God's Pocket Oct 7-11 2019
Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 7:27 pm
Howdy Folks!
Scubajess, keithboll, nwdivegirl and 8 other divers just came back from a trip to God's Pocket organized by photographer Richard Salas.
It was a great time! Viz was great, the people were great, the marine life encounters were great. It was our first time diving up there since they changed ownership.
For those unfamiliar with the area, it is a qaint converted fishing lodge on a remote island up north of port hardy, near Browning Pass. The pass and area is known to some as the best temperate diving around!
Dlh gave a trip report in the spring with the new owners as well. But now instead of Chris and B running the show, it is Sten and Al. Great guys. Al knows the waters extremely well, having captained the Nautilus Swell in previous years. He has a different approach to his boating... he moves slower and anchors to save fuel. This allows us to go further out on a fixed fuel budget. It makes for longer days but it was fun exploring further out sites.
Probably the highlight of the trip was getting to see for the first time the fabled male Rock Greenling. I've been searching for one of these for YEARS and totally hit the jackpot on this trip. I actually got to see about 9 or 10 "Rockies" on this trip, on three different dive sites. I saw 4-5 colorful males and 5 of the more duller colored females. So cool to see! Some were skiddish some were bolder. I actually saw 2 males skirmish, and some of the fish had flesh wounds.
Surface sightings included orcas, otters, humpbacks, baldies and various sea birds such as oyster catchers. We had a gull and humpback frenzy just outside the resort on our first night!
I also had an underwater encounter with 4 female sealions. I guess they may not have liked me because they pooped down on me and swam off! Very cool to see them though.
On the way up, we stopped and dove with Earl from Abyssal Charters in Campbell River/Quadra Island. Always a great time! Next time we may take a bear tour there, people were striking gold with bear encounters!
Can't wait to go back!
Scubajess, keithboll, nwdivegirl and 8 other divers just came back from a trip to God's Pocket organized by photographer Richard Salas.
It was a great time! Viz was great, the people were great, the marine life encounters were great. It was our first time diving up there since they changed ownership.
For those unfamiliar with the area, it is a qaint converted fishing lodge on a remote island up north of port hardy, near Browning Pass. The pass and area is known to some as the best temperate diving around!
Dlh gave a trip report in the spring with the new owners as well. But now instead of Chris and B running the show, it is Sten and Al. Great guys. Al knows the waters extremely well, having captained the Nautilus Swell in previous years. He has a different approach to his boating... he moves slower and anchors to save fuel. This allows us to go further out on a fixed fuel budget. It makes for longer days but it was fun exploring further out sites.
Probably the highlight of the trip was getting to see for the first time the fabled male Rock Greenling. I've been searching for one of these for YEARS and totally hit the jackpot on this trip. I actually got to see about 9 or 10 "Rockies" on this trip, on three different dive sites. I saw 4-5 colorful males and 5 of the more duller colored females. So cool to see! Some were skiddish some were bolder. I actually saw 2 males skirmish, and some of the fish had flesh wounds.
Surface sightings included orcas, otters, humpbacks, baldies and various sea birds such as oyster catchers. We had a gull and humpback frenzy just outside the resort on our first night!
I also had an underwater encounter with 4 female sealions. I guess they may not have liked me because they pooped down on me and swam off! Very cool to see them though.
On the way up, we stopped and dove with Earl from Abyssal Charters in Campbell River/Quadra Island. Always a great time! Next time we may take a bear tour there, people were striking gold with bear encounters!
Can't wait to go back!
- Mussels and kelp in the surge zone
- A stimpson star in the surge zone
- Opulescent Nudibranchs are cannibals and hermaphrodites. They're also usually poisonous to predators... hence i was surprised when I observed a shrimp eating one on this trip!
- A quillback greets me on Hussar Point
- A reef scene from Ruth's Rocks
- A sea angel, from Copper Cliffs, near Campbell River BC
- Color explosion on browning wall
Where are Jess' photos?
It was magical!!! 
I can't wait to go back!!! The new staff are doing a great job! 
Captain Al took us to some new spots. It was all around so much fun! 
