Campbell River / Quadra Island, Canada Diving Excursion

September 14th through 18th, 2003

4 days diving at Quadra Island, British Colombia, Canada

$449 per diver

The Diving

Campbell River & Quadra Island

The current flows through Seymour Narrows, the smallest portion of the 25 mile long passage between Vancouver Island and Quadra Island, at speeds up to 15.4kts. (Canadian Tide and Current Table) This is slightly faster than Nakwakto Rapids which holds the Guiness Record?! This current provides an incredible amount of both nutrients and oxygen to sustain an incredible array of marine life, especially those that feed by filtering the water. Many different species of colourful anemones, sponges, tube worms, and other invertebrates compete for the available space and wait for the food to come to them. In the cracks and crevices, wolf eels, huge lingcod, tiger rockfish, and the elusive giant pacific octopus find a home that is sheltered from the current. The many varieties of colourful nudibranchs will catch your eye. Close to the surface, huge schools of tiny fish find safety in numbers from spiny dogfish and salmon.

Forests of bull kelp near shore manage to survive hundreds of hungry sea urchins. Harbour seals have taken up residence in Gowlland Harbour and are always curiously investigating any visitors in the area. A small island called Steep is also located in Discovery Passage. For her book 99 Dives, Betty Pratt-Johnson visited Steep and wrote; "Steep is one of those dives I label as having "Star" quality. Divers who want to visit the most special places in the world will want to go to Steep."

Scuba diving at Discovery Passage's world class sites can only be safely done during slack tide intervals. Approximately every six hours the current slows until it finally reverses direction, the boats are kept live during the dive and will ensure other vessel traffic stays well clear. Please note that times for slack tide and slack current are related but different.

Discovery Passage's many world class dive sites have been luring divers here since the early '80's when commercial divers would show visiting recreational divers the water's secrets. Since then, numerous articles in various dive magazines and good old "word of mouth" has turned Campbell River and neighbouring Quadra Island into a true diving destination.

What's the secret?

Strong tidal currents. They provide food for the abundance of unique marine life that simply can't survive anywhere else. The visibility in this high current eco-system rarely drops below 30 feet due to constant upwellings of clear water. Summer time plankton blooms only occur in the top 30-40 feet and are quickly diluted by these upwellings. This 30 foot (plus) visibility is excellent for British Columbia in the summer and in spring, fall, and winter the water is beautifully clear. Combine this with protected inside waters, mild weather and you have the perfect spot for a British Columbia diving adventure.

Tide/Current Predictor

The Lodge on Quadra Island

Built on the edge of Pidcock Creek, on Quadra Island, the lodge has everything you could want and more. The hot tub with the ocean view is a popular spot in the evenings as is the big screen TV to enjoy everything from movies and sports to news or footage from the last dive.

Home cooked meals are prepared Earl & Deb, both professional chefs. The cooked breakfast consists of eggs or pancakes, bacon or sausages, hashbrowns, toast and orange juice or simply cereal and milk if you prefer. For lunch a large pot of soup and a variety of fixings for many sandwiches. Dinners always include a big salad, and anything from BBQ'ed salmon to pasta dishes to turkey with all the trimmings. Make a request and leave room for dessert!

What is Included:

• 4 days diving around Quadra Island
• Tanks, weights & air fills
• 4 Nights accommodation
• All meals while at the lodge on Quadra Island

Call or Fax:
Seattle: 206-374-2937
Tacoma: 253-229-3389
San Francisco: 415-449-3412
San Jose: 408-351-4442