Scuba Diving Charters

Why dive on vancouver island?

Vancouver Island scuba diving is known as some of the most colourful and diverse on the planet. Come face to face with a giant pacific octopus, seals, sea lions, or maybe even a pair of mated wolf eels. If that’s not enough, you can drift along the beautiful reefs or explore one of the many historic shipwrecks. See why Jacques Cousteau rated this region one of the best in the world!

COMOX / HORNBY ISLAND DIVING CHARTERS

If you are looking for a true Big Animal Encounter, then join us for our Comox Diving Charters.

We visit Hornby Island and the surrounding area where we see a diversity of large animals including Steller and California sea lions, wolf eels, giant Pacific octopus and much more.

CAMPBELL RIVER DIVING CHARTERS

Discovery Passage has some of the highest volume of tidal flow in the world, providing nutrient-rich waters to nourish the plethora of marine animals. There are dozens of popular dive sites including Copper Cliffs, Whiskey Point, Steep Island and the impressive 366’ wreck of the HMCS Columbia.

TECHNICAL DIVE CHARTERS / WRECK TREK

British Columbia has a rich maritime history, and central Vancouver Island is no exception. Join us on the wreck diving trip of a lifetime.

SS Capilano (1915)
MV Gulfstream (1947)
Tug Shamrock (1926)
HMCS Columbia (1996)
YOGN-82 (2018)
May Island ferry

AFTER WORK DIVES - CAMPBELL RIVER

Join us for our After Work Dives in the spectacular Discovery Passage! We’ll depart Campbell River in the evening for a single tank dive at one of the best sites in the area, including: Row and be Damned, Whiskey Point, Steep Island, and more.

Discovery Passage has some of the fastest tidal currents in the world which supports a plethora of marine life. We’ve chosen charter dates based on the best currents through the summer!

Images by Maxwel Hohn and Russell Clark

Welcome Aboard Big Animal Encounters

Based in Campbell River and Comox on beautiful Vancouver Island. We’re a passionate and professional team of wildlife enthusiasts – and we can’t wait to welcome you aboard for the diving charter of a lifetime!

Click below to learn more about us and meet our crew.

General Information

Dive charters are not guided
Cold water diving is challenging. Entry level, warm water divers may require an environmental orientation prior to boat charters
Campbell River and Technical/Wreck Trek charters are suitable for experienced cold water divers
We do not offer rental equipment, however we do work with a local dive centre and can make arrangements to have your gear delivered to the boat
Due to tidal considerations, we will contact you within 48 hours of your Campbell River charter to confirm your meet time

Wrek Trek Weekend

Labor Day weekend saw eight of us exploring five of the wrecks in the beautiful waters off Courtney and Campbell River. Bill Coltart from Big Animal Encounters was a superb host and Trish is rapidly getting her legs as a first class boat Captain. Pacific Seeker and Atta-Tude are great dive boats with room for all our gear and indoor comfort for those surface intervals. The diving was superb as expected, but BAE know their stuff. Humpback whales during one surface interval, a superb lunch at Lund Landing on another. They make a good weekend a great weekend. Not a diver? No worries BAE will show you the west coast waters of BC as you have never seen it before.

Epic dive trip

Three days of epic diving, Bill took us to some of the best wreck diving sites on the west coast. He and his crew makes us feel like we’re among friends every time on board, wether you’re on board for the first time or have been many times.

Fantastic adventure

This was my third trip with Big Animal Encounters and it was definitely the best! The skipper Chris was friendly, knowledgeable and ensured I was having a great time. Dive master Trish was also friendly and knowledgeable of the area and the animals that were in the area. I felt safe and relaxed the whole time. Really appreciate that they were able to pick me up at my hotel as well.