Vancouver Island Scuba Diving Tours are considered some of the best underwater marine tours in Canada because of the abundant wildlife, artificial reefs and caves. Anyone who has explored the ocean depths, off the coastlines of Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands, knows that the region is a very popular scuba diving destinations.

For years the local diving communities meeting on the islands have worked hard to develop a top notch diving environment for all to enjoy attracting many visitors to the area all year long. Also, the marine environment attracts scientists.

Well respected scientists work and live here attracted by the opportunity to study the marine life found off the west coast of Canada like the Giant Pacific Octopus and the Six-Gill Shark. Other marine life that peaks a scuba divers interest while exploring the coastlines are the wolf eels, seals, sea lions, salmon, jelly fish and the rainbow colours of the kelp, sea anemones and sponges... and, do not forget, the shipwrecks.

Since 1972 Canadian biologists have led the pack in the study of whales, for instance. In the 1970’s a pioneer mammalogist, Michael A. Biggs, of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans located in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island was part of the identification studies photographing markings of Killer Whales (orcas).

Locally and globally well known people are speaking out like Jacques Cousteau who once said the oceans off the coast of British Columbia are … "the best temperate water diving in the world and second only to the Red Sea’. Popular magazines like Rodale's Readers’ Choice Awards have consistently ranked British Columbia as "the best place to dive in North America!"

Many of the Vancouver Island Inside Passage communities like Nanaimo, Port Hardy, Campbell River, Courtenay and Chemainus attract many divers to the islands every year because of the good availability of diving tours, scuba rentals and lessons.

It just happens to be that the Inside Passage is also home to some pretty cool scuba diving remote retreats and resorts.. and home to ome impressive artificial reefs sunken off the coastline for divers to explore.

The first BC artificial reef was a 53 metre (175 feet) coastal freighter operating by the name of the G.B. Church which was built in 1943 in England. The Church was sunk in August 1991 within the boundaries of the Princess Margaret Marine Park located off Portland Island near Sidney, British Columbia, Canada located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island.

The Restigouche-class Destroyer Escort was the next artificial reef that provided the scuba diving community some underwater adventure.The 111 metre (366 feet) vessel was stripped and sunk in December of 1992 off of Kunechin Point near Porpoise Bay in Sechelt which is part of the Sunshine Coast region.

A few years past until the the Mackenzie-class Destroyer Escort was sunk for scuba enjoyment off of Gooch Island near Sidney BC. The 111 metre (366 feet) vessel was sunk to the ocean floor in September of 1995. A year later, the Restigouche-class Destroyer Escort was sunk off the shores of Maude Island in Campbell River in June of 1996.

The scuba diving community continued developing the artificial reef family in June of 1997 with the sinking of the Mackenzie-class Destroyer Escort off the shores of Snake Island located near Nanaimo, which is located on the central section of Vancouver Island. There was a lapse in sinking activity for some years until in October 2001 the 134 metre (440 feet) World War II Victory Ship was sunk off of Snake Island. Now two sunken ships are in the area.

Just recently on January 14th, 2006 the Xihwu (pronounced key' quot) artificial reef was sunk off the coast of Chemainus BC. The Boeing 737 airplane named "Xihwu" is the Hul'qumi'num First Nation people's word for Red Sea Urchin, which at one time were plentiful here on the west coast until human stupidity, pollution and over fishing has just about wiped the urchin off the map.

Vancouver Island & Gulf Island Scuba