: Nitrox is available for $10/fill

Gear Rentals: None

How to get here: Vancouver Divers take Horseshoe Bay - Departure Bay ferry [info], then Buckley Bay - Denman ferry [info] and Denman - Hornby ferry [info]

Boat: Custom aluminum dive boat with twin 200hp outboards.

Amenities: Dive lodge has hot room for drying gear, charging table, sauna, TV; DVDs to rent from the nearby Genearl Store.

Cost: $210 per day; includes 2 boat dives, unlimited shore diving, accommodation, all meals

Contact: Amanda Zielinski [email]

Address: 10795 Central Road, Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada V0R 1Z0

Phone: (250) 335-2807

Web: www.hornbyislanddiving.com

Review: Ogden Point Dive Centre provides an adequate service for straight recreational diving, but we've found that they are not particularly accommodating of anything outside of those parameters, especially if you wish to dive at sites like the wreck of the Diamond Knot. You are likely to have more success in diving the sites you want if you book the whole boat for DIR use.

Dive sites: Race Rocks, etc.

Gas: Full range of gas blending: Nitrox, Trimix, Deco gases, Argon

Gear Rentals: No DIR-compliant gear rental, standard recreational gear only.

How to get here: Vancouver Divers take the Tsawwassen - Swartz Bay ferry [info]

Boats: Two vessels: the Cape Able (8 divers) and the Juan de Fuca Warrior (6 divers)

Cost: $100 per person

Contact: [email]

Web: www.divevictoria.com

Review: Coming soon.

Dive Sites: Seperation Head, HMCS Columbia, Sceptre Squamish, Copper Cliffs, MV Gulfstream, SS Capilano, etc. Lots of options.

Gas: A full range of gas blending options are available: Nitrox, Trimix, Deco Gases, Argon

Gear Rentals: Standard recreational or non-DIR technical gear only, for the most part not DIR-compliant.

How to get here: Travellers from the mainland take the Horseshoe Bay - Departure Bay ferry [schedule], then drive up to Courtenay.

Amenities: There are rather luxe washrooms at the marina. The restaurant at the lodge serves good food - an excellent place to relax after the day's diving.

Cost: $125 per diver per day (2 dives)

Contact: Bill Coltart [email]

Address: #101-2270 Cliffe Ave, Courtenay, BC, Canada V9N 2L4

Phone: (250) 338-6829

Web: www.scubashark.com

Review: Coming soon.

Dive Sites: Numerous sites in Sechelt Inlet, Tzoonie Narrows, Skookumchuk Narrows, Jervis Inlet, Agamemnon Channel.

Gas: information coming soon.

Gear Rentals: information coming soon.

How to get here: Take the Horseshoe Bay - Langdale ferry [schedule], then drive up to Sechelt. [map]

Amenities: information coming soon.

Cost: Contact Porpoise Bay Charters for current pricing.

Contact: Kal [email]

Address: 5718 Anchor Road, Sechelt, BC, Canada V0N 3A0

Phone: (604) 885-5950

Web: www.porpoisebaycharters.com

Review: Based at the marina of the swanky Brentwood Bay Lodge & Spa, Rockfish Divers is beautifully situated to take advantage of the sheltered waters of the Saanich Inlet with its many great dive sites. Their aluminum-hulled dive boat can accommodate up to 8 divers, although this can get rather snug if everyone is toting doubles, deco bottles and scooters. Only annoyance is a ladder that can be tricky to negotiate when wearing heavy doubles.

Dive Sites: McCurdy Point, Christmas Island, Senanus Island -- there are plenty of options in the area for everyone from Recreational to Tech 2 divers.

Gas: Rockfish can fill their own tanks (single AL80s only) with Nitrox if given notice; no Helium or Deco gases are available.

Gear Rentals: Standard recreational gear only, not DIR-compliant.

How to get here: Travellers from the mainland take the Tsawwassen - Swartz Bay ferry. [schedule]

Amenities: There are rather luxe washrooms at the marina. The restaurant at the lodge serves good food - an excellent place to relax after the day's diving.

Cost: $110 per diver per day (2 dives); $75 per diver per night dive.

Contact: Elly Pendleton [email]

Phone: (250) 889-7282

Web: www.rockfishdivers.com