Sidney offers the charm and character of a seaside town complete with a wonderful variety of activites and shopping. Sidney itself is usually the starting point for some of the best diving around southern Vancouver Island. The ferry terminals outbound from this town allow divers to “island hop” around the Southern Gulf Islands and have access to mainland British Columbia and Washington State. Nearby Sidney Spit Marine Park offers hiking trails along the beach, camping, and picniking. Sidney’s newest edition to aiding marine education, is the Shaw Ocean Discovery Center. This educational marine habitat is providing visitors with a look into our little diving paradise we call Southern Vancouver Island. Please check it out.
Wreck of the GB Church
Wreck of the HMCS Mckenzie
Isabella Islet
Grahams Wall
Sidney Pier Reef Balls
Arbutus Island
Saanich Inlet
Saanich Inlet is located near Sidney on the southeastern part of Vancouver Island. The inlet's large expanse provides an exellent opportunity to dive year round. During the winter months you can enjoy the multitude of shore and boat dives with crystal clear visibility. Durning the summer, the visability drops slightly, however this is due to the increase of sunlight and the kelp and plankton blooms. These blooms provide shelter and food for a tremendous amount of marine life. Saanich Inlet holds a wealth of variety, with its deep walls, rock formations and shallow bays; each can provide a memorable diving experience.
