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Barkley Sound diving, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
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Barkley Sound; the Emerald Experience™
The Barkley Sound is roughly a big bite taken out of the West Coast of Vancouver island. In a triangle it is enclosed by Bamfield in the south, Ucluelet on the north side and Port Alberni in the middle. Coming from Port Alberni and going westward, you descend the Alberni inlet to where it meets the Barkley Sound. Inside, a maze of islands unfolds and offers a stunning landscape. The Broken Islands group in the west are part of the Pacific Rim National Park. The National Geographic Magazine recognized Vancouver Island as one of the best cold-water diving destinations in the world. Jacques Cousteau called BC the second best place on the planet to dive -- right after the Red Sea. Jean-Micheal Cousteau called BC "the best place to dive in the world" in an interview in 1999. Rodale's
Scuba Diving Magazine rates British Columbia as the worlds best dive
destination and North America's |
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Video: Clip longhorn decorator crab (14 sec) Clip Northern feather-duster worms (20sec)
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Barkley Sound facts: There NO road access to the Rendezvous lodge!!
A local ferry can take you to most areas and there are water taxi's
Each year we see a lot of whales during our trip s to and from the dive sites |
Our Dive sites |
Barkley Sound wreck History |
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It would go too far to describe all of our dive sites, but to give you an idea of what you can expect, we give you a general description of the most frequented sites. remember that a dive site may yield very different experiences depending on time of year, weather and luck. More sites are posted on www.geodiving.com
Renate's reef Renate's Reef is located in the Imperial Eagle channel. It features lots of invertebrate life as well as a wealth of fish. This pinnacle with it's large flat top is home to giant octopus, wolf eel, lingcod, strawberry anemone's, ratfish, rockfish and many other colorful creatures. One of the top locations in the Barkley Sound and BC! Chup Point Chup point is heaven for the macro photographer. Huge scores of small and larger invertebrate life color this shallow reef. This allows for longer bottom time and more natural light for you photos. Nudibranches, sea pens, anemones, scallops, top cones, doris, orange peels etc. Too much to mention. The photos of our guests speak for themselves. The Valene The Vanlene was a freighter which ran into Austin Island in 1972 in thick fog. Loaded with Dodge colt cars it took a number of days to sink and most of the cars were recovered. The wreck lies with it's shatered bow in 25 feet of water and going towards the mostly intact stern, you will encounter lots of life on this wreck. Rockfish schools around the boiler midschip, as well as pudget sound kingcrab. Friendly seals usually great you and while on the boat, whale visits are common in the early summer. Mahk Reef Mahk reef, also known as Ratfish city, is a collection of parallel running reefs. This site has a lot to offer. Beside the usual life like friendly wolf eel, octopus and lingcods, this site is home to a large population of ratfish, closely related to sharks and rays. These creatures normally live at greater depths, but in the summer they come to shallower waters. On occasion their cousins, large skates, are seen on the sandy patches between and around the reefs. Kyen Point Kyen point in the Imperial Eagle channel consists of 2 pinnacles, separated by a sand channel. During the summer you can swim in the kelp beds between the pinnacles. Wolf eels and octopus are among the permanent residents and occasionally sea lions or seals hang around. A large wall of strawberry anemones makes an astonishing home for a wide variety of invertebrates. Tyler Rock You want six gills? Here's the place to go. This small pinnacle in the intersection of the Alberni Inlet and the Trevor channel is one of the places where you can see these ancient sharks. Between June and October they regularly make their appearances. Other than the sharks you can giant octopus, wolf eel, lingcod, strawberry anemones, ratfish, rockfish and even the occasional see-lion or even a humpback whale |
The
Barkley Sound has played an important role in the history of the West
Coast, however not always the best one. It's name and fame as the
"Graveyard of the Pacific" indicates correctly that a lot of ships
have gone down in the maze of islands and shallows. Even as recent as 1972
a
ship, the Vanlene, with a load of cars hit an island. The Thiepval, the
Nikka and many more ships form a number of great dive sites.
Vanlene © photo Jason Nault
Vanlene on the rocks at Austin Island 1973 photo: Carl Steele |
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Ecology |
Climate | |
| The Barkley Sound offers a unique richness in both plants and animals. In the majestic forests you may find everything from beavers and otters, to bears, cougars, eagles and many more species. They form integrated eco systems with the life in the water. Salmon, rockfish, herring, squid, giant octopus, sea otters, seals, and sea lions are all permanent residents. Others like orca, grey- and humpback whales, Pudget Sound King crab, sea pens, and six gill sharks add flavor to your dives and make your stay unforgettable. | With the British Columbia climate, a lush and ever green landscape has developed. Although certain spots on the island get a lot of rain, it can be said that the climate is mild. In summertime it can be as warm a 35° C (103° F) but there is always a nice cooling breeze. Due to the ocean's influence, it never gets very cold, but in the winter there can still be snow and temperatures can drop to -10°C (12°F). Luckily, the islands, coves and inlets of the Sound form a good protection against winter storms and allow year round diving. The water temperatures vary between 4-6°C (40-44°F) in the winter to around 19° C (70°F) in the summer in the top 20 meter ( 66ft) layer. Visibility is best in winter with 30 meters ( 100ft) plus. In June the algae reduce the visibility to a mere 10 meters (30ft), but the abundance of life is year round and the kelp forests can best be seen in the summer. | |
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