Ten Mile Point

Ten Mile Point

Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
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Difficulty
beginner
Viz (last reported 153330h ago)
Max Depth
32.8 ft

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at Ten Mile Point

Ten Mile Point can offer some great sights for the advanced diver. A constant current of varying strength keeps this area alive with sea life. You can stay in the shallows to explore the shore, or quickly drop down to 30 meters to investigate the nearby wall. Our best advice is to get a map of Victoria once you arrive, and locate the general area of the point in the Cadboro Bay district. Find Tudor Ave which runs the length of the small peninsula, and head Southeast. Tudor will eventually bend to the left; in 300m, take a right on Baynes Road, then a left on White Rock. You'll see the intersection below. Ten Mile Point is also known as Whiterock Street.
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Rockfish Divers
Rockfish Divers
Victoria, British Columbia
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Dive and Sea Sports
Dive and Sea Sports
New Westminster, British Columbia
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UBC Aqua Society
UBC Aqua Society
Vancouver, British Columbia
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Ocean Pro Divers
Ocean Pro Divers
Surrey, British Columbia
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Sundown Diving
Sundown Diving
Nanaimo, British Columbia
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Zentacle
Zentacle
Sep 21, 2021, 1:07 AM
scuba
The rocks are difficult to negotiate, so choose your entry carefully. Remember to swim into the current to make sure you can easily return to the entry point. The Point is off to the right. This is the intersection of White Rock and Spring Bay. The entry is straight ahead.
Mark in BC
Mark in BC
May 5, 2005, 12:00 AM
scuba
Possibly Victoria's best unknown dive site with good diving at slack and shore access drift dives. Definitively for experienced (20+ dives) since the variable speeds will have an effect. Right in front of the entry point is great at slack for all kinds of sculpins, even the odd Cabazon, with lots of sea animals and vegetation. For those looking to fly though, the drift is the option for you. The most you want to depart in about 1.5 knots, as it can reach up 6.0 to 7.0 knots during high winter exchanges in my knowledge. Great fun with a big group, but parking is limited. Another option is to drift all the way from Spring Bay to the Ten Mile exit point. Entry and Exit points take some navigating, though, but good fun.
Originally posted on shorediving.com
Bryan Heit
Bryan Heit
Sep 5, 2004, 12:00 AM
scuba
I've already done a review of this site, but after another visit I thought I would add in a few things. First, this can be an exciting drift dive if you miss slack. Not a good idea for beginners or the faint-of-heart, but you can see a heck of a lot if you time your dive for when currents are moving about 1 knot. I wouldn't recommend taking it faster then this - currents can get up to 3.5 knots (or more?) at this site, and that would be plain scary. Best stuff is in the 70 foot to 90 foot range. If diving during slack try and stay immediately under the parking area - here is more diverse & a higher density of life under the parking lot. The amount of life dramatically drops as you move around the point. I couldn't even begin to describe what you'll see here - anemones so densely packed you can't see the wall behind it. Cold-water sponges and corals, barnacles, scallops, all kinds of rock fish, octopi, wolf eels, and if rumors are true - orcas. Definitely one of the top Victoria-area dives, and quite possibly my favorite shore dive in the world!
Originally posted on shorediving.com
Jack Littlepage
Jack Littlepage
Nov 21, 2003, 12:00 AM
scuba
(See a link to Jack's full commentary in the Dive Site Links section below)
Originally posted on shorediving.com
JS
JS
Aug 24, 2003, 12:00 AM
scuba
Hard to dispute the top shore in Victoria. Amazing life and lots of color. You can find almost any life these waters have to offer at this site. Although, with the rich filter feeder life comes …….current…. plan your dives and dive your plan. For experienced advanced divers, but so worth the trip.
Originally posted on shorediving.com
Bryan Heit
Bryan Heit
May 6, 2003, 12:00 AM
scuba
Incredible site, great drift/wall dive. The whole wall is carpeted in anemones. Fish abound, from small rock fish to huge ling cod. Some people have encountered Orca's here, and I've seen them swim just off the point. There are more species of invertebrates than I can name. Wolf-eels and octopi round out the animals here. You could dive this dive 100 times and not see everything. The only downside is that you MUST hit this dive at slack, preferably during a small tidal exchange. If hitting this dive during a large tidal exchange you only have a 10-20 minute window with low current.
Originally posted on shorediving.com
Elvis Biochem
Elvis Biochem
Apr 24, 2003, 12:00 AM
scuba
This is by far and away my favourite shore dive in BC!!! The area is prone to strong currents (so check your tide tables - approx. Race Passage - 15 min), but the reward is amazing sea life. Tons of colonial ascidians, sponge, lampshells, clown nudibranches, horseshoe sea squirts, cabezons, red Irish lords, giant rock scallops, etc... You can barely see the rocks. The steep wall bottoms out at about 80ft. Viz is never great, but most of the time it's ok...
Originally posted on shorediving.com
Anonymous
Anonymous
Mar 9, 2003, 12:00 AM
scuba
Colourful jam-packed wall. Anemones, cup corals tunicates, zoanthids, sponges, etc. Lots of red Irish lords, rockfish and huge cabezon. Definitely bring a light to see all the colour. Sometimes visibility is really good and sometimes really bad. Arrive early and wait for slack (important).
Originally posted on shorediving.com
Heather
Heather
Aug 16, 2002, 12:00 AM
scuba
Ten-mile is by far the best site I have visited near Victoria. The dive must be timed close to slack tide to be most enjoyable (otherwise you'll end up hanging on to the kelp for fear of being swept away) but when timed correctly you drift leisurely along a stunning wall covered in plumose anemones, crabs and other micro-fauna. Easy exit on a boat ramp allows you to make a short walk back to where your vehicle is parked.
Originally posted on shorediving.com
Neil Lake
Neil Lake
Dec 10, 2001, 12:00 AM
scuba
A truly awesome current swept dive site. Best dived during the slack which permits a 20-30 min dive in which you will see absolutely amazing marine life. Perhaps the widest selection of BC marine life in one shore diveable site. Highly recommended site but best dived with local guidance if possible.
Originally posted on shorediving.com
Ian Cox
Ian Cox
Oct 22, 2001, 12:00 AM
scuba
Great dive, but hit it at slack, unless you want a drift dive. Fairly easy entry, just take the rocks nice and slow. Plenty of life, including octopus, sponges of all colours, fish, crabs.... It's pretty much an interactive aquarium. I try to dive it every time I'm on the Island.
Originally posted on shorediving.com
Terry Russell
Terry Russell
Oct 5, 2001, 12:00 AM
scuba
A wall dive with the bottom at 85 ft. Lots of fish and sea life .This is a marine park with lots of current. Use the current tables from Race passage to hit the weakest current. Enter on the rock bluff and usually exit around the corner. Lots of well established sea life. one of the better sites in Victoria.
Originally posted on shorediving.com
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