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SCUBA DIVING
– Divers from all over the world come here to explore our rich underwater environment, home to marine mammals and many species of fish. Snake Island, Orlebar Point, Breakwater Island and Neck Point are some areas, as well as Nanaimo’s artificial reefs, the HMCS Saskatchewan, a 336-foot navy destroyer sunk in 1997, the 441-foot HMCS Cape Breton sunk in 2001 or the tugboat Rivtow Lion sunk on February 6, 2005. For directions and information, contact local dive shops. Pick up a Dive Guide at Tourism Nanaimo.
Artificial reefs your passion? Nanaimo, Vancouver Island is home to the best of British Columbia's world famous artificial reefs! Explore The Saskatchewan sunk June 14, 1977, B.C.'s most popular reef, with over 75,000 dives. The Saskatchewan is now teeming with life as marine life is has begun to colonize it's many nooks and crannies. In a few years, The Saskatchewan will be completely covered! Come back every year to document the ever increasing growth of life on this historic ship.
The Cape Bredton, a 442' former World War II Victory class ship, was sunk in Nanaimo on October 20, 2001! The Cape Breton is the World's Second Largest Diver-Prepared Artificial Reef! She sank in 3 minutes and 37 seconds and sits perfectly upright with a bottom depth of 142 feet and a top of 35 feet.
Our newest addition to Nanaimo's underwater fleet is the RivTow Lion. This is a perfect novice wreck dive and is conveniently located just across the street from The ferry Terminal! The RivTow sits at about 70 feet. The main deck is at 45', the top of the funnel at 36'. Visibility is about 40' to 45'.
HMCS CAPE BRETON
On October 20, 2001 at 12:40 pm, The Honorable Judith Reid, MLA, The Honorable Mike Hunter, MLA, His Worship Mayor Gary Korpan and John Ruttan, Chairman of the Nanaimo Port Authority, simultaneously pushed the two detonation buttons and the Cape Breton cutting charges were exploded. Moments later a fantastic pyrotechnics show was enjoyed by several thousand boaters and ferry patrons. It was a sad, but beautiful sight, to see this mammoth World War ll Naval Vessel sink in 3 minutes and 37 seconds.The Cape Breton is the world's second largest artificial reef after the Speigel Grove in Florida!
The Cape Breton sank perfectly upright, albeit it with a very slight list to starboard, in 140 feet of water just a few hundred feet away from The Saskatchewan. The Crow's Nest is at approximately 40 feet and is accessible to all divers. The bottom of the engine room is at 138 feet and is an advanced dive. The engine room will become British Columbia's signature dive as the engine was removed leaving a beautiful cavern with cool pipes and catwalks twisting about. The engine room was my favourite spot to climb into and think about all the people who had worked on the Cape Breton and all the miles the ship had traveled around the world.
For you history buffs, here is a short history of the HMCS Cape Breton. HMCS Cape Breton was launched in 1944 at the Burrard Drydock facility in North Vancouver, British Columbia as the HMS Flamborough Head. Flamborough Head was one of a series of ships intended to operate with the British Pacific Fleet in the war against Japan and for the recolonization of Asian territories. While they were under construction, the Royal Navy was experiencing a severe manpower shortage. To this end, Sir Winston Churchill attempted to get Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King to provide Canadian crews. This offer was refused by the wartime Canadian leader for political reasons. Ultimately the war ended before the whole class was completed and several completed as merchant ships. HMS Flamborough Head commissioned into service of the Royal Navy in North Vancouver in 1945. It sailed from Vancouver and remained in active service with that service until 1952 when purchased by the Royal Canadian Navy. The ship commissioned as HMCS Cape Breton at Halifax on January 31, 1953.
Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910-1981 by Macpherson and Burgess states, "She served at Halifax until August 25, 1958 as a repair ship and training establishment for technical apprentices. Converted to escort maintenance ship at Esquimalt, she was commissioned there on November 16, 1959 for service on the West Coast. On February 10, 1964, Cape Breton was paid off into reserve, but since 1972 she has functioned as a towed mobile support facility and accommodation vessel at Esquimalt, designated “Fleet Maintenance Group (Pacific)." This was undertaken from a semi permanent position at the old "C" Jetty at the Esquimalt dockyard; being known unofficially as "Building 100." When this old dock area was demolished as part of the base redevelopment of the late 1980's, Cape Breton was berthed across the harbour adjacent to the Public Works Graving Dock, sometimes referred to as "D" Jetty. With the completion of the dockyard redevelopment and the advent of superior shore based facilities, Cape Breton was declared surplus and assigned to the reserve fleet in Colwood. Various attempts at returning the ship to peaceable service or preservation after have not led to fruition.
