In Vancouver Island North, another world awaits your discovery under the ocean’s surface. Vancouver Island North is home to some of the best cold-water diving on the planet, as noted by renowned National Geographic Explorer, Jacques Cousteau. The remote, pristine waters here are a haven for an abundance of colourful underwater life and the cold water and currents of winter and shoulder season create exceptional, clear conditions. Due to the temperature, dry suits are vital in keeping divers warm.
On a visit to Vancouver Island North, you can scuba dive, freedive, and snorkel around sheer walls, historic wrecks, underwater canyons, and vibrant reefs. Just some of the species you might see range from nudibranchs with their vast spread of otherworldly colours and patterns, sea stars, and anemones, along with a complex variety of fish, eels, the Giant Pacific Octopus, and incredible kelp forests. Spearfishers may be able to catch greenling, rockfish, and lingcod, while hand harvesters delight in scallops, king crab, oysters, seaweed, and sea cucumbers. Check Fisheries and Oceans Canada for which seasonal fisheries are open during your visit, along with any closed and protected areas and daily personal limits.
Many of the best diving sites in Vancouver Island North are remote and accessed by rugged logging roads or by boat. We thoroughly recommend embarking on a cold water diving adventure with a local operator who knows the tides, currents, and areas well, can provide insider tips, and has the transport and insight to get you to and from the best spots.
Sun Fun Divers hosts custom day trips for a minimum of 4 people from Port Hardy and Port McNeill between May and October. UB Diving Ltd provides scuba diving courses and tours out of Port Hardy to Browning Passage and dive hotspots like Browning Wall and Seven Tree Island. Their trips take place over three days with a goal of two or three separate dives per day depending on conditions.
Diving in God’s Pocket Provincial Park
Off the east coast of Vancouver Island North, to the north of Port Hardy, you’ll uncover the renowned diving site of God’s Pocket Provincial Park. The strong currents and cold water here are what make the diving so incredible, but to navigate them safely it’s important to tap into local expertise. Divers can stay right in the action and minimize travel time each day by staying at God’s Pocket Resort which is open seasonally from March to October with different dive trip operators offering packages. Standard packages are offered by God’s Pocket Resort itself from March to May and August to October. They include six nights of accommodation with five full days of three boat dives each day and the option of a night dive.
Local underwater photographer, whale researcher, and diver, Jackie Hildering, known as The Marine Detective, hosts her sought-after dive trips for highly experienced divers to God’s Pocket Provincial Park. For 2025, these take place in April and October and last four or five days. Immerse in the underwater spectacle of these waters and tap into Jackie’s extensive knowledge of the unique marine life found here. If you’re not an experienced diver or can’t make a dive trip with The Marine Detective, Jackie’s photography and captions is also a fun place to start building your intrigue and knowledge of our waters before you arrive.
Diving on the West Coast of Vancouver Island North
On the west coast of Vancouver Island North, protected bays, inlets with steep walls, and quiet provincial parks provide excellent dive sites. This area is particularly remote so extensive water and dive safety is of paramount importance. You should also always make sure to give marine mammals, like seals, sea otters, and whales, at least 200m of distance. It is illegal to intentionally swim with or interact with a marine mammal in BC.
Head to Quatsino Sound via Winter Harbour (about 75km from Port Hardy via logging road) or by water taxi from Port Alice or Coal Harbour to explore Quatsino Narrows. The heart of this area is marine access only, so travel by kayak and spend a few days camping in the undeveloped Quatsino Provincial Park or stay in Quatsino and hire a local water taxi each day.
Around the southern edges of Vancouver Island North, Zeballos is a popular launch point for local scuba diving in Zeballos Inlet, Kyuquot Sound, and the appropriately named “Gardens of Zeballaos” that team with life. Access to Zeballos is via logging roads between Woss and Nimpkish Lake. Make sure you are prepared for rough roads and limited (or no) cell service. Kyuquot Sound is also accessed along this route by boat launch or charter from Fair Harbour Marina & Campground, owned by the Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h’ First Nation.