Top Snorkeling and Scuba Diving in Halifax Regional Municipality

The coastal trail going past the cove is a popular hiking trail and dog walking trail, so late spring, summer and into early fall parking can be tight if you aren't there early. The dive site is very shallow, so close to high tide is recommended to give an additionl few feet of depth. The flanks and sides of the outer shore and islands over really nice, rich kelp and seaweeds. The bottom is varied from cobble in close changing to gravel with some sand. Granite bedrock ont he cove flanks and surrounding ridges, shoals and little islands makes for rich marine life diving and good photo opportunities. Drive out to the community of Prospect along the Prospect Road from Halifax, turning left at the large sign directing one to the community. As you come down the last hill into the buildings of the community and can see the water, look for a small paved road on your right named "Indian Point Road". Turn in the road and park on the left side where signs direct. The dive site is a few hundred meters hike over the hill, onto a good coastal trail, down to the small cove.

The site is contained by granite boulders and ridges to the right (norht) and by a long granite point jutting off the island to the left (south). This makes a very protected spot from east winds, and southly winds as well. The flanks of the granite ridges are cloaked in kelp and under story plants as well. The flats straight out have rich eel grass beds. This is a favourite check out spot for courses. Take the Paddys Head road off the Peggys Cove Road (Route 333), and drive to the little white bridge. Parking is on a crushed rock flat area to the left of the community mailboxes. The small sandy beach is just 10m from the vehicles. There is amble parking for 5 or 6 vehicles. Paddys Head is also known as St. Margerets Bay, Back Cove.

This spot is rarely dived, but we give preference to local beach users as the beach is only 30m long and at high tide it shrinks to 10m long and maybe 2m wide. It is an easy fun site to just do a long leisurely, shallow dive at. Nothing exciting, but very easy access, good parking and a pleasant experience. Note - coming from Hubbards, the beach is on your left so you have to pass it; turn around in a driveway; and come back to park on the widened shoulder along the guardrail adjacent to the beach. The little community beach is at the mouth of Hubbards Cove on the west side on the Highway 329 leading out to Fox Point and Blandford. Hubbards is on the Hwy #3 nust off Exit #6 from the Hwy #103, Nova Scotia. The beach is adjacent to an old, closed shrimp cannery, thus my name for the beach. The local community keeps the few steps down to the beach, and the roadside widened parking for ~5 vehicles in good repair. Thus we dive this only outside of summer, as parking is limited and we leave the nice little beach to the locals. Fall, winter and spring we have it to ourselves. The beach is sandy slipping out to gravels and eventually mud. Off the the right, around the wharf and on the flanks of the little point with the old cannery is nice boulders with richer marine life and the best diving.

We usually enter just below the bridge from a small path that leads to a little inlet just above the old footings for the original bridge. This puts the divers in up current of the bridge so the dive is under the bridge and below it. It is not always possible to get back up to the entry against the current, unless you've timed the tides to switch and flow out, dropping. This dive is done on an incoming tide. Out going, or dropping, is not useful at this site. Dive plan - - dive on a dropping tide - dive spring, fall or winter, rarely summer due to boat traffice going under the bridge (September to May inclusive best) - stay low to see sponges, kelp forest and sea anemones - plan to go under the bridge, travel about 30 m, they swim up sloop to the west side of the bridge to slip into a large lagoon, picking up its back eddy to coast around it back to the west bridge footing - do several loops out of the lagoon, down slope just above the bridge to pick up the current, drift away from the bridge, then swim up sloop to pick up the back eddy in the lagoon The left, western, shore has nice boulders and little cliffs rich with sea anemones. If divers miss the lagoon with its back eddy, stay on bottom and work west (left) up slope into the seaweed shallows along the shoreline. The current is much, much weaker along the shore in 1 m of water. Snorkel back to the lagoon in the shallows tight against the left bank. The small bay above the bridge opens up, so the current drops to less than a knot 150 m above the bridge. Rich seaweeds, sponges, sea anemones, fish, crabs, lobsters and nudibranchs abound in this area due to the current. This is an advanced dive, or a dive training location to teach current diving. Exit is often in the lagoon above the bridge from its corner at the bridge where a steep gravel trail leads up to the west end of the bridge. This is a rich marine life dive and an excellent location to try current diving. The harbour below the bridge is also good, but has boat traffic and care is needed to dive there. The dive is under and above, or north, of the concrete bridge in the community of Sambro south of Halifax out the Herring Cove Road. This is the only bridge in Sambro. A local has let us park in his parking lot and go down his boat ramp about 100 m before the bridge, but for easy public access, cross the bridge and park on the shoulder of the gravel road on the right directly across the bridge.

