Nanaimo, on Vancouver Island, has two sunk navy ships as its signature boat dives. The HMCS Cape Breton, 134.6 m (441 ft) long and six decks high, is the largest artificial reef in the Pacific Northwest, and the HMCS Saskatchewan rests upright nearby. Beyond the wrecks lie natural reefs, the walls of Gabriola Island and the Snake Island pinnacle, with most dives from about 9 m (30 ft) down to 40 m (130 ft) in cold water.
About diving in Nanaimo & Gabriola Island
The headline sites here are dived from charter boats leaving the Brechin Boat Launch in Nanaimo, and most charters run on Saturday and Sunday, with weekday and private trips by arrangement. The rides are short: the Rivtow Lion is 5 minutes out and Clark Rock 12–15 minutes. Jesse Island must be dived at or near slack tide and is done as a live drop and pickup, and Gabriola Bluffs is a live-boat dive where conditions can shift quickly. When the Strait is too rough for the offshore wrecks, the Rivtow Lion becomes the main dive.
Two navy ships anchor the wreck diving. The Saskatchewan rests upright at roughly 24–40 m (80–130 ft) and has become a thriving reef in its own right. Away from the wrecks, the rock is natural reef, wall and pinnacle. Plumose anemones carpet the wall and top of Snake Island Pinnacle, where there is more current. Giant Pacific octopus hide in cracks and dens at Clark Rock, lingcod cruise for prey, and quillback, copper and the occasional tiger rockfish hold to the reef, with yelloweye and vermilion rockfish in the deeper overhangs at Snake Island.
Nanaimo suits cold-water divers comfortable in a drysuit. Clark Rock is well within recreational range and a good first Pacific Northwest dive for newly certified divers. The navy wrecks are advanced dives because of their depth, size and penetration hazards. Gabriola Bluffs has a strong surface current, and currents can be strong across the top of Snake Island Pinnacle, where lost fishing gear and lead downrigger balls also snag.
Best time to dive Nanaimo & Gabriola Island
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime |
The year splits on clarity. September opens the clearest stretch, which runs through March. Steller and California sea lions buzz divers in mid-water at Clark Rock, especially in fall and winter, and around Halloween divers gather on the Rivtow Lion for the Haunted Wreck Night Dive. From spring through summer, algae blooms and the herring spawn cloud the surface water, though divers can often drop beneath the murk by 10–15 m. The water stays cold in every month, and a drysuit is recommended all year.
Best months: January, February, March, September, October, November, December
Dive types & marine life
Wolf eels are the reliable headline: Clark Rock often shows 6–10 on a single dive. Giant Pacific octopus den in the cracks and boulders, alongside lingcod and several rockfish species. Steller and California sea lions make mid-water passes at divers, especially in fall and winter. Plumose anemones cover the current-swept walls.
- Wreck
- Wall
- Reef
- Night
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Seals & sea lions
Best dive sites in Nanaimo & Gabriola Island
- 1
HMCS Saskatchewan
Navy ship upright in 30–36 m, with most dives starting at the mid-ship buoy
- 2
HMCS Cape Breton
Deep multi-deck wreck that typically sits at 30–40 m depending on tide and route
- 3
Clark Rock
Natural reef at 12–21 m (40–70 ft), often with 6–10 wolf eels on a dive
- 4
Rivtow Lion
Wreck upright in about 24 m (80 ft), dived from its bow or stern mooring line
- 5
Gabriola Bluffs
Steep wall off Gabriola Island, entered as a negative-entry live-boat drop
- 6
Snake Island Pinnacle
Pinnacle topping out at 9–12 m (30–40 ft), its wall base at 30–34 m (100–110 ft)
- 7
Jesse Island
Anemone-covered walls where night dives bring out more crustaceans
Site guides
Reef
Often 6–10 wolf eels on a single dive
Wall
A sheer anemone-covered face that drops away straight off the boat
Six decks of navy ship, the largest artificial reef in the Pacific Northwest
An upright navy destroyer escort reached from its mid-ship buoy
Wreck
A WWII tug in sheltered Departure Bay that newer divers can manage
A plumose-covered pinnacle rising from deep water beside the navy wrecks
How to get to Nanaimo & Gabriola Island
Nanaimo Airport is about 20 km from downtown Nanaimo. The ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay takes 1 hour 40 minutes. Gabriola Island is a 20-minute ferry ride from Nanaimo Harbour, with sailings every 35 to 70 minutes. Charters leave from the Brechin Boat Launch in Nanaimo.
Photos from Nanaimo & Gabriola Island
D-Stanley · CC BY 2.0
Questions divers ask
What certification do the Nanaimo navy wrecks need?+
The HMCS Saskatchewan is an advanced-level dive because of its depth, size and penetration hazards, and the Cape Breton sits in the 30–40 m range. Newer divers can start at Clark Rock, which is well within recreational range.
When is visibility best for diving Nanaimo?+
September through March is usually clearest. In spring and summer, algae blooms and the herring spawn reduce visibility near the surface, but divers can often descend beneath the murk.
Is Nanaimo dived from shore or boat?+
The main sites are boat dives from the Brechin Boat Launch. Most charters run on weekends, and weekday or private trips can be arranged.
How do divers get to Nanaimo and Gabriola Island?+
Fly into Nanaimo Airport, about 20 km from downtown, or take the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay, a crossing of 1 hour 40 minutes. Gabriola Island is a 20-minute ferry from Nanaimo Harbour.
Is a drysuit needed in Nanaimo?+
Yes, a drysuit is recommended. The water is cold year-round, and the wreck dives run to 40 m.
Sources
- HMCS Saskatchewan — Nanaimo Dive Outfitters
- HMCS Cape Breton — Nanaimo Dive Outfitters
- Rivtow Lion — Nanaimo Dive Outfitters
- Clark Rock — Nanaimo Dive Outfitters
- Gabriola Bluffs — Nanaimo Dive Outfitters
- Snake Island Pinnacle — Nanaimo Dive Outfitters
- Jesse Island — Nanaimo Dive Outfitters
- Nanaimo – Wikivoyage — Wikivoyage
- Nanaimo average sea temperatures — SeaTemperature.org
Photo credits
- A small white ferry crosses a calm blue channel between a wooded point with a navigation light and a forested island, with a high wooded ridge behind. by D-Stanley, CC BY 2.0, via Openverse
- A small rocky island topped by white buildings with red roofs and a white lighthouse tower, surrounded by choppy blue water. by D-Stanley, CC BY 2.0, via Openverse
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