HMCS SASKATCHEWAN ARTIFICIAL REEF
The HMCS Saskatchewan is British Columbia's most successful artificial reef. The popularity of the Saskatchewan is apparent when you consider that well over 100,000 dives have been completed since she was sunk on June 14, 1997: more than all other B.C. artificial reefs put together!
Hundreds of boats, including a ferry that B.C. Ferries and it's crew donated as a viewing platform, gathered just off the western side of Snake Island, a bird sanctuary and home to over 250 harbour seals, to watch the sinking. In just over 2 minutes the 366 foot Saskatchewan slipped below the surface and began its descent to the sandy bottom where it came to rest in 130 feet of water with a 6 degree list to the portside. The bow faces to the south and the stern to the north. The top of the mast is at 45 feet and the bulk of the vessel is between 80 and 100 feet.
The approximate depth to some of the most popular and identifiable features are:
Radar Platform on main mast ..........45'
Bridge ........................................... 65'
Top of guns ................................... 85'
Fore and aft decks ..........................95'
Aft mortar bay ..............................105'
Keel at bottom ............................. 130'
The community of Nanaimo has wholeheartedly embraced The Saskatchewan. Our community's dedication to diving is evident throughout Nanaimo. Downtown, next to the Courthouse, the Weyerhaeuser building boasts one of Jeff King's, Nanaimo's renowned marine muralists', best murals. This large mural and it's amazing detail covers the entire side of the building. Make viewing this mural a part of your visit to Nanaimo.
Want to learn a bit more of the history of The Saskatchewan, read T.W. Paterson's article on the Noble past of The HMCS Saskatchewan:
HMCS SASKATCHEWAN HAD A NOBLE PAST
Looking Back Article by T.W. Paterson, Harbour City Star, February 13, 2001
"The bottom of the sea is a funny place for a piece of Canadian prairies, but there you have it since the sinking of HMCS Saskatchewan as an artificial reef, in 1997.
Our second Mackenzie class destroyer escort, she was commissioned at Esquimalt's Yarrows Ltd., Feb. 16, 1963. At 366 feet long, with a 42-foot beam and a displacement of 2,900 tons (fully loaded) she had a top speed of 28 knots and a complement of 230 officers and men.
Built when Canada's destroyers were internationally renowned as 'Cadillacs', Saskatchewan honoured the river of that name, rather than the province, and was the second ship of this name to serve the Royal Canadian Navy.
Her ship's badge shows a sheaf of wheat imposed on a green field, with a wavy white and rad diagonal strip denoting a river. All colours are derived from the province of Saskatchewan's coat of arms.
Her predecessor was commissioned in the Royal Navy in 1935 as HMS Fortune, of the Fearless destroyer class. During the first 3½ years of the Second World War, she steamed more than 2000,000 miles (that's eight times around the world), participated in the Norwegian campaign and the occupation of Iceland, and shared in the sinking of the U-27, U-24 and the Vichy French submarine, Ajax.
While serving out of Malta in May 1941, she was badly damaged by bombs that required six months to repair.
In 1943, after two years with the Eastern Fleet, Fortune was renamed Saskatchewan and transferred to the RCN at London. She joined Escort Group C-3 after refit, trials and workups, for convoy escort duty in the North Atlantic. Saskatchewan and her sisters escorted no fewer than 14 convoys in nine months until withdrawn in May, 1944 to begin special training off Londonderry, North Ireland in preparation for the invasion of Europe.
In June, she helped to patrol the English Channel "as part of a barrier" to prevent U-boats from attacking the invasion route to the Normandy beaches.
During an offensive patrol in the Bay of Biscay, the Canadian managed to destroy three enemy ships and complete further patrols in British waters before Saskatchewan was ordered back to Canada for refit in august, 1944. She spent the last five months of the war as an escort vessel, returned to Canada after V-E Day, and rounded out an outstanding career as a troop transport.
Paid off for disposal on Jan. 28, 1946, the weary destroyer was sold for scrap, leaving three hard-won battle honours: Atlantic - 1943-1944, Normandy - 1944,
Biscay - 1944.
There's even more naval history behind Saskatchewan than this. The only naval engagement of the Riel Rebellion was fought on the South Saskatchewan River (Kisikatchewan - rapid river in Cree), in 1885. Government forces requisitioned the stern-wheel steamer Northcote, armed her with a Gatling gun and 50 soldiers, armour-plated here with planks and sandbags, and sent her against the rebels at Batoche.
But they riddled here in small arms crossfire and launched another riverboat into her path, damaging the Northcote and forcing her withdrawal.
