Forests of bull kelp near shore manage to survive hundreds of hungry sea urchins. Harbour seals have taken up residence in Gowlland Harbour and are always curiously investigating any visitors in the area. A small island called Steep is also located in Discovery Passage. For her book 99 Dives, Betty Pratt-Johnson visited Steep and wrote; "Steep is one of those dives I label as having "Star" quality. Divers who want to visit the most special places in the world will want to go to Steep."
We offer divers everything from a single boat dive to all inclusive packages of varying lengths. Most dives are made during slack tide intervals in Discovery Passage, one of B.C.'s most popular diving areas. We can tailor dives to suit varying skill levels, from beginner to advanced. |
The
current flows through Seymour Narrows, the smallest portion of
the 25 mile long passage at speeds up to 15.4kts in 1996. (Canadian
Tide and Current Table) This is slightly faster than Nakwakto
Rapids which holds the Guiness Record?! This current provides
an incredible amount of both nutrients and oxygen to sustain an
incredible array of marine life, especially those that feed by
filtering the water. Many different species of colourful anemones,
sponges, tube worms, and other invertebrates compete for the available
space and wait for the food to come to them. In the cracks and
crevices, wolf eels, huge lingcod, tiger rockfish, and the elusive
giant pacific octopus find a home that is sheltered from the current.
The many varieties of colourful nudibranchs will catch your eye.
Close to the surface, huge schools of tiny fish find safety in
numbers from spiny dogfish and salmon.
Scuba
diving at Discovery Passage's world class sites can only be safely
done during slack tide intervals. Approximately every six hours
the current slows until it finally reverses direction, the boats
are kept live during the dive and will ensure other vessel traffic
stays well clear. Please note that times for slack tide and slack
current are related but different.