Water Sports

kayak

Here are a few suggestions for those looking to get wet and have fun!


Scuba Diving

Most people think of the tropics when they think of scuba diving, but Vancouver has some of the best cold water scuba diving in the world. Scuba divers plunge the frigid waters between Vancouver Island and the mainland to view spectacular marine species like the wolf eel and octopus, as well as a brilliant red coral found in few other places around the world.

Cates Park in Deep Cove and Whytecliff Park near Horseshoe Bay are popular diving sites, and many Vancouver scuba enthusiasts get their feet wet here first. On the Sunshine Coast, the jagged coastal fjord of Jervis Inlet near Powell River provides a stunning backdrop for finding a sunken mermaid that has been submerged by local diving enthusiasts. Some shipwrecks off the Malaspina Strait still yield buried treasures!

Sea Kayaking

Any day of the week on the water of Burrard Inlet you'll find, among the cruise ships and freighters, sea kayaks gliding along the shores. Sea kayaks are the smallest and most maneuverable craft on the water - a sleek, stable one-person (or tandem) boat whose origins can be traced to the baidarkas designed centuries ago by the North Coast Indians of the Alaskan Panhandle. 

Vancouver's two most popular paddling destinations are equally unique. The placid waters of False Creek, ringed by bustling Yaletown to the north and Granville Island to the south - offers lots of sights on land and on sea! On the North Shore, kayakers paddle from Deep Cove to explore Indian Arm, a finger-shaped fjord which bends northward for 30 kilometres (18.8 miles) deep into the heart of the Coast Range mountains. On the way, paddlers can stop to marvel at majestic and mysterious old-growth forests and lacy waterfalls while gulls, ravens and bald eagles soar overhead. It's the kind of wilderness trip that ecotourists pay thousands of dollars for, and you can take a bus right to the starting point! Rentals available throughout the city.

> Companies offering Kayaking

 

Deep Cove Kayaking from khorshid hakemi on Vimeo.

Swimming

The Vancouver Park and Recreation Board operates nine indoor pools, seven outdoor pools, and employs lifeguards throughout the summer months on the city's half dozen beaches. For the downtown visitor, the Vancouver Aquatic Centre (604.665.4324) features an indoor Olympic-size pool, weight room, sauna and whirlpool. In the summer, Kitsilano and Second Beach pools as well as the UBC swimming pool offer the joy of swimming outdoors in heated pools that are safe for toddlers and adults alike.

White Water Rafting

Looking for a wild adventure? The Thompson, the Nahatlatch, the Squamish, the Elaho and the Chilliwack Rivers are calling your name. Ride the roaring current in a rubber raft. Get your feet wet and the adrenaline pumping. It'll be the most fun you've had in a long time. West Coast salmon run the rapids, why shouldn't you?

> Companies offering White Water Rafting

Windsurfing

Would you like to learn how to windsurf? Vancouver is a great place to learn because it doesn't have consistent winds. Try English Bay or Jericho beaches where beginners can rent windsurfers and take lessons. For those who want the challenge of high-wind sailing, Squamish offers some of Canada's best windsurfing conditions. In the summer months, strong thermal winds blow down the valley and create ideal windsurfing conditions. The Squamish Windsurfing Society manages the launch site and charges a daily user's fee. For information call 604.926.9463.

Jet Skiing

Looking for a novel way to spend the day on the water? Whether you are looking for a thrilling high speed adventure or a relaxing day on the water, a jet ski may be what you're looking for.

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