The sand in the shallows gives way to gravel and small cobble with granite boulders and bedrock ridges cloaked in rich seaweeds. Outside the cove straight out is a sand plain running to 35' deep. There is a nice dive outside the cove cutting right, and following the granite ridge and boulders that make up the headland. Cruising along the flank of the ridge gives great rocky shore marine life and a wealth of sandy bottom life too. Lobsters, 3 types of crabs, Cunner, Pollock, flounder species, Cunner, Moon Snails and thousands of Sand Dollars are all easily found at this site. Protected form the south and west, open only to the northeast. Walk in from sand beach with lots of parking just above the beach in the round-about where the road ends

The site is a rocky open coast and faces east so can't be divine in NE east or SE winds as the waves and swell can build up very high. NW winds or due west winds are the preferred direction. SW is okay. It is called Hayes Gardens because it is a rock garden of large boulders just under the surface, which fishermen avoid. This makes for interesting terrain to explore. It has a rich kelp forest and abundant fish life during the summer. Parking is in the gravel open area just off the sharp turn giving wonderful views of the sea and harbour approaches to Halifax. Thee is a path down from the parking area onto the shelving granite bedrock of the shoreline.

The flank of the ridge with the lighthouse is a nice granite slope cloaked in a rich kelp forest. Straight out is a gravel and sand plain, but there are several interesting granite ridges running offshore. Fish and plant life are abundant. Currents are minimal but only dive when the swell is light, as exiting up onto the sloping granite ridge can be difficult in waves. Dive only when it is calm. Peggys Cove overs nice granite bedrock ridge diving with a clean gravel and sand bottom in the lee of the point with the lighthouse, just out front of the restaurant. There is amble parking in the restaurant/lighthouse parking lot. A paved path leads to the top of the granite ridge that is almost like a path down to the water. This dive site is recommended only on calm wind days, with low swell and winds out of the northeast or very light.

Nice little spot facing mostly west at the narrowing in the harbour so winds aren't a factor. The nice diving is along the flank of the shore to the right and up to the wharf. Off Shore Road in Dartmouth, which is just south of the MacDonald Bridge. Take Windmill Road and turn down to the water on the first south of the bridge called Best Street to reach the spot. It is on the south side of a large open, gravel parking area across the railway tracks. The entry is off the gently sloping pebble beach.

The golden sand beach is flanked on the south side by shale ridges running out to sea with kelp, seaweeds and lots of invertebrate marine life. The north side is contained by the long breakwater for the Halifax Container Peer. Divers shouldn't go past the breakwater, as large ships pass by. This still gives a huge area for diving. The central area of the dive site grads down to silt with some eelgrass beds. But the nicest diving is on the flanks. The shale is in bedding planes, like a layer cake making lots of nooks and crannies for critters to hide in. And the breakwater is a very steep slope composed of large boulders and some small rock all being taken over by the sealife! Good parking above the beach in the parking lot adjacent to the container terminal. There is a short walk along a boardwalk and a path to get to the beach itself. The area is very protected from the west and north winds. Black Rock Beach is also known as Point Pleasant Park east side.

