Difficulty
Unrated
Viz (last reported 168705h ago)
Max Depth
Unknown
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at Old Government Wharf
You are diving on the remnants of an old government wharf which was destroyed in a severe storm. The bank head of the wharf is observable from the boat launch, off to your left, on the hill. You want to swim under this, at which point you then submerge and follow the wreckage out. The wharf used to be huge - over 20m/60' high, and 800m/0.5mi long! There is a lot to see as you follow the wreckage - coal cars, pilings, tanks, bottles, and lots of other debris. Not a lot of life, although the sandy regions in-between pieces of wreckage are home to all kinds of crabs, telias, sole, and other sand-feeders. Fish tend to congregate around some of the larger pieces of wreckage. Depth varies from 3m/10' to approx 20m/60'. A large portion of this dive is next to an active boat launch. Fly a flag. This dive is exposed directly to a channel, so be prepared for some current. Best dived at high tide - vis can be very poor at low tide. Also, at high tide you can escape (i.e. 'swim over' the crazy-glue like mud which is exposed at low tide.
Take the old island highway to Union Bay (located mid-way between Comox and Nanaimo). Park at the boat launch. The launch is also your entry point. There is a dive shop on the other side of the road. The owner is very familiar with the local sites, and has some of the cheapest air fills around.
Access
shore
Nearby Shops
Tide Report
5
4
3
2
1
(1)
Bryan Heit
Jul 8, 2005, 12:00 AM
scuba
An interesting place to look for artifacts. Not a whole lot of life, except for the large number of crabs. An interesting dive, although if you're in the area for one dive I would do the barge. Same entry point, a little farther of a swim, but much more to see then at the wharf. Also, like all other dives in this area, the vis here is highly variable. Hit it at high tide for the best vis.
Originally posted on shorediving.com
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