Ocean Quest Career Development Scuba Instructor Program

Our Ocean Quest Career Development Program students led by OQ PADI CD Fabiola Ruiz teamed up with our amazing friends at Divers for Cleaner Lakes & Oceans led by Henry Wang to remove over 200lbs of garbage from Albert Dyck Lake!!! This small team did an amazing job and during the cleanup discovered several more patches FULL of garbage!! The team will return with a larger crew to remove the garbage at a later date. Thanks to everyone for all the great work and especially @cleanerlakes for all you do to keep our waterways clean & healthy!!
♻️💯💪🌎🌊

Ocean Quest has had a busy winter teaching all levels of diving from beginner through to Instructor, as well as a variety of technical diving courses. We are all looking forward to longer warmer spring days and the brighter evenings the extra hour of Daylight brings us. Don’t forget to set your clocks tonight! ⏰ Hope to see you out diving soon!!

Sea to Sky artists turn trash into treasure

Sea to Sky artists turn trash into treasure
Art and environmental education project unveils next phase of Diving In: The Art of Cleaning Lakes and Oceans.

Can’t wait to see what the artists create!!!

Divers for Cleaner Lakes and Oceans
Diving In: The Art of Cleaning Lakes and Oceans

Sea to Sky artists turn trash into treasure Art and environmental education project unveils next phase of Diving In: The Art of Cleaning Lakes and Oceans.

Holiday Hours and Upcoming Courses at Ocean Quest!

Check out our latest newsletter & holiday diving hours !!

Holiday Hours and Upcoming Courses at Ocean Quest! Ocean Quest Event ‌ Happy Holidays from Ocean Quest! Deirdre, Greg, Fabiola, Bryce, Zach, Aiden and the rest of the Ocean Quest Dive Team wish you the best of the Holiday Season and an amazing 2022 wi

Exciting News! Back in June, Ocean Quest became a TDI Training facility and is now offering a full range of TDI Technical Diving Programs from Intro to Tech to Trimix! This Summer we certified our first group of TDI divers with their TDI Helitrox Certification. TDI Helitrox is essentially the same as the popular TDI Deco Procedures, however, it takes the training one step further by introducing the benefits of using helium on dives up to 150 ft / 45 m. Congratulations to Bryce, Chris, Bill, Mike and Kevin on a job well done!

Ocean Quest will he closed Monday, October 11th. Happy Thanksgiving Weekend everyone!

On Saturday October 2nd 2021 volunteer divers from Marine Life Sanctuaries Society visited Halkett Provincial Marine Park to document significant impact damage to the fragile glass sponge reef at Halkett Pinnacle

This is our 3rd recent trip to investigate separate incidents of impact damage to the site, and discussions are ongoing with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and BC Parks to increase enforcement and education efforts.

MLSS has been the lead non-profit organization working on the discovery and documentation of Atl’ka7tsem/Howe Sound's globally unique glass sponge reefs, and a key stakeholder during the ongoing protection efforts by DFO. In addition MLSS have been the main collaborator with Underwater Council of BC in the expansion of Halkett Bay Provincial Marine Park and planned installation of a divers mooring buoy to allow recreational and scientific divers to visit the unique side-by-side glass sponge habitats at this site.

Our team is still reviewing video and photographs, but due to the extent of the damage are finding it difficult to match with images from previous years to provide a comparison.

This does not appear to be a temperature related event as healthy, intact sponge still exists in portions of the sponge reef and neighbouring sponge garden. Impact damage is visible with broken and shattered sponge scattered up to 10 meters away from the previous edge of sponge reef.

A single specific cause for the damage is hard to confirm at this time, but all indications point to continued bottom contact fishing despite the Marine Refuge Status for this reef created in 2019.

During our dive observations were made of fishing line and lures in broken sponge, but the scale and distance some of the fragments were transported indicate either multiple passes with downriggers, a vessel anchoring to fish, crab / prawn traplines deployed within the sponge reef, or a combination of these illegal activities.

