Madrona Point

There are two walls here. One as you enter the water, and a much deeper wall whose top starts at about 40 feet and descends below 100 feet. For first time divers, the left most path to the water gives a good starting point as it's easy to enter and the depth is about 20' or so. Watch your footing as there is lots of seaweed on the rocks when the tide is out. There is a channel cut into the rock and can make entering easier then jumping from the rock edge. The second wall most western end can be found at roughly 360 degrees magnetic north. Follow the path from the vehicles straight out to the water (roughly north)and enter the water in a shallow channel. You will have a surface swim of about 500' or so, head out at a North East heading (you can see a snow covered peak in the distance - aim for that)and then descend. The two walls have lots of life on them, there are wolf eels on the outer wall and octopus on both. Crab, lingcod, dogfish etc... can also be seen here and at times the seals will visit. In the spring,summer the visibility can be tough at times (10' or less)but usually at depth it improves. Winter is the best but we have had awsome vis (80' plus)in June. It just depends on the plankton bloom. Follow the Island Hwy north towards Parksville, at Nanoose Bay you will come across Northwest Bay Road at the set of traffic lights. Make a right on to it. Follow Northwest Bay Rd for a few kilometers, and make a right onto Arbutus Drive, then a left onto Madrona Drive and follow it to the end. About a kilometre. The end of Madrona Drive is the parking lot. There is only room for about four cars here. Once your parked, there is a bit of a hike down to the shore. Follow the path and once through the clearing, turn left to go to the shallow wall or go straight (follow the "V" in the rock) to enter for the far wall. Madrona Point is also known as Madrona Wall.