Whytecliff express; a drift dive in Whytecliff park

In case you can’t get to Whytecliff on slack, try the Whytecliff express. This is a drift dive that goes all the way from the northern beach back to the cut (on an outgoing tide). Once you get to the parking lot near the cut, park and then walk along arbutus road, a short residential street along the water. (some of the locals bring two pairs of flip flops). The map marker is located where you enter the water.

If you are going for the whytecliff express you should be wary of little underwater ledges around the point where you start if you are diving with a big tidal exchange. The current around the point can be especially strong. After that it is good fun with a nice wall until you get to the bay where you can see the houses. If the current is high there will be a back-eddie in this bay and you can’t swim along the shore efficiently. If you swim out a bit the current will pick you up and you can keep drifting, but you’ll be above a 20 – 30 meter sloping sandy bottom while here so the freediving isn’t spectactular until you get to the wall after the bay again.

The second wall (towards the SW edge) is spectacular. In some parts it goes down vertical, seemingly forever. The crowded plumose anemones add to the magical scenery of it.

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Have any photos of Whytecliff? E-mail them to info@freedivewire.com. Any extra info? Please add it in the comments.

Jaap

Jaap is a geologist by trade and a freediver by passion. Jaap wrote the book Longer and Deeper in 2018. His book teaches how to train for freediving and spearfishing on land.

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