MLSS will be sharing our observations and images along with evidence of past incidents with both Fisheries and Oceans Canada and BC Parks in an attempt to prioritize protection of this unique and fragile site.

We would like to thank Marc Palay of New World Diving for supplying the dive vessel, volunteer divers Deirdre Forbes McCracken, Fabiola Ruiz Aguilar, John Kaay, Tori Preddy, Chris Straub, and Adam Taylor.

Additional support provided by David Park and Glen Dennison aboard his vessel Skyliner.

Images and video to follow...

Monday Funday Staff Dive Day!! The OQ Dive Team closed the shop on Labour Day for a well deserved day on and under the water! Lots of laughs with the best staff in the biz!

Visibility has been stunning these days at some of our favourite Howe Sound sites!

Thanks to Captain Marc Palay for another great day of boat diving! @marcjeanpalay

Diving in beautiful British Columbia...ROCKS!



























Image by @deirdre_f_mccracken

https://diveoceanquest.com/fun-dives-and-trips-vancouver/

Apply Now! Live the Dream!

965lbs OF TRASH REMOVED!!
Ocean Quest’s Underwater Clean up Dive at Albert Dyck Lake with Henry Wang of Divers for Cleaner Lakes & Oceans was a great success!
Thanks to all of the divers who joined us for the day and did a phenomenal job and thanks to Ocean Quest Instructor, Bruce Singer for leading our team.

Special thanks to Henry and his volunteer team for your remarkable aquatic stewardship💫

Visit the Divers for Cleaner Oceans Instagram @cleanerlakes
An organization of volunteer divers who work hard to make a positive impact on both our freshwater resources as well as our local oceans by performing clean up dives on a regular basis.

Congratulations to our newly certified Ocean Quest Dive Centre PADI Open Water Scuba Instructors. This was truly an amazing experience. We started with remote learning with participants from Ontario, Vancouver Island, Kelowna and the lower mainland. Then we met up for the practical application during the long weekend. After hard work and amazing camaraderie today they all came together and completed their Instructor Examination with Doug Bingeman earning 5's all around. Even Scuba Yoshi got certified 😉. Thanks for all the hard work and the incredible energy. You are all going to be great contributors of the dive industry.

Save on Dive Gear at Ocean Quest!

Check out our June Newsletter!! Save on Dive Gear with the strong Canadian Dollar! 🇨🇦

Awesome deals on new & slightly used equipment...Drysuits, Regulator Packages, Personal Gear & more! - as well as special deals on Demo Gear !!

Dive Dive Dive!!! Summer Course Offerings from Recreational to Technical!!

PLUS!

Registration Now OPEN for our Full Time 7 month Career Development Program!!!

Course Starts September 2021. Ocean Quest is designated for Government Student Loans through Student Aid BC!!

See Newsletter for full details!!!!

https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Save-on-Dive-Gear-at-Ocean-Quest-.html?soid=1103530896568&aid=IzscCVofclg

Save on Dive Gear at Ocean Quest! Ocean Quest Event ‌ Save on Dive Gear Ocean Quest! Demo Equipment - Slightly Used Gear New Equipment Packages Masks - Fins - Drysuits - Regulators - BCD's and More! Pricing Available until June 13, 20

Calling all Divemasters! Become a PADI Instructor with Canada’s leaders in PADI Instructor Training. Full time IDC starts June 29.

As Canada’s only PADI Career Development Centre we will take your instructor training to the next level!

https://diveoceanquest.com/event/padi-instructor-development-course-june-29-2021/

https://diveoceanquest.com/courses/professional/why-take-your-instructor-training-at-ocean-quest/

2021 Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K | Reef Environmental Education Foundation

REEF Environmental Education Foundation - 2021 Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K

YOU’RE INVITED! Join Ocean Quest Dive Team’s Fish Shoal & Team Spiny Pacific Lumpsucker!!!

