Discovery Passage over Memorial Day Weekend

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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YellowEye
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Discovery Passage over Memorial Day Weekend

Post by YellowEye »

Howdy Folks!
ScubaJess, StphnMartin, VJW and I had a great trip up to Vancouver Island for diving last weekend. We went thru Abyssal Charters up in Campbell River, a city about halfway up the east coast of Vancouver Island. From there we took the boat out to sites at Quadra Island, Steep Island and one of the main destinations of interest to me, Seymour Narrows. We got in 8 dives over 3 days. Plus Jess and I also did Deception Pass on the way up there.

This whole area is known for huge tidal currents, and it all peaks thru Seymour Narrows. I was hoping to compare the Narrows there to other high current sites in our area... Deception Pass, Dodd's Narrows (which we did last year), Race Rocks (did it a couple years ago), Sechelt Rapids (did it once ages ago, pre-camera) and Nakwakto Rapids (once, ages ago, pre-camera).

Seymour narrows was bigger than I imagined it. It is about the size of Tacoma Narrows, maybe a little narrower and longer. Current rips significantly faster than deception pass, up to 15 knots.

Tides were amenable for us to do the Narrows each of the 3 days we were there. Our guide, though super-familiar with the sites closer to CR, wasn't super familiar with the best spots to dive in the Narrows, so it was a bit exploratory. It was exciting but we found there are definitely some spots in it more covered in life than others. Life ranged from something similar to snowfall in Port Hardy (or less), to stuff that goes beyond Deception Pass. I found a sweet spot on day 2 and went back there again on day 3. Steph and Val had less luck.

This was our third trip to CR, and we had the best viz by far. Viz was amazing, with the exception of one dive at Steep Island (a massive wall of tubeworms and snakelocks and candystripe).

As a part of the trip, we also got to meet Eiko Jones, an amazing underwater photographer from the region. He's famous for his tadpole shots in national geographic among other things. He's now working on a new film about salmon in Campbell River. Cool guy, and we got to go out for indian food with him. Very fun!

Here were some of my snaps:
Selfie with Scuba Jess in the raging current of a kelp canopy
Selfie with Scuba Jess in the raging current of a kelp canopy
The narrows!
The narrows!
This huge male seal lion greeted me in the Narrows.  This was a "test shot" I hadn't even really set up my strobes yet :)
This huge male seal lion greeted me in the Narrows. This was a "test shot" I hadn't even really set up my strobes yet :)
We saw a few Lion's Maine Jellies
We saw a few Lion's Maine Jellies
A couple smaller or female sealions came by to check us out as well.  This one was apparently biting at my fins when I wasn't looking!
A couple smaller or female sealions came by to check us out as well. This one was apparently biting at my fins when I wasn't looking!
A typical scene off Quadra Island.  Lots of sponges and neon strawberry anemones
A typical scene off Quadra Island. Lots of sponges and neon strawberry anemones
Proliferating anemones in the narrows!
Proliferating anemones in the narrows!
The narrows!
The narrows!
The narrows!
The narrows!
Other highlights I didn't get photos of were sea angels(!!!), humpbacks, bald eagles, seals, pigeon guillemots, moss head warbonnets, nipple sponges, cockerell's dorids, bi color nudis and more! (Stephen and Val will have to tell you more!)

Earl from Abyssal diving puts together some great dive packages, and he really knows his currents which is critical up there. Check him out! Tell him we sent you. Hope you had a great weekend!
Visit pnwdiving.com for viz reports, slack planning, galleries and more!
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Gdog
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Re: Discovery Passage over Memorial Day Weekend

Post by Gdog »

Fantastic shots, and great report Eric. Love the color!
Sharkb8
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Re: Discovery Passage over Memorial Day Weekend

Post by Sharkb8 »

No shots of nipple sponges?! Lame :neener:

Gorgeous photos as always. That one with the jelly is especially cool. Glad to hear that Jess got her neck seal fixed! How were the currents in the narrows? Looks like the kelp was streaming pretty good!
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YellowEye
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Re: Discovery Passage over Memorial Day Weekend

Post by YellowEye »

Ha, no nipple sponge shots this time.

