Rocky Point, Nanaimo: Scuba Diving Pictures

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Braemar Ave in North Saanich, B.C.
Breakwater Island near Gabriola Pass, B.C.
Browning Passage near Port Hardy, B.C.
Browning Wall near Port Hardy, B.C.
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Clover Point in Victoria, B.C.
Copper Cliffs near Campbell River, B.C.
Daphne Islet near Brentwood Bay
Deep Cove near Sidney, B.C.
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Elliot's Beach Park in Ladysmith, B.C.
Five Fathom near Port Hardy, B.C.
Forest Island (north end) near Sidney, B.C.
GB Church [ship to reef] near Sidney, B.C.
Gowland Point on South Pender Island, B.C.
Henderson Point near Sidney, B.C.
Madrona Point in Nanaimo, B.C.
Maple Bay near Duncan, B.C.
McKenzie Bight near Victoria, B.C.
McNeill Point aka Kitty Islet in Victoria, B.C.
Neck Point in Nanaimo, B.C.
Northeast Pearse Wall, Telegraph Cove, B.C.
Ogden Point in Victoria, B.C.
Porteau Cove Marine Park, B.C.
Port McNeil, B.C.
Rocky Point in Nanaimo, B.C.
Row & Be Damned near Campbell River, B.C.
Saltery Bay near Powell River,B.C.
Saxe Point in Esquimalt, B.C.
Sidney, B.C.
Ten Mile Point in Victoria, B.C.
Wall Beach near Nanoose Bay, B.C.
Whytecliff Park near Vancouver, B.C.
Willis Point near Sidney, B.C.

International
Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii, USA
Kaui - an Island of Hawaii, USA

Aquatic but Non-Marine Life
Vancouver Island, B.C.

Scuba Diving Pictures from Rocky Point in Nanaimo, B.C. Canada
These are medium quality jpegs. But I have the RAW images as well.
Email tjfidler@telus.net
Directions to the dive site located at the bottom of this page.
Type of dive: shore dive / boat dive
Rating for this dive site: 6/10 depending on what critters are in the area at the time.
Parking: Lots of space here. See picture of parking lot below.
Bathroom/Washroom/Toilet: Not on site.
Boat ramp: An old one is here, but is blocked by metal posts.
Ease of entry: [Wheel chair access: No]
Abundance of life: 6/10 depending on the time of year.
Accommodations: There are several places in Nanaimo that you could find lodging at. Including Hotels, Inns, Motels and Campgrounds.
Attractions: Shallow depths, and current does not seem to be much of an issue here.
Bottom and depth: Rocky near shore, but quickly turns to sand. Depth of around 40 feet [~13 metres].
Facilities:
Hazards/Obstacles:
Sensitivity to tide/current:
Terrain: sandy areas immediately off shore, solid rock close in to shore, as well as rock from small to large boulders
Tides, transportation and weather: Fisheries and Oceans Canada Tide Page., BC Ferries Schedule and Sailings. , The Weather Network

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The following images are thumbnails. If you click on them a larger image will open up and the picture will take up most of your screen. Again these are medium qualifty jpegs. Higher quality images can be purchased directly from me via paypal using my email address tjfidler@telus.net And many of these photos can be found for sale on Cafepress through the Calendar link and Photo CD link.

Rocky Point


Rocky Point parking lot ( January 23, 2006)	Boat Launch (No longer used by boats) ( January 23, 2006)

Bear at the entrance to the parking lot for Rocky Point. Only about a metre [yard] tall.

A few people have already asked me about "What is that pink stuff on the rocks in some of the pictures?" Well, they're usually Pink Rock Crust (aka Encrusting Coralline Algae) or in some cases might even be Encrusting Hydrocorals. They're eaten by a variety of animals - apparently as a good source of calcium.

Octopus

Baby octopus sitting in a moon snail shell. ( December 23, 2007 )
Unfortunately I was not able to get a better close up.

