Sport

Dive in, the water's fine

The St. Lawrence Gulf is a kingdom populated by seals, beluga whales and the impressive blue whale. Below the surface, where the landscape is carpeted with starfish, anemones, soft coral and crab, is silence and beauty. Divers of all calibers will thrill to the discovery of this wonderful world.

Dive day or night

From Rivière-Pentecôte to Blanc-Sablon, from the many islands to the remains of shipwrecks, the ultimate place for diving in the Duplessis region is definitely the Archipel-de-Mingan National Reserve. The rocky sea floor is impressive. "You will see tons of magnificent anemones, blue starfish, bivalves and sea lions," says Olivier Richard, the man in charge of Plongée Boréale in Havre-Saint-Pierre. You can even dive at night!

Dive some more

Head back up the river to Bergeronnes and Escoumins in the Manicouagan region. There, you’ll find Marine Environnement Discovery Centre, THE diving site for all of Eastern Canada. Although the Centre is presently closed because of damage caused last winter, all of the diving sites are open to the general public. As such, you can continue to explore an area of the undersea world that is one of the most popular with divers in Quebec.

Incredible wildlife

The Gaspé region is yet another fantastic diving site, especially in the vicinity of Bonaventure Island. This natural preserve is home to anemones, lobsters, and snow crabs. Through the Club nautique de Percé, your diving excursions will also take you near a colony of whales, penguins, and seals. It’s an unforgettable experience.

Spectacular diving!

Over time the Rimouski region became Canada’s oceanographic capital. Experienced divers go there to find their little piece of underwater heaven amid the submerged remains of the Empress of Ireland, a Scottish ship that sank in 1914 (another wreck, the Germanicus, can be found near Bic.)  The Société des récifs artificiels de l’Estuaire du Québec (RAEQ) added to the diving experience by creating another artificial reef by sinking the Nipigon, a 113-metre long destroyer belonging to Canada’s Defence Department. Because it is just 30 metres under water, where the currents are not as strong, this wreck appeals to less experienced divers. All residue, electric wires or other objects that could be hazardous to divers have been removed beforehand. Holes drilled into the hull six metres apart allow daylight to filter in so that divers can swim inside and outside the ship. We can almost guarantee that one excursion will leave them thirsting for more. Mandatory registration to visit shipwrecks. Contact RAEQ or the Site historique maritime de la Pointe-au-Père.

Guillaume Rivard
Photos: Jean-François Joly / Auberge de la plongée de Les Escoumins
2009-07-15