Vancouver Island’s Hidden Diving Gem

There is no shortage of diving options along the pristine coastline of Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Home to world-famous cold-water scuba diving, the clear, current-fed waterways off of the northeast coast of Vancouver Island are brimming with an exceptional diversity of marine life. Favourite and frequented spots in the area include dive sites in the Broughton and Blackfish Archipelagos, the gardens of Zeballos, and God’s Pocket Marine Provincial Park. But there’s a hidden cold-water scuba diving gem that many have yet to discover. So when you set out to create your next diving trip itinerary for Vancouver Island, make sure to include Campbell River.

Wait, Campbell River? Yes, Campbell River! The perfect launch point to mind-blowing scuba diving in the one and only Discovery Passage. Nestled between Campbell River and Quadra Island, Discovery Passage is 25 kilometres long and reaches a max depth of 100m. At the smallest portion of the passage, Seymour Narrows, the cold water current flows through at incredible speeds up to 15.4kts! This current means that a lot of nutrients and oxygen are flowing through the channel, feeding a jaw-dropping diversity of marine life! Carpets of colourful anemones, packs of sponges, tube worms, and other invertebrates compete for prime real estate in the channel so they can sit back and soak up the nutrients coming their way. In the cracks and crevices, you’ll find wolf eels, lingcod, and rockfish hiding from the current, and if you’re lucky, the elusive giant Pacific octopus may make an appearance! On your trip, you may also see spiny dogfish, salmon, and sea urchins galore! Harbour seals like to spend their time in Gowlland Harbour and are often curious about visiting scuba divers.

Scuba diving at the world-class Discovery Passage site can only be safely done during slack tide intervals. With Abyssal Diving Charters, you can dive with confidence that your slack tide experience will be perfectly timed and safe. Once submerged, the excellent visibility will give you access to spectacular sea life. Visibility in this high-current ecosystem rarely drops below 30 feet due to constant upwellings of clear water. Campbell River really is the perfect spot for year-round diving. In the summer, spring, fall, and winter, the water is beautifully clear. Whether you head to Copper Cliff, the HMCS Columbia wreck, Whiskey Point, Argonaut Wharf, Grouse Island, or Steeps Island, Campbell River is sure to provide a once-in-a-lifetime scuba experience! At Abyssal Diving Charters, you can create a custom dive itinerary to hit your must-see spots, and dive trips can be tailored to suit varying skill levels, from beginner to advanced!

We can’t wait to welcome you to experience Campbell River scuba diving! Abyssal Diving Charters stands out as a top Campbell River scuba experience because of its owner and operator, Earl Lowe. With 25 years of experience, local knowledge, and stories, Abyssal provides a highly memorable and safe diving experience for visitors to Campbell River and Discovery Passage. Earl is a retired IANTD Nitrox instructor and gas blender, PADI diving instructor, WCB commercial diver, Level 3 first aid instructor, St. John Ambulance first aid instructor, and BC Ambulance attendant. For those travelling without gear, Campbell River is home to many dive shops offering full gear rentals, like Ocean Fix Dive Centre and Beaver Aquatics, for those travelling without gear. For scuba tank fills, Abyssal Diving Charters offers nitrous refills on-site. If you’re planning to scuba dive in a few areas of the region, rental dive gear is readily available across Vancouver Island, as well as specialized Nitrox, Trimix and Argon gas. Let us know if you’d like to connect with other Campbell River experiences while you’re in town! Come for the world-class diving, and stay for everything else this hidden gem has to offer.