Country

Diving in Canada

14 dive destinations in Canada, up to 5,350 km apart. Water temperature across them runs -1 to 22 °C. 12 of 14 are in season in September. 51 named dive sites have their own pages.

Tobermory — Fathom Five · photo Laslovarga

Destinations: 14
Dive sites: 51
Water: -1 to 22°C
Most in season: September

RegionsCold Water North America

How do they compare?

Conditions at each dive destination in Canada
#	Destination	Best months	Water	Visibility	Depth	Level	Access	Sites
1	Haida GwaiiBull and Northern Giant kelp forests and walls carpeted in plumose anemones	Aug	6–12°C	3–9 m	5–30 m	Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced	Shore, Day boat	3
2	British Columbia — Browning PassGiant Pacific octopus and anemone-covered walls in the 'Emerald Sea'	Jun–Sep	7–13°C	8–20 m	8–30 m	Advanced	Day boat, Liveaboard	1
3	Discovery Passage & Campbell RiverSlack-water walls of giant tube worms in the strong currents of Discovery Passage	Dec–Feb	7–15°C	9–30 m	9–30 m	Advancedsites from intermediate to advanced	Day boat	3
4	Comox Valley & Hornby IslandA sea lion colony at Norris Rocks and summer sixgill sharks off Flora Islet	Nov–Feb	8–10°C	10–30 m	to 30 m	Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced	Day boat	2
5	Horseshoe Bay & Howe SoundAnemone-draped fjord walls and a sunk destroyer, an hour from Vancouver	Nov–Feb	7–11°C	—	5–24 m	Intermediatesites from beginner to intermediate	Shore, Day boat	3
6	Nanaimo & Gabriola IslandTwo sunk navy ships and wolf-eel reefs a short boat ride from town	Sep–Mar	6–13°C	—	9–40 m	Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced	Day boat	6
7	Barkley SoundSheltered cold-water pinnacles and walls, diveable all year	Sep–Oct	8–19°C	3–30 m	9–30 m	Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced	Day boat	6
8	Rimouski & the Empress of IrelandThe Empress of Ireland, a protected wreck in 40 m of cold, moving water	Jun–Sep	-1 to 13°C	—	20–40 m	Advancedsites from intermediate to advanced	Shore, Day boat	2
9	Les EscouminsAnemone-packed rock and wolffish, dived from the shore at the St. Lawrence marine park	Varies	-1 to 8°C	—	5–40 m	Intermediate	Shore	1
10	Bell Island & Conception BayFour ore carriers torpedoed at their pier in 1942, still lying at 27–40 m	Jun–Aug	0–15°C	10–30 m	20–40 m	Advanced	Shore, Day boat	1
11	Tobermory — Fathom FiveHistoric schooner and barque wrecks in cold, clear fresh water	Jun–Sep	4–18°C	—	6–30 m	Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced	Day boat, Shore	7
12	Penetanguishene & Southern Georgian BayThree shallow wrecks off Christian and Hope Islands, most in 3–12 m of fresh water	Jul–Oct	0–21°C	—	3–16 m	Beginner	Day boat	3
13	Halifax & St Margaret's BayYear-round North Atlantic shore dives among lobsters and plumose anemones	Aug–Sep	1–17°C	—	to 18 m	Intermediatesites from beginner to intermediate	Shore	7
14	Brockville — St. LawrenceNineteenth-century wrecks dived as drifts in a hard freshwater current	Jul–Sep	4–22°C	1–10 m	6–35 m	Intermediatesites from intermediate to advanced	Day boat	6

When is the best time to dive Canada?

The most destinations are rated good or prime at the same time in September: 12 of 14. Each row is one destination's own season rating.

Season rating by month for each dive destination in Canada
Destination	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
1Haida Gwaii	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Good	Good	Prime	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair
2British Columbia	Off-season	Off-season	Off-season	Fair	Good	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime	Good	Fair	Off-season
3Discovery Passage & Campbell River	Prime	Prime	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Fair	Good	Good	Good	Prime
4Comox Valley & Hornby Island	Prime	Prime	Fair	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Prime	Prime
5Horseshoe Bay & Howe Sound	Prime	Prime	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Good	Good	Prime	Prime
6Nanaimo & Gabriola Island	Prime	Prime	Prime	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime
7Barkley Sound	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Fair	Good	Good	Prime	Prime	Good	Good
8Rimouski & the Empress of Ireland	Off-season	Off-season	Off-season	Off-season	Fair	Good	Good	Good	Good	Fair	Off-season	Off-season
9Les Escoumins	Off-season	Off-season	Off-season	Off-season	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Off-season	Off-season
10Bell Island & Conception Bay	Off-season	Off-season	Off-season	Off-season	Fair	Prime	Prime	Prime	Good	Fair	Off-season	Off-season
11Tobermory	Off-season	Off-season	Off-season	Off-season	Fair	Good	Good	Good	Good	Fair	Off-season	Off-season
12Penetanguishene & Southern Georgian Bay	Off-season	Off-season	Off-season	Off-season	Off-season	Fair	Good	Good	Good	Good	Off-season	Off-season
13Halifax & St Margaret's Bay	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Prime	Prime	Good	Good	Good
14Brockville	Off-season	Off-season	Off-season	Off-season	Fair	Good	Prime	Prime	Prime	Good	Off-season	Off-season
Good or prime	6	6	4	4	5	9	11	10	12	9	6	6

Which destinations combine into one trip?

Destinations that fit within 200 km of each other end to end and share at least one month rated good or prime. Distances are straight lines between destinations, not travel routes.

159 km end to end

In season together: Sep–Feb