Victoria, British Columbia - January 2002
By Barbara Ballard
Winter is Prime Season for Diving off Vancouver Island
Most travelers associate water sports activity in British Columbia with the
summer season, when it's sunny and seawaters are warm and inviting for
fishing, kayaking, boating and snorkeling. However, when it comes to
diving, winter is actually the best season. That's when the waters of the
Strait of Georgia, the narrow body of water between the British Columbia
mainland and Vancouver, are exceptionally clear with visibility up to 100
feet. The reason is that the plankton population that normally clouds the
waters during the warmer summer months is minimal, allowing divers to
experience some of the most varied and spectacular temperate-water diving in the world.
The waters of the Strait of Georgia are known for their underwater cliffs
and abundant marine life. A highlight is wreck diving offshore, where the
Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia sunk six decommissioned
warships to create artificial reefs for fish and marine life. On October 20th, 2001, the world's largest diver-prepared artificial reef, The HMCS Cape Breton was sunk. This ship is a former Canadian Navy Victory ship, built in 1944 and when constructed, measured over 440 feet in length and more than 55 feet across.
Some of the most popular dive sites are off Nanaimo, which is located on the lower mid-island, and other communities to the north including Campbell River, Telegraph Cove and Port Hardy. Many of the coastal communities have well equipped dive shops offering wetsuits, dry suits, gear rentals and air tanks. They can also put diving enthusiasts in touch with charter dive boats and guides. For more information, visit the Artificial Reef Society of BC at www.hmcscapebreton.com.
New Paintings Added to Exhibit Chronicling Life and Work of Emily Carr
The Royal BC Museum has added 54 new works to its Emily Carr:
Eccentric, Artist, Author, Genius exhibit. The show is the first exhibit to
combine Carr's artwork with objects from her life. Carr, who was born
in Victoria in 1871 and is considered Canada's greatest female artist,
spent more than 40 years visiting the province's remote coastal villages to
document the landscapes and lives of the First Nations people.
In the renewed exhibit are four self-portraits showing Carr in unusual situations. One of the paintings, My Bed Somewhere in France (1911) was painted while she was ill during a study trip to France. Other treasures added include her watercolour paint box and six months from the calendar she painted featuring the humorous antics of her dog
Billie.
The show comprises about 80 framed oil and watercolour paintings, hundreds of sketches, cartoon drawings, plus diaries, letters and personal items that reveal the many, rarely-seen faces of Emily Carr. Many of the items in the exhibit haven't before been on public display. The exhibit runs until April 7, 2002.
For a limited time, visitors can enjoy Victoria's three 'must see'
attractions for one attractive price: tickets for the Royal BC Museum, the Butchart Gardens and the National Geographic IMAX Theatre at a discount price of $25.95. Tickets are purchased at the first venue visited, are valid for four days from the date of purchase, and will be available until January 6, 2002.
©2001 by Barbara Ballard. Reproduction of this work in whole or in part, and reproduction in electronic media, without documented permission from the author is prohibited.
Questions?
If you want more information about this area you can email the author or check out our North America Insiders page.