The top 2-3m is freshwater that has tannins in it, which makes it brown and dark. Below that is saltwater which increases with the tide cycle with a range of 2m. After diving the spot at low tide, I'd recommend just before high tide when more clearer saltwater covers the ship. Going straight out from the boat ramp or the floating dock, you swim right into the bottom of the hull. the ship is bow to the left, down river, and is lying on its port side faced away from the shore. A nice route is up on the flank of the ship away from the very slity bottom; go right on top of the hull to the bow; then hop inside to go along the upper portion of the deck near the starboard railings. This way you can drop down onto the superstructure as you see it below you. On the ship there is little current, but up in the freshwater or on the surface, it can run 0.5 to 1.5 knots. Only properly trained and equipped divers should penetrate - all others stay outside and shinelights in the hatchways and windows. There are some lines, collapsing structures, and some netting so care is required moving along the ship. Railing in the saltwater are cloaked in sea anemones. Main lights, marker lghts and backup lights are recommended. Good buddy team work is essential to a fun safe dive. We only dive this site outside of summer to reduce pleasure boat traffic - from October to April or May, divers will almost have the site to themselves. Northeast of Halifax along the Marine Drive Hwy #7 is the community of Sheet Harbour. The habour splits into the main channel and an eat branch called East River. The tramp freighter ARCTIC TRADER caught fire twice at dockside on the large wharf. On the second time, she was cut free and ended up anchored out in front of the floating docks of a small yacht club, just south of the main wharf. Torpedo Rays Dive Shop has a good online write up for it, which led us to explore the spot. Take the righthand paved road shortly before crossing the large, green, steel East River Bridge. There is parking out of the way near the wharf and above the yacht club. Don't block the boat ramp.

The bottom is small stones and gravel grading down to mud and silt, but with some small boulder slopes covered in rich kelp forest. The site is very protected from all westerly winds, and the gravel and small cobble beach is just a short few meters scramble from the vehicle parking. This site has nice crabs, lobster, small fish such as Red Hake, Cunner, Pollock, Longfin Hake, Sculpin and Sea Ravens. As the bottom gets softer, muddy bottom species become more common with several Tube Anemones becoming common. This is a nice spot close to the city with moderately nice marine life and nice night diving - good for macro-photography. Depths to 50'. Fergusons Cove is south of Halifax proper, along the Percyls Cove Road. It is on a side gravel road on the ocean, left side, just as you climb a hill, before you come to York Redoubt.

There is good parking at the sides of the road near a gate that blocks off the developing housing community. Several small beaches are handy with just a 1m step down onto their sandy entrances to the ocean. The site is open to the southwest, but is very protected from the east and north winds. The sand gives way to soft mud and silts quickly off the beach. The nicest diving is in a section of boulders down the middle of the cove. These boulders have kelps, rockweeds, lots of interesting invertebrates and fish in summer. Soft bottom critters are common such as Tube Anemones, crabs, snails and flatfishes. The head of the cove has freshwater inflow, so after rains the top meter or so will be brownish and mostly fresh. This is a very easy, fun dive. This site is in the community of West Pennant past Sambro on the way to Crystal Crescent Provincial Beach. Drive towards the beach, but pass it's entrance and go to the end of the road on the east side of Long cove in West Pennant, NS.