Chitons


Not sure of name ( January 23, 2006)	Not sure of name ( January 23, 2006)


Bering Hermit Crab [Pagurus beringanus] wearing Moon Snail Shell ( January 23, 2006)	Bering Hermit Crab [Pagurus beringanus] wearing Sponge ( January 23, 2006)

Young Bering Hermit Crab [Pagurus beringanus] ( April 16, 2006)	Young Bering Hermit Crab [Pagurus beringanus] ( April 16, 2006) This photo also appears on the marine-life calendar 2009 for Underwater Life of the Pacific Northwest. North America 2009 Calendar v01

Black Eyed Hermit Crab [Pagurus armatus] ~ 3 inches [7.5 cm] wide. Note that this one is wearing a sponge instead of a snail shell. ( December 23, 2007)	Decorator Crab of some kind. ( April 16, 2006)

Red Rock Crab [Cancer productus] ~ 10 inches [25 cm] wide. ( December 23, 2007 ) As usual this one is particially buried in the sand.	Red Rock Crab [Cancer productus] ( December 23, 2007 ) Nice side profile that you don't often get a chance to take.

Decorator Crab of some kind. ( December 23, 2007 )


Black Eyed Goby [Rhinogobiops nicholsii] (?) (January 23 , 2006)	Black Eyed Goby [Rhinogobiops nicholsii] (?) (January 23 , 2006)

Goby or Ronquil ? (April 16 , 2006)	Pacific Staghorn Sculpin [Leptocottus armatus] ( December 23, 2007 )

Grunt Sculpin [Rhamphocottus richardsonii] ~ 4 inches [10 cm] long. ( December 23, 2007 )

Sea Slugs (Nudibranchs)


Yellow Margin Dorid (January 23 , 2006)	Giant Dendronotid [Dendronotus iris] (January 23 , 2006)


Sea Anemone (January 23 , 2006)	Sea Anemone (January 23 , 2006)

Giant Plumose Anemone [Metridium farcimen] - using external flash. (April 16 , 2006)	Giant Plumose Anemone [Metridium farcimen] - using natural light. (April 16 , 2006)

Tube Dwelling Anemone (April 16 , 2006)

Sea Cucumbers ( Class Holothuroidea ) - Also Echinoderms (Actually related to starfish)


Sea Cucumber ( January 23, 2006)	Pale Sea Cucumber (April 16 , 2006)

Feeding Sea Cucumber (April 16 , 2006)


Morning Sunstar ( January 23, 2006)	Juvenile Sunflower Starfish (January 23, 2006)

Sea Urchin ( January 23, 2006)	Sunflower Starfish - about 3 feet ( 1 metre ) across. (April 16 , 2006)

Leather Star (April 16 , 2006)	Vermilion Starfish (April 16 , 2006)

Spiny Mud Star ( December 23, 2007 )	Close up of the legs of a Spiny Mud Star ( December 23, 2007 ) These star fish can move very fast. No time lapse photography is necessary.

Spiny Pink Star ( December 23, 2007 )	A pink version of an Orange Sun Star ( December 23, 2007 )

Miscellaneous


Sponge (April 16 , 2006)	Shiny Orange Tunicate (April 16 , 2006)

Eggs of some kind. (April 16 , 2006)

Back to top.

Rocky Point
If you're starting out from the ferry terminal you need to get on to and follow Hammond Bay Road, and assuming your coming from the south, make a right onto Entwhistle Road and follow it until you can make a right onto Fillinger Crescent. Keep an eye out for the bear statue and the actual address is 5040 Fillinger Crescent. You should see the bears their holding the street address at the entrance of this old boat launch. Plenty of parking at this dive location. The waters here are fairly shallow and most of your diving will probably be above 50 feet [16 metres].

If you want to print out a map you can user either:

Google Maps : enter 5040 Fillinger Crescent Nanaimo BC

MapQuest : enter 5040 Fillinger Crescent for the Address, Nanaimo for the City, BC for the State/Province

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