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Dive Review of God's Pocket Resort in
Canada/Northern Vancouver Island

God's Pocket Resort, Sep, 2005,

by Sandra Cohen, wa, USA . Report 1978.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 5 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving 3 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ N/A
Beginners 4 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments Every year we dive for 5 days in September with a group of about a dozen friends at God's Pocket. Owners Bill and Annie have made this THE best place for diving in the Pacific Northwest.

The very comfortable land-based motel-style accommodations (every convenience you could possibly need, but nothing over-the-top luxurious) are just a few minutes from the fabulous sites in Browning Pass. There is a large sundeck on pilings (complete with campfire pit) so you can enjoy lounging there between dives if you are lucky (as we were this year) to have calm sunny days. Food is always plentiful and delicious, and conversation around the table is lively.

The boat is very comfortable for about 12 divers, and you can go into the boat's cabin "wet." Bill will take you on 2 or 3 boat dives daily, depending on what you prefer; he tries very hard to accommodate the group's preferences as to dive sites. Night dives are available off the dock or from the boat, too. Most dives are at or on both sides of slack, but no one should be here who can't manage some current. (There are some dives suitable for relative beginners, but to fully experience the area you should be very comfortable in a dry suit and in current.)

This year we saw numerous humpbacked whales (never while we were underwater, however!), sea lions, and Pacific white-sided dolphins. Also wolf eels and octopus in large numbers, and many kinds and numbers of rockfish and greenling. The search for nudibranchs is always rewarding.

Electric power is on 24 hours a day, from batteries charged by a wind turbine and a very quiet unobtrusive generator that only runs a few hours a day. Kayaks are available to borrow, free.

The two best things about God's Pocket are the brilliant, colorful diving (amazing red soft corals, bright sponges and anemones, nudibranchs, wolf eels, octopus, schools of fishes) AND the warmth and friendliness of Bill, Annie, and their hardworking staff. They love what they do in this remote part of the continent, and their love of the place and its critters is contagious.

Suggestions: The nearest dive shop and town are an hour's boat ride away in Port Hardy ($200 for a water taxi), so be self-contained as to repair/replacement parts. Bring a drysuit (unless you are internally steam heated), bring all the batteries you will need, bring your own wine and beer and pop if you will want any. Weight belts are provided, as are steel and aluminum tanks. Nitrox and argon are available for extra charge. All bedding, towels, etc. are provided. It can rain a lot on the coast, so rubber boots are handy any time of year.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 251-500 dives
Where else diving Palau, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Red Sea, Great Barrier Reef, Belize, BVI, Puget Sound and Strait of Juan de Fuca (State of Washington)
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, dry Seas calm
Water Temp 48-50°F / 9-10°C Wetsuit Thickness 0
Water Visibility 40-80 Ft/ 12-24 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Must show C card to dive. Required a minimum PSI when back on boat. That PSI depended on whether using steel or aluminum tanks. (Your choice.) Good fills all the time.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins Schools Whale Sharks None
Turtles None Whales >2
Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 1 stars
Small Critters 4 stars Large Fish 1 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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