On April 28, 1967 the COSTA RICAN TRADER ran aground just north of the small Halibut Bay at the entrance to Halifax Harbour. COSTA RICAN TRADER lost the ability to steer on her way out of the harbour while in heavy seas. She grounded near enough to shore that the crew was able to walk off the vessel. Looters necessitated the posting of RCMP officers. The Foundation tugs VALIANT & VIGILANT attempted to pull her off without success and the vessel lay on the rocks until her remains were eventually scattered by wave action. She was partially shalvaged, but the entire intact bow section slide off a white, granite "dome-like" rock, sledded down the boulder and cobble slope to lie on her port side in 90' (30m) of water. Today she is still mostly intact and offers a rich "artificial reef" for clouds of the common Cunner, perch-like fish, sponges, tunicates and passing Pollock, Mackerel and other fish that attract divers and rod & reel fisherman alike to the ship. It is often marked by a float by dive and fish charter groups. But it this isn't the case, she is directly out from the bald granite dome, about 50-70m off the shore, in 80-90' of water, and a depth sounder can't miss her bulk as she sticks up to 45' below the waves. This is a boat dive, and best dived in light winds from any westerly direction, as she is wide open to the east. The NS Museum "On the Rocks" website gives this location for her - Lat. 44 33`05N, Long. 63 33`05W, Halibut Bay, Halifax...But the zoom in map should place the flag where I've dived her repeatedly. Currents are slight tidal ones, as the tidal range is only 6' (2m). This just helps keep the site clear of particulate matter stirred up by divers. Some divers have penetrated into the cargo areas of the bow, and there is one back corner room with an exit hole cut away in the upper deck and a door out the ripped off back - but penetration should only be done by those with the gear and the experience. She is a pretty basic wreck for this, and is sometimes used for training dives. I enjoy the wealth of marine life on her, and the fact that she is mostly in one, large, intact piece! Halibut Bay close to Halifax Harbour, 1 mile south of Tribune Head. The main intact bow piece rises from 90' of water to about 50' from the surface, directly off a large whitish granite dome of a rock on shore.

The dive site is shallow gradually sloping out from the shore to the east. There are piles of shal rocks forming ridges and mounds with rich marine life on them - sea anemones, sponges, coraline algae, barnacles and other marine life. The bottom is soft with numerous stalked sea anemones. The area has been a dumping ground and spot for vessel strandings in the past, so there is industrial debris scattered about - old cable, pipes, steam ship remains, making for some interesting exploring. Princess Lodge is a shallow dive site with parking down a steep drive very close to the water. It is along the west side of the Bedford Basin, and must be accessed from driving north along the Bedford Highway, as the steep driveway is just a small break in the guardrail. The drive is rough so go slowly, and watch for trains, which cross the drive, but do so slowly around 20 km/hr as it is in town. Three of four vehicles at most can fit. It is a park, so we usually only dive here shoulder seasons. In winter, the driveway down isn't plowed, so check before taking a group there.

Good site to see Atlantic Lobster and on the soft bottom Tube Sea Anemones of several colours are common. Great picnic spot with tables and very easy diver access. West of Halifax out from Exit #5 on the Hwy #103 onto the Hwy #3 then west towards Hubbards. In the community of Boutiliers Point is the Provincial Park with picnic tables, a boat launch ramp and a working wharf. Diving is best straight out and to the right or west of the wharf. There is usually enough depth to jump off the end, but the ramp just east of the wharf is recommended for exits. This spot is small boulders and gravels in the shallows grading down to mud and soft bottom organisms deeper out. Boutiliers Point is also known as Boutiliers Point Lookout Provincial Park.

There is good parking on a widened section of road just below the little hill going up to the gate for the National Research Council's Marine facility on the left hand point of the cove. Parking to the sides of the road, near their gateway is possible too. There is a short path down onto the beach, and a 50m walk to the water. The nicest diving is along the leftside (north side) of the cove and outside the cove along the left flank of the shoreline. The research complex's seawater pipelines offer a wonderful navigation aid out and around the point to the nicest diving. This is an area of rich kelp forest, wonderful understory species, several types of crabs, lobster and fishes as well. It is open to southeast winds and faces the open ocean, so westerly winds are preferred for this site. The Sandy cove Beach is located at the end of the "Sandy Cove Road", just before Bald Rock and a few hundred meters before Sambro Head.

