Flora Islet:
A
wall dive which has a series of terraces from 6 metres down to 25 metres,
at which point a sheer vertical face drops to over 75 metres. On the
ledges divers will find large Lingcod, Wolf Eels, Giant Pacific Octopus,
Rockfish, Greenlings Sea Pens, Anemones, Bryozoans, Tubeworms and Cloud
Sponges. A year-round dive site, however, the main attraction occurs
in mid-summer when the wall is cruised regularly by visiting Six Gill
Sharks.
These
deep-water pelagics ranging in length from 3-5 metres or more move in
for unknown reasons. They restlessly range back and forth over the ledges
and overhangs until one by one they leave, only to return the same time
the following year. Not known to be aggressive, their 2-5m impressive
size makes them an unforgettable highlight of any dive vacation.
The Wreck of the Alpha:
Located
just below Chrome Island Lighthouse, the 67-metre iron steamer, 'Alpha'
sank in 7-10 metres of water with the loss of nine lives in a fierce
winter
storm in December 1900. The 'Alpha' has been heavily salvaged and all
that remains is a twisted assortment of frames, steel plates and machinery.
Nevertheless she is a perfect home for shallow water dwellers including
Rockfish, Sculpins, Warbonnets, Giant Pacific Octopus and a wide assortment
of marine invertebrates. She is an easy dive and a perfect way to end
the day after observing the giant torpedo shaped Six-Gill Sharks of Flora
Islet.
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