Vancouver July 17 and 20, 2011
Was in Vancouver on business. Arranged for a dive with Vancouver Scuba Diving School whose owner Mark Leichnitz also does guided tours. After I flew in Mark came to hotel and took me to a dive shop and I got fitted for heavy neoprene dive gear. 14/7 hooded wet suit, fins, boots, etc. 35 pounds of dive weights. Mark took rental gear and returned me to hotel.
Next morning Mark picked me up at 8 am (time was my choice) and we went to Whytecliff Park about 30 minutes from Vancouver up the fiord toward Whistler. Gorgeous park along a rocky coast. There are two or three sheltered coves. We could have gone in the shallow area but then a long swim to get past the dive class murk. So we went in the more interesting way. Hiked down a series of steps and pieces of trails to the end of a small cove in the cliff. Did dive 1 from here. After dive 1 we left gear on gravel beach and hiked empty tank up for SI. Brought full tank down and did second dive. End of dive 2 there was an interesting hike carrying the gear to the top. Could of made a couple trips but Mark and I did it in one. Chatted at the top, did a little tour of the park and admired the scenery, then Mark took me back to the hotel by 1:30. He took gear, rinsed it, and returned it to the shop.
Dove on July 17 and July 20. This page gives July 17. July 20 is here.
The Dives:
Water was 49 degrees. I was toasty warm in the wet suit. Had 5mm gloves also. First 15 ft of water had about 8-10 ft of viz (visability) but then viz opened up to 20 ft. Was a tad gloomy due to overcast sky and algae bloom overhead. Mark carries a camera with lights so they served to help light up the area around us. No appreciable current. Did most of our dives between 30 and 60 feet. Max depth of 71ft. Both dives a bit over 40 minutes long.
There were huge congregations of the large sunstars (1-3 ft across). In some cases they would cover the whole side of a cliff piled on each other. They came in several colors - orange, yellow, reddish, brown. Number of other stars. Some red and white ones. Fat orange ones. Saw a number of large purple ones over a foot across. Plus several other kinds of starfish
There were several kinds of large anemones. The most impressive were these large white (and orange) ones that were about 2 ft tall with large spreading tops. In some places they would completely cover the rocks and slope. Gave the place a very alien appearance. Kind of like touring the wreck in Aliens 1.
Also saw a number or rock cod and other fish including one small flounder.
Saw a lot of nudibranches. Were all one or two varieties which were white and sort of flat. Some had yellow rim and some appeared not to. Then there were cup corals, a shrimp, and various other small critters.
Tide dropped as the dives went on. At the end of the second dive the cove was empty and there were a few exposed rocks nearby. Mark pointed over my shoulder. I turned and there was a large seal laying on a rock watching us.
This was my first Pacific cold water dive. A most enjoyable and different experience.
Looking down at the cove after tide went out and we were done diving.
Starfish starting with the wall of sunstars.
Anemones, starting with the large ones from the Alien ship
Nudibranches and some other to be identified creature
There were a number of large and small fish
My new dive buddy
Couple pictures from the top of cliff over the cove. Next one is me. Note white seal on rock island below. That is the same seal in the picture above.