Register by May 28th!!

Sunday June 6th 2021 at Fen Burdett Stadium/Mahon Park at 10:00 AM

Jones Ave and 16th Street W
North Vancouver, BC V7M 2Y4

Meet at the Grandstands near the Washrooms @ 10:00 AM

Amy Liebenberg and Mike Delany will be there to meet everyone!!
(Look for the Cool Peeps wearing REEF Gear)

2021 Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K

You’re invited to join in REEF’s annual Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K Race! It’s a great way to get out and get active in your local community while making your miles count. From June 7-13, we’re encouraging the REEF community and ocean enthusiasts everywhere to get moving in the name of conservation. You can choose to run, walk, hike, bike, or even swim, completing the 5K (3.1 miles) distance in one day or broken into smaller sections over the week.

The 2021 Fish Out of Water 5K coincides with World Oceans Day. This is a day dedicated to protecting and restoring our blue planet. Proceeds from your Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K registration will support REEF's Oceans for All Fund. Join in REEF's commitment to increasing inclusive programming in science, diving, and conservation. The Oceans for All Fund provides support for individuals who have had limited opportunities to learn about, experience, and explore the ocean through REEF's programs. By participating in the race, you're making a difference in the lives of individuals and the health of the oceans.

REEF Information and Registration for the Event can be found at:

https://www.reef.org/5KRace

2021 Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K | Reef Environmental Education Foundation

Register for the Event as part of the:

Ocean Quest Dive Team - Fish Shoal
and Team Spiny LumpSucker

Recommended Gear:

Good Walking Shoes
Sunscreen and Hat
REEF 5KM Swag for PhotoOps
Snacks and Water
(There's no time limit, take a safety stop anytime, just breathe and have Fun!!)

2021 Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K | Reef Environmental Education Foundation 2021 Registration Registration for the 2021 Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K is OPEN! 2021 Fish Teams5K FAQsSocial Media Tools You’re invited to join in REEF’s annual Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K Race! It’s a great way to get out and get active in your local community while making your miles count...

It has been a busy week of Technical Diver training at Ocean Quest!

Congratulations to Phil, Chris, Aiden and Mike for completing their PADI Tec 40 program. Also, a big congratulations to Fabiola, John, Martin and Andre for going through the riggers of the PADI Tec 50 program. Finally, congrats goes to Bryan for completing his PADI Tec Deep Instructor training!

The PADI Tec 50 includes Advanced Decompression Theory and Planning allowing Extended Range Dives with Multiple Deco and/or Stage Bottles. The program finishes with an Intro to Trimix dive.

Looking for Tech? Ocean Quest has consistently offered progressive, detail oriented Technical Diver Training for the past 25 years. Contact us for more information!

Scuba Diving in Cold Waters of Howe Sound, British Columbia...with Ocean Quest Dive Team

A glimpse of a day of diving in Howe Sound with the Ocean Quest Dive Team! The in store Instructional staff took the day off a while back to dive a couple of our favourite sites in Howe Sound with our friend and local charter boat operator, Marc Jean Palay of New World Diving!

Lots of fun & belly laughs during our many local aquatic adventures with our amazing team! We are very lucky to have such a phenomenal staff at Ocean Quest - Fabiola, Phil, Bryce & Alex! Thanks for an awesome day on the water - can’t wait for the next one!!

Special shout out to one of our full time staff for the past few years & Ocean Quest Career Program graduate Alex Mostertman! Today is Alex’s last day in the shop for a while as he takes the next step in his diving career! Thank you for everything Alex (thus far!) - best of luck and hope to have you back teaching with us again soon!



https://youtu.be/sLa2sj-G55Q

Scuba Diving in Cold Waters of Howe Sound, British Columbia...with Ocean Quest Dive Team Scuba diving in the cold waters of Howe Sound, located off Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada is an absolute adventure!The Ocean Quest Dive Centre Staff tak...