West Shore Getaway
Looking for a great dive weekend?? We always recommend looking at the moon before booking. There are amazing currents on the following three weekends this summer:
Our suggested Itinerary:
Cost:
Our vessel holds 12 people, there is lots of room for everyone!
- July 26th, 27th and 28th
- Aug. 9th, 10th and 11th
- Aug. 23rd, 24th and 25th
Our suggested Itinerary:
- Arrive to Victoria on Friday afternoon.
- Evening boat dive - slack is at 7:45pm, sun sets at 8:40.
- Saturday morning dive, slack dive at Race Rocks in the afternoon.
- Drive to Brentwood Bay - evening dive to the Glass sponges or a shore dive at ten mile point in Victoria.
- Fireworks on the water in front of Butchart Gardens (optional) - it will be a late night - only if you choose the sponge dive above.
- Morning dive at Race
- Afternoon slack dive at 3pm.
- We supply cookies and tea between dives, soup on board the boat Sat afternoon.
- Tanks and weight provided
- Steel tanks and nitrox tanks are available at an additional cost
- Gear rentals available.
Cost:
- $449.95 per person
- A 50% deposit is required upon booking.
- Food and accommodations are not included.
Our vessel holds 12 people, there is lots of room for everyone!
The WeatherRain & Wind
This is the west coast - rain is common in the winter months. Wind can be an issue. As the West Shore is the Southernmost point on Vancouver Island, wind can create issues. We will do our best to find great sights out of the wind. Rockfish has a second vessel in the Saanich Inlet - although the boat is an hour drive from Pearson College, it is very rare to not be able to dive anywhere. We have lots of options to ensure you can dive! Current The channel between northwest Washington and southern Vancouver Island creates a channel for strong currents. The diving is excellent as a result, but dive site selection and timing is critical. We choose our sites carefully, but we also equip divers with surface signal devices, air horns and handheld gps dive radios. The diving is best on the 'quarter moon'. If you are planning your trip, try to avoid full and new moons! TransportationFlying into Victoria: If you are flying into Victoria, you'll need to decide whether you want to rent a vehicle or not. These can be rented at the Victoria International Airport. If you don't want to rent, we can provide transportation to and from the airport. Victoria is a beautiful city, and there are many excellent sights that are within driving distance. See our section on What to do in the area before you choose to be without transportation.
We can provide you directions on where to go, when to go and what the best attractions are. Equipment
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The DivesRace Rocks is known for the countless sea lions, seals, octopus, wolf eels, Kelp forests, nudibranchs, and the amazing dive sites. Race is an ecological reserve, home to fantastic west coast scenery, often including whale and orca sightings.
Divers must have an advanced certification and recent cold water diving experience. The West Shore is a slightly less difficult dive destination. Some divers choose to do their advanced course on the west shore prior to diving at Race Rocks. Seals, sea lions, octopus and countless other critters flourish on the West Shore. Whale watching boats are some of the most frequently seen vessels in the area. Other stuff in VictoriaExplore Victoria:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M6RuSL2j3o Hatley Castle: 25 min drive Butchart Gardens: 55 min drive Sooke Potholes - 20 min drive French Beach: 45 min drive Inner Harbour: Victoria downtown markets, Royal BC Museum, Buskers and much more: 50 min drive Hiking at East Sooke - 5 min drive, we may visit by boat for a short hike. Mystic Beach - one hour drive, plus a hike Botanical Beach - 1 hour 45 min drive, plus a hike - go at low tide. |