Jess's ended up getting a new (used) suit in Nanaimo!

The currents in the narrows were not bad, as the tides were mellow and well timed. Current were stronger at the gully on the afternoon slack. The currents were insane outside the kelp canopy of that selfie shot.

How was your Nanaimo trip?
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ScubaJess
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Re: Discovery Passage over Memorial Day Weekend

Post by ScubaJess »

Yes I got a front zip with silicon replaceable seals!!!! Its awesome!!! Best birthday present ever!! :luv:

Super stunning snaps YE!!! :eric: :taco: It was great fun diving with you guys! It's color overload up there! I can't wait to go back! :eric:
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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derekcs
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Re: Discovery Passage over Memorial Day Weekend

Post by derekcs »

Great sea lion pics! The clarity on those anemone/reef pictures is really good too.
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Jan K
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Re: Discovery Passage over Memorial Day Weekend

Post by Jan K »

Great shots, as always. The selfie and the Lion's mane especially beautiful.
Thank you for sharing pics and the report.
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Sharkb8
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Re: Discovery Passage over Memorial Day Weekend

Post by Sharkb8 »

YellowEye wrote:
How was your Nanaimo trip?
Fantastic even though the wind kept us off the boat for most of it. Chris and Ed say hi! I’ll post a report when I get back from Florida and get caught up on pictures.
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YellowEye
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Re: Discovery Passage over Memorial Day Weekend

Post by YellowEye »

Sharkb8 wrote:
YellowEye wrote:
How was your Nanaimo trip?
Fantastic even though the wind kept us off the boat for most of it. Chris and Ed say hi! I’ll post a report when I get back from Florida and get caught up on pictures.
Wow, too bad about the wind. We had some but not bad. Hope you're diving Florida?
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ScubaJess
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Re: Discovery Passage over Memorial Day Weekend

Post by ScubaJess »

Here are a few topside snaps :popcorn:
Campbell River is so fun & beautiful! I highly recommend it!! :luv:

PS Calvin!!! Why do my pics look crazy? :eric:
Attachments
Stephen & Val their baby gimbles!!
Stephen & Val their baby gimbles!!
Super cute coffee shop decorations on the marina dock
Super cute coffee shop decorations on the marina dock
We are light Packers! Captian Earl is fantastic he brought the boat over for eaiser loading
We are light Packers! Captian Earl is fantastic he brought the boat over for eaiser loading
Delicious Indian food, great friends & stories! It was so cool to run into Eiko Jones on the dock! He's a super nice guys & fantastic UW Photographer
Delicious Indian food, great friends & stories! It was so cool to run into Eiko Jones on the dock! He's a super nice guys & fantastic UW Photographer
I love this snap!!!
I love this snap!!!
Group selfie
Group selfie
Val & Earl
Val & Earl
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: Discovery Passage over Memorial Day Weekend

Post by YellowEye »

If you haven't seen Eiko's work you should look it up!
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stphnmartin
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Re: Discovery Passage over Memorial Day Weekend

Post by stphnmartin »

Amazing pictures and report Eric. It was a really good trip and nice to have good viz for once! I'll get to putting out a Salish Sea video in the next month or two. :stir:

Here's a screen grab of a GPO I found hunting along Whiskey Point wall.
61642544_10218929690134413_7248956690207342592_o.jpg
:popcorn: View dive videos on my youtube channel. GH5, Nauticam housing, Big Blue 9000s, Sola 500, 1200, Scuba Lamp Snoot, Mavic 2 Pro, Osmo, Final Cut Pro X
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Gdog
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Re: Discovery Passage over Memorial Day Weekend

Post by Gdog »

Man I love that shot Stephen
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Vjw
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Re: Discovery Passage over Memorial Day Weekend

Post by Vjw »

Amazing photos everyone! :joshsmith:

Highlights were seeing my first sea angel (YE swam over and fluttered like an angel underwater to get my attention) and seeing the GPO pictured below that Stephen found. The GPO was hunting. Watching the tips of its fine, dexterous tentacles as it explored for critters in cracks along the wall was a wonderful experience!

Earl is a gracious host and tailors the dive sites to the diver’s preferences.
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