Howdy Folks!
Last weekend ScubaJess, SphnMartin, vjw and I went to celebrate vjw's birthday diving around Quadra Island!
What a great trip! I've never dove the area before. Honestly didn't know much about it other than I heard lots of Strawberry Anemones and it's supposed to be pretty good. Quadra is located outside Campbell River, a city about halfway up the east side of Vancouver Island,. There definitely were a lot of strawberry anemones, along with a lot of cool sponges (tennis ball sponges, nipple sponges, stalked vase sponges, etc), greenlings, tube worms, snakelocks, nudibranchs, octos, wolfeels, bait ball fish, lots of sea stars (including adult sunflowers ), urchins (gazillions), some kelp and lots and lots of current!
We booked via Abyssal Charters. It was an all-inclusive package that included a hotel stay, 6 dives, and meals. The accommodations were pleasant, the captain was super nice and knowledgeable. Viz was medium, probably a dark 20 feet below the 30' depth. Good times!
This was some challenging diving... We probably didn't hit the best tides possible but it is in general very fast out there... The main channel gets faster than deception pass... The slack tide windows were extremely short, and once they were over if you insist on >60 min dives like I do they'd blast you down the reef if you didn't find a good hiding spot. One of our dives, a back eddy dive at Copper Cliff, looked like a river before we got in. It was a fun challenge trying to take photos of an octo when the current was blasting away so hard even the rocks I was holding on to started tumbling upon my grip. At the end of one dive (Steep Island), I think I zoomed along the wall faster than I've ever been in a drift dive before. Some ups and downs and back eddy fights along the way. Quite the rush.
Here were some of the snaps along with a few more comments!
What a great trip, I definitely want to go back and explore this area some more!
Quadra Island Adventures!
Quadra Island Adventures!
Last edited by YellowEye on Wed Jun 27, 2018 11:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Visit pnwdiving.com for viz reports, slack planning, galleries and more! Your fellow diver will appreciate any viz reports you can add!
- stphnmartin
- Amphibian
- Posts: 821
- Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2013 4:52 pm
Re: Quadra Island Adventures!
Great report YE! Love the octo shot especially given the conditions you endured to get it!
I basically got nothing on video. So, yes, another trip is warranted!
I basically got nothing on video. So, yes, another trip is warranted!
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
Re: Quadra Island Adventures!
It is always pleasure to see your reports, and as always, great accompanying pics, especially new areas I will probably never see. Thanks for sharing.
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
Re: Quadra Island Adventures!
Howdy Divers!
Happy Thursday!
What a crazy fun adventurous away Mission!!
Happy Birthday to Vjw!!!!
Super beautiful pics YE! It was so fantastic diving with you guys! I can't wait to go back!
The diving was soooo colorful and plastered with life and the dive boat marina had excellent coffee shop with delicious hot dogs! Also our captain BBQed Burgers for us & got us coffee & ice cream! What a cool guy!
Here are some of my snaps!
Happy Thursday!
What a crazy fun adventurous away Mission!!
Happy Birthday to Vjw!!!!
Super beautiful pics YE! It was so fantastic diving with you guys! I can't wait to go back!
The diving was soooo colorful and plastered with life and the dive boat marina had excellent coffee shop with delicious hot dogs! Also our captain BBQed Burgers for us & got us coffee & ice cream! What a cool guy!
Here are some of my snaps!
- Attachments
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.
Stay Warm underwater with the Weezle Extreme Plus undergarment! Please let me know if you would like to order one or have any questions.
Re: Quadra Island Adventures!
Super cool report and photos you guys! Looks awesome, what a great trip!
Re: Quadra Island Adventures!
I’m so impressed with the pics you both got! Beautiful colors, beautiful life, just ..... beautiful!!! The wolf eel in den with reef above is really amazing! So is the jellyfish and the octo. Wow! Had such a fabulous time!!!! Thank you SCM for setting it all up!! What a wonderful weekend!!
- Penopolypants
- NWDC Moderator
- Posts: 3906
- Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2007 7:37 pm
Re: Quadra Island Adventures!
Y'all got some great photos even with the challenges! I loved the tube worm site too! It's amazing how they soak up the light.
I went up there several years ago on a weekend with the currents were relatively mild, and diving could still be a bit challenging. It is an absolutely lovely place to dive though!
I went up there several years ago on a weekend with the currents were relatively mild, and diving could still be a bit challenging. It is an absolutely lovely place to dive though!
Come to the nerd side, we have pi!
Re: Quadra Island Adventures!
Amazing photos as always! Sounds like an awesome trip.
Party underwater
Re: Quadra Island Adventures!
As always, awesome pics YE and SJ!
Re: Quadra Island Adventures!
Amazing! Canada diving is the best!
More Pics Than You Have Time To Look AT
"Anyone who thinks this place is over moderated is bat-crazy anarchist." -Ben, Airsix
"Warning: No dive masters are going to be there, Just a bunch of old fat guys taking pictures of fish." -Bassman
"Anyone who thinks this place is over moderated is bat-crazy anarchist." -Ben, Airsix
"Warning: No dive masters are going to be there, Just a bunch of old fat guys taking pictures of fish." -Bassman