ESSENTIALS - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 755

The diverse marine life includes sponges, anemones, soft corals, rockfish (china, vermil-
ion, and canary), rock scallops, and cukes. Plenty of shipwrecks also dot the underwater
terrain. The most popular dive sites are off the Southern Gulf Islands, Ogden Point in Vict-
oria, Nanaimo (for wreck diving), Telegraph Cove, Port Hardy, and Powell River (the scuba
diving capital of Canada). Many of the coastal communities along Vancouver Island and
the Sunshine Coast have dive shops with gear rentals and air tanks, and many can put you
in touch with charter dive boats and guides.
A quick flip through the Vancouver Yellow Pages lets you know that scuba diving is
alive and well north of the 49th parallel. The city's many scuba shops have everything you
need, and they're excellent sources of information on all the best local spots. Coming highly
recommended are Rowand's Reef Scuba Shop (1512 Duranleau St., Granville Island, Van-
couver, 604/669-3483, www.rowandsreef.com ) and Ogden Point Dive Centre (199 Dallas
Rd., 250/380-9119, www.divevictoria.com ), both full-service dive shops offering rentals,
sales, organized diving trips, and PADI dive-certification courses. The local Diver magazine
( www.divermag.com ) is another good source of information; its scuba directory lists retail
stores, resorts, charter boats, and other services.
FISHING
Freshwater
The province's freshwater anglers fish primarily for trout—mostly rainbow trout, but also
Dolly Varden, lake, brook, brown, and cutthroat trout. One particular type of rainbow trout,
the large anadromous steelhead, is renowned as a fighting fish and considered by locals to
be the ultimate fishing challenge. Salmon are also abundant in the province; several seago-
ing species come up British Columbia's rivers to spawn. Kokanee rarely grow over one
kilogram (2.2 pounds), but this freshwater salmon is an excellent sport fish inhabiting lakes
of the southern interior. Feeding near the surface and caught on wet or dry artificial flies,
they taste great, especially when smoked.
Fishing guides, tours, lodges (from rustic to luxurious), and packages are available
throughout the province; one is sure to suit you. Expect to pay $200-400 a day for a guide,
and up to several thousand dollars for several days at a luxury lodge with all meals and
guided fishing included.
Fishing licenses are required for freshwater fishing, and prices vary according to your
age and place of residence. British Columbia residents pay $36 for an adult license, good
for one year. All other Canadians pay $20 for a one-day license, $36 for an eight-day li-
cense, or $55 for a one-year. Nonresident Canadians pay $20, $50, and $80, respectively.