HMCS MacKenzie

Level: advanced

How to get there: Take the ferry to Victoria and arrange a charter through one of the dive shops. Or call West Coast Dive Services (604-541-9948) to arrange one out of Crescent Beach.

Facilites: None other than as provided by the charter.

Hazards: Currents and the wreck itself.

How to dive this site: There are three marker buoys on the wreck, and well as three mooring buoys. Tie up at one of the mooring buoys and descend down the line. All the lines will take you directly to the ship, which lies in about 100 feet of water. The ARSBC has done a great job of cutting access holes, but remember: Penetration should be done by trained wreck divers with proper equipment. There's lots to see without going in.

What to see: The life on this artificial reef increases constantly. The ship is covered in scallops, shrimp, and small sculpins. There are lingcod and cabezons, rockfish, and kelp greenlings. Nudibranchs. Decorator crabs. Inside the ship there are signs of octopus as crabshells litter the floor. Plumose anemones. On the surface, we have seen seals, sea lions, porpoises, and even a pod of killer whales.

For more info on the wreck, try Wreck Diving British Columbia. This site provides some of the background on this and the other wrecks sunk as artificial reefs, as well as some neat pictures and videos.

My tally: 6 dives

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