In 1968, the latest HMCS Saskatchewan sustained extensive damage from striking a rock at the eastern entrance to Active Pass and again, two years later, off Roberts Bank. Both accidents resulted in courts martial and severe reprimands for her respective captains.
In 1997 HMCS Saskatchewan touched sea bottom for the last time, just three km from Nanaimo. She and several sister destroyers have been sunk as artificial reefs and tourist attractions for divers in recent years, with HMCS Cape Breton to soon follow."
SNORKEL WITH THE SEALS
Spend a few exciting hours snorkeling with up to 250 harbour seals that reside at Snake Island in beautiful Nanaimo! This is an accessible year-round adventure for all capable swimmers in your family aged 12 and over! It’s sure to be the highlight of your Vancouver Island wilderness experience. Be prepared for a good frolic with the seals and some close encounters of the photography kind. These playful characters are as curious about you as you are about them!
While you’re observing and interacting with the harbour seals, look around you and discover some of the other fascinating marine life in our waters. There are countless varieties of bright and beautiful starfish for you to gaze upon. Anemones clinging to the rocks and forests of kelp will keep you entranced. Crab and other crustaceans are jostling about for nutrients. The magic and mystery of the sea will unfold in front of you!
Marlene has been out several times with guests of Ocean Explorers to swim with the seals. Marlene's snorkelled all over Asia, Turkey and even been swimming with the dolphins in Florida. She finds snorkeling at Snake Island to be a much more exciting and natural experience and certainly a lot more affordable! For less than you'll pay in other parts of the world, you get a much better, more natural eco-adventure!
Do you need experience? Certainly not, but you do need to be comfortable in the water and to know how to swim. Ocean Explorers staff are qualified to coach you on the finer skills of snorkeling. Is the water cold? Hey, this is Canada, not the Caribbean. It's a little chilly but the wetsuit that's supplied will keep you warm. It's a really comfortable way to spend the afternoon and when you've had enough, just climb back onto the boat and you're 10 minutes away from home! Will it be crowded? YES with seals, not people! This absolutely thrilling eco-adventure is in it's infancy, so no there won't be lots of other people out there, just lots of Harbour Seals!
According to Lonely Planet, snorkeling with the seals is the #1 attraction in Sydney Australia. Why let them have all the fun? Do it here for a lot less money!
For more information on current package rates and to book visit Ocean Explorers website now or call 1-800-233-4145.
Your exciting 2 hour snorkel includes:
Satisfaction Guaranteed snorkeling with Ocean Explorers Diving, B.C.’s #1 Charter Operator
Professional snorkel coaching
Wet suit, boots, gloves, mask, snorkel & fins
Boat transportation on a Coast Guard certified vessel
All the time you need to fully enjoy this great natural experience (usually 1 to 1.5 hours, depending on the other members of your group!)
Learn more about Harbour Seals
Harbour Seals, (Phoca Vitulina) belong to the scientific order Pinnipedia, which includes seals, sea lions and walruses.
Seals differ from sea lions in a number of ways, including having shorter, stouter flippers, and no visible ear flaps.
The harbor seal is probably the most wide-ranging and abundant pinniped. Four subspecies inhabit northern Pacific and Atlantic coastlines. A fifth subspecies, Phoca vitulina mellonae, is a landlocked group of harbor seals living in a freshwater lake called Seal Lake in Quebec.
The most abundant subspecies is P.v. richardsi—an estimated 200,000 individuals inhabit the eastern North Pacific from the Pribilof Islands to Baja California, Mexico.
Male harbor seals reach lengths of about 2.0 m (6.6 ft.) and weigh as much as 170 kg (375 lb.). Females are slightly smaller, measuring up to 1.7 m (5.6 ft.) and weighing in at about 150 kg (331 lb.).
Harbor seals swim with alternate back-and-forth movements of their hind flippers.
Harbor seals can remain submerged for up to 28 minutes and dive to depths of 90 m (295 ft.), however, they routinely forage in shallower waters. Harbor seals feed on squids, crustaceans, mollusks, and fishes.
Unlike most other pinnipeds, harbor seals are generally solitary and rarely interact with one another. When hauled out, adults maintain a meter or more (several feet) between them. Harbor seals are not highly communicative, but if threatened a seal may respond by snorting, growling, lunging or scratching.
Harbor seals along the Pacific coast usually give birth between February and July. The well-developed pup may measure up to 100 cm (39 in.) and weigh 12 kg (26 lb.). A pup nurses for four to six weeks. Its mother’s milk, containing as much as 45% milk fat, enables the pup to more than double its weight by the time it’s weaned.
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