Snake Island Wall, Nanaimo BC

Tell us your tale of coming nose-to-nose with a 6 gill [--this big--], or about your vacation to turquoise warm waters. Share your adventures here!
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ohopdiver
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Snake Island Wall, Nanaimo BC

Post by ohopdiver »

August 28, 2017. Just Greg Smith and myself. Tsawwassen Ferry to Nanaimo BC. Stayed at Howard Johnson Harbourside at 1 Terminal Ave.
Dive Charter with Sundown Dive Charter at 22 Esplanade. Two older small boats, 21 foot outboards. Don't expect to be pampered.
Day 1: HMCS Cape Bretton, 30 ft vis and Jesse Island, 20 ft vis, which is shallow with interesting structure and sea life but shallow vis was bad, swim thru at 15 FSW.
Day-2: HMCS Saskatchewan, 50 ft vis and Clark Rock, 50+ ft vis, a big round pinnacle with GPO's and Wolfies.
Day-3 Snake Island Wall twice, 75 ft vis. Big deep wall with anchor buoy at south end of the island. Just follow the driveway down to 100 FSW. There's 3 foot tall Chimney Sponges. Go left a couple hundred feet to a huge overhang. Great vis.
Because of marginal winds, we spent 3 days resisting Rivtow Lion and insisting on Snake Island - be persistent.
The beach trail access is in HOJO's parking lot. You can walk through the park to the other end of town on the water front trail.
Restaurants are in walking distance plus Horton's across the street.
We left our gear over night in the dockside shed while staff took our tanks, filled and returned them to the dock next day.
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Jeff Pack
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Re: Snake Island Wall, Nanaimo BC

Post by Jeff Pack »

they would just take out the 2 of you?
=============================================

- I got a good squirt in my mouth
- I would imagine that there would be a large amount of involuntary gagging
- I don't know about you but I'm not into swallowing it

CCR discussion on Caustic Cocktails.
ohopdiver
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Re: Snake Island Wall, Nanaimo BC

Post by ohopdiver »

Jeff Pack wrote:they would just take out the 2 of you?
yes, but sometimes we had 3.
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Jeff Pack
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Re: Snake Island Wall, Nanaimo BC

Post by Jeff Pack »

thx.
=============================================

- I got a good squirt in my mouth
- I would imagine that there would be a large amount of involuntary gagging
- I don't know about you but I'm not into swallowing it

CCR discussion on Caustic Cocktails.
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ScubaJess
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Re: Snake Island Wall, Nanaimo BC

Post by ScubaJess »

Sounds really fun! I love diving Vancouver Island. Thanks for the report! :)
Live Long And Prosper!!!

Stay Warm underwater with the Weezle Extreme Plus undergarment! Please let me know if you would like to order one or have any questions. :luv: :partydance: :eric: :taco:
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YellowEye
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Re: Snake Island Wall, Nanaimo BC

Post by YellowEye »

Very cool! Thanks for the report!
I remember that overhang being awesome. Did you see seals in the shallows? Was there much life on the wall?
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Scubak
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Re: Snake Island Wall, Nanaimo BC

Post by Scubak »

Wow! Sundown dive is still around? Amazing!
It has been way too long since I dove around Nanaimo!
Love Snake Island Area!!!
Kirsten
"Let's go diving!"
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Jeff Pack
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Re: Snake Island Wall, Nanaimo BC

Post by Jeff Pack »

We just finished a week diving here in Nanaimo with sundown. Ed, Mark and Chris treated us awesome.

Did the Bretton, Gabriola and snake island walls. Snake island we did twice.

Unfortunately, weather was really bad first 3 days, viz sucked, and only now is improving. Viz on the Bretton was horrible. Viz on Gabriola was awesome.

Snake island was horrible until you got below 140, down to 305 was awesome.. The following day, viz improved in the shallows, but viz deteriorated deeper. Still good diving though.
=============================================

- I got a good squirt in my mouth
- I would imagine that there would be a large amount of involuntary gagging
- I don't know about you but I'm not into swallowing it

CCR discussion on Caustic Cocktails.
User avatar
YellowEye
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Re: Snake Island Wall, Nanaimo BC

Post by YellowEye »

Very cool! Gabriola as in Gabriola Passage, or somewhere else around the island? How was that dive? What did you see?
Visit pnwdiving.com for viz reports, slack planning, galleries and more!
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Jeff Pack
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Re: Snake Island Wall, Nanaimo BC

Post by Jeff Pack »

Gabriola bluffs, sheer deep walls
=============================================

- I got a good squirt in my mouth
- I would imagine that there would be a large amount of involuntary gagging
- I don't know about you but I'm not into swallowing it

CCR discussion on Caustic Cocktails.
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