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Dive Review of Rendezvous Diving/Renezvous Lodge in
Canada/Vancouver Island, BC

Rendezvous Diving/Renezvous Lodge, Jul, 2002,

by Jill Rain, WA, USA . Report 55.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 4 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 4 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 4 stars Shore Diving 1 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ N/A
Beginners 3 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments Rendezvous Lodge, in Barkley Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island, is remote - they book groups of 10 for minimum 3-day 8-dive stays. Assemble your own group or sign up for the package with a Northwest dive shop (Anacortes Diving and Supply goes there thrice yearly). Bring all your own gear including spares (I had to borrow when one of my gloves was taken by an octpus - really). RL accessible only by boat 2 hrs from Pt. Alberni, nearest town. Tall A-frame "vertical lodge" tucked into rocky wilderness cliffside. 5 double-occupancy rooms, powered by generator/battery, hot water, 2 bathrooms (one with shower), drying room. Dramatic setting and views but also homey, comfortable atmosphere (couches, books, dogs). Run by the gracious, friendly and very competent Christies: Renate (who among other things, such as beating off bears) does the cooking (old-fashioned, delicious in every way, plentiful, eaten at a big table family-style) and Dave (who also among other things such as collecting mussels for red-tide testing) drives the boat, chooses dive sites and gives briefings - he has dived every wall and pinnacle in B. Sound from 30 years experience. Leisurely 2-tank day trip includes hot homemade soup for lunch with long surface interval at quiet bay, beach or hamlet of Bamfield. Switch your own tanks on board for second dive - morning and night-3rd dive tanks filled with compressor at RL dock. Boat anchors, buddy teams (required - if you don't come with one, you will be assigned) descend anchor line, dive own profile and come back up. Poor navigators may have to do green-water ascent - try to avoid this! Currents can be strong in top 20', generally minimal to moderate at depth. Bob and Kelley (owners + instructors of Anacortes D & S) monitor and rearrange teams for best experience and safety, stepping in to buddy a less-experienced diver, and provide help generally (including optional argon pony bottle and fills if previously arranged) - plus a lot of enthusiasm and extensive knowledge of the ecosystem. No nitrox at present. No film processing, however it seemed at least half the photographers were digital. Camera rinse tank provided on board. Octopus and wolf-eels on most dives, often out in the open - these guys were BIG! but receptive to respectful fondling. Abundant nudibranchs, anemones, seastars, abs, sponges, brittle stars, giant rock scallops, rockfish, greenling, huge lincod, ratfish, baitballs. Saw a humpback whale, seals, sea lions from the boat + lots of eagles. The viz, diversity, abundance and size of marine life is superior to Puget Sound diving and the ambience of Rendezvous Lodge makes this a memorable expedition.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 101-250 dives
Where else diving Caribbean, Baja, Australia, PacNW
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, cloudy Seas calm, choppy, surge, currents, noCurrents
Water Temp 48-50°F / 9-10°C Wetsuit Thickness 0
Water Visibility 40-50 Ft/ 12-15 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions 500 psi
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles None Whales 1 or 2
Corals 2 stars Tropical Fish 1 stars
Small Critters 5 stars Large Fish 4 stars
Large Pelagics 1 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments [None]
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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