Difficulty
beginner
Viz (last reported 59779h ago)
Max Depth
65.6 ft
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at Willis Point
Diving here is great! When you finally climb down the rocks using the tree on the right for help. Swim about 100ft from shore then descend. If you swim to the left and out a bit you will come to a sheer wall that drops to 110ft! It is covered in life and in the deeper depths you may find some Cloud sponges. I usually swim on the surface past the 3rd house(left if you are facing away from shore) descend to the wall then to 100ft. I work my way up the wall while going back to the entry point for my safety stop in the kelp beds.(it gives my something to look at) - Geoff
Head north on the Pat Bay Highway (#17) turn off, then left at the Royal Oak Dr. overpass (look for the sign) follow Royal Oak Dr. till you get to West Saanich Road. Follow north 6.5km , turn left onto Wallace a Dr. then when you see Willis Point Rd. turn left (the only way to go) Follow all the way to the end (8.2km) where you will find Mark Lane. Turn right and drive down about 0.6km to a fire lane on the left. Do not park right in the lane and be careful not to block peoples driveways. I believe the address of the last house before the fire lane is 7442.
To find this on a map it is best to enter into Google Maps or Map Quest: Steamer Drive, Brentwood Bay British Columbia - then look for the fire lane as you are driving along. Its beside a black iron fence. If you encounter Steamer Drive itself, you have just gone past the fire lane. Do not block the fire lane as this is for the fire trucks to get water from the ocean. But there is parking for at least 4 cars here.
Access
shore
boat
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Nearby Shops
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(6)
Anonymous
Feb 25, 2018, 12:00 AM
scuba
Please be aware that this is a residential area. Urinating in the surrounding area will not be tolerated. The vehicle spaces in the parking area are for residents. Please be respectful or we will be restricted from using this site.
Originally posted on shorediving.com
Westcoast diver
Nov 3, 2010, 12:00 AM
scuba
Truly an amazing site, good place to get deep. There is a mini sub and bathtub. There are few resident octos and a wolf eel to the right past the 2nd mooring buoy.
Originally posted on shorediving.com
Lloyd Haskell
Mar 14, 2010, 12:00 AM
scuba
A great site for all divers. When diving these sites use Bonaire rules. In other words leave nothing in your truck you want to keep, do not lock your doors and leave glove box open. People break into diver's vehicles as they enter the water and do not mind smashing your windows to get what they want. The broken glass around the parking area will remind you. The dive is great and when vis is good like today, you are talking a world class wall dive.
Originally posted on shorediving.com
Tony Brooks
Feb 2, 2010, 12:00 AM
scuba
Probably my favorite Victoria dive site. Lots to see, all the typical Pacific Northwest characters present. A little bit of parking, car pooling is a good idea at this site. Relatively easy entry. Depths down past 200'. Beware of the fire lane which is the path down to the dive site. Note the vehicles parked on either side of the lane, but not blocking it.
Originally posted on shorediving.com
Bryan Heit
Sep 5, 2004, 12:00 AM
scuba
Willis point is a great wall dive, and can have great vis. From the entry point (fire road, next to house 7442), swim directly out form shore until you are parallel with the docks at the adjacent homes. Drop down - water should be 30' or 40' deep at this point. Follow the bottom down to the top of the cliff. Descend to your desired depth and head left (south) along the cliff. Like most sights in the Saanich area this dive site tends to have a 'ceiling' of good vis. This year (early Sept 2004) vis was about 2' until 30' in depth, then vis opened up to at least 50'. Because the water here can be quite clear divers should take care to monitor their depth - at high tide the bottom of this cliff can be at over 130' in depth. In terms of life there is a lot to see, but it's mostly small stuff (photographers, bring your macro lens). Many types of sponges, including boot and cloud sponges can be found here. This is one of Victoria's 6-gill shark 'hot spots', so keep your eye's peeled. Unfortunately, there are a few hazards here. No current or waves to speak of, but there are a lot of boats (bring your flag) and large jellyfish here. Lastly, don't park on the fire road, and try to keep quiet. Local residents have already shut off easy shore access to one site in this area (McKenzie Bight), so lets not give them a reason to shut this one down as well.
Originally posted on shorediving.com
Anonymous
Jun 8, 2003, 12:00 AM
scuba
Great for technical divers who want to go deep. At the base of the wall, the boulder-covered bottom slopes down as deep as you want to go. Not much life on the wall itself. Near the bottom of the wall there are some chimney sponges. Some have decorated warbonnets living inside. DON'T TOUCH! If you touch the sponges, they will break and die. These aren't normal "spongy" sponges, but fragile, slow-growing "glass" sponges. A diver who has been diving here a while says that there used to be one of the biggest Cloud sponges in the area here, but curious divers kept poking at it and it crumbled away. Be aware of where your fins are kicking.
Originally posted on shorediving.com
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