Dive Trips
Visit the best diving spots throughout British Columbia and Across the world
We have so much amazing local diving near Vancouver, however sometimes it’s fun to travel further afield to explore different dive locations. At Rowand’s Reef, we organize trips to far flungh destinations as well as to top scuba sites across the province including Hornby Island, The Sunshine Coast, Port Hardy, and Nanaimo.
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Barkley Sound Dive Trip
July 26th-28th
We’ve teamed up with our friends at Sea Beneath to offer a weekend trip like no other in a remote dive retreat on the West Coast. Enjoy unlimited dock dives as well as hot tub, kayaks, paddle boards, a camera room and excellent food and drink, all included in the trip price.
The trip also includes 4 boat dives in Barkley Sound, where fresh Pacific Ocean currents create the perfect home for an abundance of life, from the macro to the massive. Chances are you’ll encounter plenty of Octopus, Wolf Eels, Ratfish, and more Rockfish species than you can count. If your’e super lucky, this is also one of the best places around to spot the elusive Six Gill Shark!
Included:
A minimum of 4 boat dives
2 nights shared accommodation
3 meals on Saturday, 2 meals on Sunday
Access to kayaks, paddle boards & hot tub
10% in store discount (some exceptions may apply)
Not included:
Rental Gear - Tanks are included for 4 dives. Any additional tanks and equipment can be rented from us at an additional cost. For this trip we are offering a 10% discount on all rentals. Please call the store or come in person to arrage discounted rentals - View Rental Options.
Travel to Port Alberni & back - We will be organising a carpool closer to the time of the trip.
Dinner Friday night - We have access to a grill and will be arranging a team BBQ for this night.
Alcohol is not included, however guests are welcome to bring their own for the evenings if desired.
Prerequisites:
Advanced Open Water Certification.
Last dive within the last 6 months. Check out our Refresher Courses for anyone who hasn’t been diving within this period.
Minimum of 25 Drysuit dives.
Confident to dive with a buddy without direct assistance from a dive professional.
All divers must fill out a liability form & diver medical form, both of which can be found below.
Itinerary:
Friday 26th - Travel to Port Alberni
Saturday 27th - 2/3 dives
Sunday 28th - 2 dives & travel back to Port Alberni
$1500
FAQs
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We love having new divers join our trips and start exploring the wonders of scuba diving, however, some of the dive sites we visit will require an Advanced Open Water certification. The dive details can be found in the trip description and will let you know the minimum qualification required.
If you want to get more out of your diving and open up more possibilities then we encourage you to take the Advanced Open Water Course with us. You can take this course as soon as you have your Open Water Diver qualification and it’s the perfect way to broaden your skills as a diver.
For more information on our Advanced Open Water Diver Course please click here
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Although during the summer months you can dive local waters in a wetsuit, we highly recommend that you use a drysuit if diving locally in an around British Columbia. For some of our trips the use of a drysuit may be compulsory to ensure all divers get the most out of their experience and aren’t limited by the cold.
A drysuit will keep you nice and warm, increasing comfort and enjoyment of dives. At Rowand's Reef, we carry the Aqua Lung Fusion range of drysuits. These suits contain the latest in drysuit technology and allow for a customized fit with added flexibility and buoyancy control in the water.
To rent a drysuit from us you will need to have a Drysuit Specialty certification. If you don’t have one of these and are interested in gaining one then we encourage you to take the PADI Drysuit Specialty course with us. More details on this can be found here.
For those who don’t have a drysuit certification, you can still dive in a thick wetsuit. We have warm 14/7mm wetsuits available for hire that will keep you nice and warm during the summer months.
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Aquatic life will vary at each dive site, especially if you are travelling further afield.
If you join one of ourt more locab trips you will likely see rockfish, crabs, flatfish, sunflower seastars, and jellyfish. Across the rocks are fields of anemones, soft corals, and ancient sponges. Seals and sea lions often drop by to say hello, especially at Hornby Island, and you may be lucky enough to find a giant Pacific octopus or wolf eel, hiding under rocks during the day or out hunting at night. There are also loads of great wreck dives on offer, particularly off Nanaimo which is famous for its assortment of wrecks.
Any Questions?
Our dive team is ready to answer any questions you may have about your next dive adventure!