Five Favourite Dive Sites

We regularly visit approximately twenty sites around southern Hornby and Denman Islands. Here are a few of our favourites.

Flora Islet

This is where we dive to see the sixgill sharks.

Very close to shore, a sheer wall of conglomerate rock drops off in steps to depths of hundreds of feet. This is a continuation of the famous Helliwell Bluffs underwater. You can pick a shelf at the right depth for you and follow it along.

The life on this wall is varied and colourful. Large lingcod, schools of quillback rockfish, juvenile herring and clusters of ghostly white cloud sponges are plentiful on this dive.

Toby Islet

Another great wall dive, this one very close to home (only about a two-minute boat ride away).

A great site for consistent sightings of octopus and wolf eels, also well known for its crimson anemones and clown shrimp.

Norris Rocks

This is a very popular winter dive. A huge herd of Stellar's and California sea lions haul out here as they wait for the herring spawn in early March. In the summer the rock is covered with a flock of nesting glaucous-winged gulls, and year round it is a popular haulout for shy Harbour seals.

This rolling sandstone reef is also home to wolf eels, carpets of hydroid colonies, colourful tube worms and large Puget Sound king crabs.

Chrome Island Light Station

Chrome Island has been in operation as a lighthouse since 1891. In December of 1900, the SS Alpha was wrecked by striking the island during a storm.

Large sections of hull plating are still intact. Machinery such as winches are also present.

This is a shallow dive (12 m/40' max), a good spot to see heart crabs, juvenile Puget Sound king crabs and wolf eels while exploring a historic shipwreck.

Ford Reef

This shore dive is practically in our front yard. An eelgrass meadow slopes to a rock drop off, broken boulders, and then flattens into sandflats.

Great both by day and by night, this dive is loved by open water students and professional photographers alike.

Heart crabs, baby ratfish and sailfin sculpins are all found here, along with Northern Sunstars, sea peaches and a variety of nudibranchs.

A new addition is the wreck of the fishing vessel
Carloda N.

Diving Around Hornby Island
Sixgill Sharks
Sea Lions
Local Diving Conditions
Five Favourite Dive Sites
Diving Experience Required