Scuba Diving in PEI? Isn’t PEI better known for Canadian Confederation in 1867, and where the writer, Lucy Maud Montgomery and Anne Shirley’s real-life stories (Anne of Green Gables books) called home? “Road to Avonlea,” a popular CBC production-based family adventure was also based there although most of the filming was done in Ontario.
Prince Edward Island (PEI) is a province of Canada and one of three provinces in the Maritime region. It is Canada’s smallest province in both land area and population but the most densely populated province. Part of the Mi’kmaq’s ancestral lands, it became a British colony in the 1700s, and was federated as a province into Canada in 1873. Charlottetown is the capital of PEI.
In September 1864, the Charlottetown Conference was organized by Prince Edward Island, which was the first meeting in the process leading to the Quebec Resolutions and Canada’s formation in 1867. Prince Edward Island found the terms of unification not favourable and baulked at joining in 1867, opting to remain a UK colony. The colony explored numerous options in the late 1860s, including the prospect of becoming a separate dominion for itself, as well as hosting delegations from the United States interested in entering the United States on Prince Edward Island. But Prince Edward Island did eventually join Confederation on July 1, 1873.
Having hosted the Confederation ‘s inaugural meeting, the Charlottetown Conference, Prince Edward Island introduces itself as the “Confederation’s Birthplace” and this is commemorated by many buildings, a ferry vessel, and the Confederation Bridge (built 1993 to 1997).
The landscape on the island is pastoral. Rolling hills, forests, reddish white sand beaches, ocean coves and popular red soil have developed a reputation for Prince Edward Island as a province of exceptional natural beauty, and due to farming as the base occupation, provides potatoes to most of Canada.
Seal River Bridge diving is a decent dive for beginners because it is an easy access from the shore and the maximum depth is about 22-23 feet, although most of the dive site is about 18-20 feet. Visibility is about 10-15 feet, with no wind and with the long slack tide some days are better than others. Over the last two years, visibility has improved as the mussel harvesters use the site to access their mussel leases, so there’s a healthy mussel population on parts of the site. The colour is something really different when the water heats up in the summer, lots of reds and yellows and the bridge’s rock wall is full of lobsters. Under the bridge, due to the strong currents, caution is required.
Yes, PEI is a great place to dive, some areas are shallow dives which are ideal for novice divers. There’s plenty to see, while visiting the Island, including the red soil and landscapes, home to the Canada’s Confederation, of course, the location of “Anne Shirley”.
Dive/GPS Location
384 Seal River Road, Lot 54, PE, COA 1GO
Latitude 46.2285 – Longitude -62.5363
Kelly Campbell shot the above video with a GoPro Hero 7 Black camera and a UK Aqualite video light at Seal River Bridge and used a magenta filter on some parts of the footage.
Kelly manages the PEI Scuba Divers group on Facebook and this group has 426 members, clearly, many people have an interest in diving in PEI. He invites people to join this group and discover PEI diving.
Enjoy Kelly’s YouTube page for more diving videos