Sunday Aug 28 charter to MV Gulf Stream wreck and Emmonds Reef

Gradient Charters  
next scheduled monthly $75  charter is  Sunday Aug 28th, 2011
The self guided dive charter will be leaving from Powell River's north  harbour new floats (at far north end of North harbour north of  small boat launch) at 9:45 AM  for  the Gulf Stream wreck and  Emmond's reef (NOTE this earlier departure time  will allow advanced deep certified divers an NDL look at  the MV Gulf Stream at low tide) . The Gulf Stream will be a last minute call based on the group ( # s and experience ) and  weather . Alternate sites  may be chosen at time of charter. Please book and secure a spot by  paying in advance at Alpha Dive or  Suncoast Diving with cash. Please  make your intentions known in advance and secure a spot by payment in full or deposit by Friday Aug 19 afternoon. 

A good day on Capilano wreck and Vivian wall

We had a great day of sun and very good sea conditions in the strait for a dive on the Capilano which was at about 134 feet to the bottom. Capilano was shrouded in the white plumose anemones and loads of rockfish of all types and many ling cod were around.
Second dive at the Vivian wall saw the rebreather guys viewing super sized cloud sponges and Yellow eye at around the 170 foot area.
It was good. Thanks to you all.

Red Flabellina's

 The visability has finally improved enough to take out the camera which has lain neglected for way too long. Visability still has a ways to go but i could not resist shooting the red flabellina's at the mermaid site who have been laying their egg ribbons for last couple weeks. We also saw plenty of fish and a freshly scraped mermaid who dodged the macro lens. Warm water , improving vis. Great afternoon dive.

July 24 monthly scheduled dive club charter

Thought I would post an update for the last super cheap monthly charter.
Due to increasing fuel costs specifically and increasing overall costs in general we will be increasing the monthly charter to a still incredibly low $75.  for Aug and thereafter


Gradient Charters  scheduled monthly $65  charter for Sunday July 24
self guided dive charter will be leaving from Powell River's north  harbour new floats, slip # 29   (at far north end of North harbour north of  small boat launch) at 10:30 for  the Capilano wreck and  Vivian wall . The Capilano will be a last minute call based on the
group ( # s and experience ), sea state and  weather . Alternate sites  may be chosen at time of charter. Please book and secure a spot by  paying in advance at Alpha Dive or  Suncoast Diving with cash. Please  make your intentions known in advance and secure a spot by Friday July  22  afternoon. At this time there are 4 spots left available. For the monthly charters I would like to remind everyone that all   divers  are to be certified at advanced open water , deep diver or   equivalent with proof of recently logged cold water dives as a minimum  standard to help with  overall dive safety, matching site choices to a  larger group and to assist group dynamics on unguided charters.  All certification level divers are welcome to call  604 483 9554 and   ask about  arranging  site and group specific charters at regular  rates. See Scott and Kathy at Alpha or Rob at Suncoast for upgrading  your certification to participate in the monthly scheduled charters.


Wayne, Andy and I took advantage of the great weather and were out in the middle of Georgia Strait south of Mittlenatch explore diving in the middle of last week.
I just got in from a dive at the Mermaid with Scott and Helen.We saw a few red flabellina nudibranchs in the process of laying egg ribbons . Congratulations Helen on completing your decompression procedures course. Vis has improved in the last couple weeks and is fair at about 60 plus feet  under 25 feet with a bit of particulate suspended in clumps . 
Water temp a balmy 48 deg F at 150 feet. Its great to see the vis improving

Monthly Sunday Charter

Many thanks again for the support of everyone who participated in today's first charter from newly redone  north harbour  of Powell River to Vivian Island wall.
Visability was fair under 50 feet. Water temp a balmy 48F at  about 120 feet.
We saw rockfish galore,some monstrous Puget Sound king crabs,  a decorated warbonnet hanging out in the boom chain fixing the float to the bottom, many king size ling cod and  numerous cloud sponges.
I will post the date of July's charter by the end of next week.

Reminder of June 26 Sunshine Coast Dive Club Charter

Hi I just wanted to post a reminder of this upcoming weekends charter

Gradient Charters June 26 scheduled $65.00 self guided dive charter will be leaving from Powell River's north harbour new floats, slip # 28   (at far north end of North harbour north of  small boat launch) at 10:30 for Vivian Island wall dive with second dive likely being on remains of tug Shamrock.We look forward to seeing you there. Please pay in advance at Alpha Dive,  Suncoast Diving or cash only on Sunday. Please make your intentions known in advance and secure a spot by Friday afternoon.



Hope to see you there!

Nanaimo Dives ,Cape Breton and Saskatchewan

No photo's of this one. Ouch!
 Visability was good at about 80+ feet.
I went  Sunday with Jim Rossi and a group from Greg McCraken's, Ocean Quest dive centre aboard Sea Dragon Charters ,Sea Dragon skippered by Mamro Adventures Dan Ferris.
I really must get on another of these with a camera in my hands. Coast guard hovercraft arrived and deployed surface supply divers on Saskatchewan  as we were doing our surface interval after dive on Cape Breton. We met one of these divers on our second dive on the Saskatchewan. There was plenty to see and lots of life on both of these artificial reef's. Jim and I saw the largest Yelloweye rockfish we have ever seen and Stuart's group saw a wolf eel on the Cape Breton. Both are amply covered in plumose anemones and present great diving for a broad spectrum of divers.

Many thanks to Jim, Greg , Dan and Christine for a great couple dives on two must see artificial reefs.