Comox Valley & Hornby Island · Canada · Reef
Norris Rocks
Sea lions sharing the reef with rockfish and huge lingcod
Norris Rocks is a small islet just south of Hornby Island, inside the marine preserve of Helliwell Provincial Park. A large population of sea lions uses the rocks, and the reef around them is loaded with rockfish and huge lingcod. Divers come for the sea lion encounters and the dense cold-water fish life.
Where it is and how deep
49.4840° N, 124.6482° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Boats anchor in the little protected bay on the side of the islet that faces Hornby Island, and the dive goes in off that same side. A dive of about 45 minutes here reaches around 18 m (60 ft) at its deepest. Sea lions from the large population on the rocks share the water with divers, while the reef itself is loaded with rockfish and huge lingcod. Urchins, sea stars and octopus are among the invertebrates found here, along with many other species of fish.
Marine life and season
- Seals & sea lions
- Octopus & cuttlefish
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Comox Valley & Hornby Island: Sea lions and great visibility come November to February; sixgill sharks appear May to September, and the March herring spawn can cloud the water to nothing.
Know before you go
- Discarded fishing line and gear turn up on the reef, and boats move through the area, so divers keep an eye out for both.
Dive videos
Norris Rock Sea Lions Hornby Island Vancouver Island BC · oceansidescuba on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Is Norris Rocks a shore dive or a boat dive?+
A boat dive. Boats anchor in the little protected bay on the side of the islet facing Hornby Island.
Sources
- Hornby & Denman Islands — Vancouver Island Dive Sites
- Hornby Island Dive #5 — UB Diving
More dive sites in Comox Valley & Hornby Island
Wall
Sixgill sharks cruising a terraced wall in mid-summer
Similar dives elsewhere
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A rock outcrop with a resident seal colony
Church stones in Cornish: rocks that have wrecked over a hundred ships