Ideal Cold Diving Sites in Vancouver, Canada
There are a number of cold diving sites in Vancouver, Canada considered ideal for divers of any level. In fact, there are also popular dive training sites for advanced divers because of extreme depth.
Porteau Cove
Porteau Cove is a provincial marine park and a perfect location for scuba diving. It is often called the diver’s playground and is a favourite of many locals. You can visit this place without any trouble because the beach has an easy access. Likewise, it has some man-made reefs and wall dive, making it an ideal dive spot for diving enthusiasts of all levels.
The water is shallow before reaching the reef with 3 sunken ships that you can explore. You will see the former WWII minesweeper, the largest ship called Nakaya. It sits about 90 feet down, which depends on the tide.
You can also find more than a hundred species of marine life at the Cove, which include ling cod, plumose anemone, and octopi. You can easily locate these spots with a comprehensive dive map to guide you all the way.
Whytecliff Park
Just South of Horseshoe Bay Village is Whytecliff Park situated at the Western tip of West Vancouver. This place is easy to find because it is just a 15-minute drive from the Lions Gate Bridge.
Whytecliff Park is also the most famous location around Vancouver for dive shops due to its convenience for divers and well-managed bathrooms. The main dive sites for students can be reached via a surface swim of about 5 minutes.
A rocky ridge bisects the site that is visible during low tide. There is an area around the ridge and offshore boat marker that features some rock formations in shallow water. It depicts the remnant of an old marina, as well as countless number of sea shells, urchins, and stars. It also features some kelp and various species of fish.
Whiskey Cove
This spot offers a couple of dive options at the same location. You can dive to the right of the cove if you want to check out a small wall with many varieties of sea life. You can also dive to the left if you want to explore the sandy bottom until you find a small island.
A variety of Dungeness Crabs can be seen at this sandy bottom from the cove to the small island. But the visibility can be challenging, just so for scuba crabbing enthusiasts.