The marine life is rich on the granite flanks of the islands and timing the tides can give you a nice drift dive in Ryans Gut with rich kelp forest on the flanks and scallops and a nice clean gravel bottom down the middle. The area right off the wharf goes to 8m quickly and is a soft muddy bottom, with its own type of critters. The nicest diving is on the rocky flanks of the island all around. Fish life is plentiful from flounder, cunners to passing schools of herring! The Lower Prospect Community Wharf offers safe, easy diving with good parking and easy access off a floating dock. A dive float/flag is recommended for the summer season when there is some boat traffic. Late fall through winter and early spring there is little boat activity. The nice diving is on the flanks of the islands - the wharf is on Hennesseys Island, and heading right along it is a nice dive. Out front of the wharf is Laceys Island, and it is deeper on the side you see and only 2 to 4m deep on the back side. A high tide circumnavigation of this island makes a nive dive. About 100m to the right (east) is the gap between Hennesseys Island and Ryans Island, called Ryans Gut - it is very nice diving and a slight current, but more boat traffic.

Lots of marine life in the summer, mostly lobster, soft coral and lucky tuna You could see Peggys cove light from a distance. there is 5 minute hike to the side. best dive time is high tide.

SLIPPERY (KELP) AND ROCKY ENTER. WRECK AT 23 MTR. S.S.PERRY. SUNK: 08/06/1915. 957 TONS, CARGO SHIP. Parliament Rock is also known as Chebucto Hear, SS Perry.

Since the site is shalllow, a little extra wight is recommended. It is good for macrophotography with lots of fish, crabs, lobsters and other subjects to shoot. This is an easy, basic dive spot and good when others are too rough as it is very protected from east, west and north winds. Out the Hwy #333 that makes the Peggy's Cove loop, on the east side of St. Margaret's Bay is Indian Point. It is a long narrow point with the "Indian Point Road" running its length. Watch for the road sign on the right and the road makes a loop so you can't get lost! The dive site is on the inside or east tip of the point. Indian Point has two island off its tip - the first is connected by a berm sheltering the dive site. One can dive on the sheltered inside or hike across to the open bay side. The dive is quite shallow, so high tide is recommended for this spot. It is very easy with good parking along the edge of the road and a nice easy "driveway" like slope to walk down on.

The area has rock out croppings which form mini-island with rich rockweed cloaks. Lots of lobsters and crabs here and flatfish as well. In summer, fish are common. The small community of Bald rock is out the Herring Cove Road south of Halifax, NS on the way to Sambro. The 2nd paved road on the left after leaving Keth Harbour is marked with a street sign, "Bald rock". A sting of homes runs out onto this side of the headland. The community has fixed up a grassy spot with a gravel beach they call "Isabells Beach", on the right just before htting houses close to the road. A widening of the road allows for several vehicles to park off the main drive. We only use this site on shoulder seasons, later fall, winter and early spring, so as to leave it open and uncrowded for the locals whom made it. The diving is shallow and fairly muddy, but it is a nice little spot that can be dived when NE winds blow - it is open to the SW. High tide is a bit better here, as the area is so shallow.

New Bear Cove is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Canada, Nova Scotia which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.

The making of the park shoreline resulted in a steep slope of boulders interspaced with soft, muddy stretches offering a wealth of home for marine life to attach to rocks or live in the silt. Thus the larger boulders are cloaked in sponges, sea anemones, barnacles and other marine life, while thesilty areas have a rich fauna of Ceranthid Tube Anemones. This makes an interesting dive site for macrophotography. We dive this site on the off season, from November to April, as it is a popular boat launch spot in the boating season and we prefer to avoid the period of boat activity. If diving during the warmer months, be respectful of the boaers - it is their launch ramp we enter and exit off of, and use a dive float. The Stalked Anemones are richest to the south of the ramp, and the rocks and hard bottom marine life more plentiful to the left, north and west of the ramp on the flanks of the park in 6-10 m of water. The divesite is in Africville Park on the peninsula of Halifax, NS. It is in the north end of the city near the base of the MacKay Bridge, just off Barrington Street. One must drive north on Barrington Street to turn off to the right onto the side street to Africville Park, as there is no left turn travelling south on Barrington Street.