Discover scuba diving

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To fall in love with scuba diving is to immerse yourself in a peaceful world of wonderful discoveries. For Marie-Josée, the connection was made quite naturally. Our director of the Levis and Quebec branches has always been attracted by the aquatic world, the seabed and their protection. After 4 years practicing the discipline, she has more than 230 dives to her credit. It is with joy that she shares with us her 3 favorite Quebec diving sites.

 

“Some do yoga or meditation to connect with themselves. For me, it’s scuba diving. You can’t be more in the present time than that.” – Marie-Josée Guillet

 

1 – LES ESCOUMINS

A small municipality on the North Shore, Les Escoumins offers one of the most sought-after diving sites in Canada and is part of the Saguenay–St. Laurent Marine Park. A famous place for the beauty of its landscapes and one of the best places in the world for whale watching. As it is a marine protected area, it is easy to understand why Marie-Josée, according to her, finds the most beautiful marine flora there. Armed with a drysuit to face the cold waters between -1°C and 4°C, it dives directly from the shore, unlike the other sites, where you have to go by boat. Marie-Josée recommends ending the adventure (once dry) with a stop at the cozy Kiboikoi café, located in the village of Les Escoumins (a classic!).

2 – BAIE-COMEAU

If you search Saint-Pancrace on Google, you will come across the microbrewery of the same name, which invites us to drink and discover the Côte-Nord. Even if Marie-Josée recommends that we stop there after a good dive, what first catches her attention is the bay of Saint-Pancrace. It is there that she observes a very lively marine fauna, made up of many species of fish, crabs, starfish and sea urchins. We dive there from the boat in a more welcoming water, although relatively cold, at around 7°C. The drysuit is also necessary here to discover that the river looks more like an ocean. As for the microbrewery, beyond good beer, it also serves a gourmet bistro-style menu.

3 – PERCÉ

3.5 km off the village of Percé, Bonaventure Island is known for observing gannets. Of course, you can also observe the world famous Percé Rock on your way there. Perhaps, less known to everyone is the fact that you can also dive there with the seals, in addition to discovering a magical world of caves, caverns and underwater gardens. The water, which is much warmer, between 4°C and 12°C, allows you to venture there longer for dives of at least 1 hour, which is not the case in colder water. When we are in the area, Marie-Josée recommends that we take advantage of it and go for a dive in Forillon, not very far, as long as you still bring your dry suit here, which will allow you to do more than a dive.

DID YOU KNOW?

The immersion time is different in Quebec compared to warmer countries. In fact, in good conditions, you can stay underwater for 30 min to 45 min in Quebec, whereas in the South, for example, it’s more like 1 to 1.5 hours. The dive time depends water conditions, diving and air consumption.

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