settled centuries ago and maybe it's sounding pretty good!

The focus of diving in the Province of Newfoundland & Labrador is close to St. John's - North America's oldest city - on the Avalon Peninsula, mainly on the famous Bell Island Shipwrecks. These four Allied ore carriers, torpedoed by German U-boats in 1942 and sunk at their moorings in Lance Cove, Conception Bay, are each over 400ft long, upright and intact. Rated in the top 10% for diving Worldwide by prominent divers, with regard to preservation, easy access and visbility, they are rapidly finding their way to the top of many divers 'gotta do' lists. Ranging in depth from 17m/55ft at the top of the PLM27 to 49m/160ft at the seabed next to the SS Rose Castle, there is something for all experience levels. The SS Saganaga and SS Lord Strathcona make up the four wrecks and, with the WWII history surrounding them, they are fast becoming one of Newfoundland and Labrador's main tourist attractions in their own right. Being sheltered from the open Atlantic Ocean and with negligible current, diving conditions in Conception Bay are generally excellent and poor weather rarely prevents diving, even during Winter. Divers never tire of these exceptional wrecks as there's always something interesting to see - from deck guns to bathrooms, steam whistle to engine room telegraph, these 'unplundered' ships are Bell Island's own underwater museum! A swim through the torpedo hole on the Lord Strathcona, past the huge propeller on the PLM 27, to the Harland & Wolfe maker's plate on one of the Saganaga's lifeboats or the Marconi radio room on the Rose Castle never fails to spark the imagination and create images of life aboard these vulnerable freighters during the Battle of the Atlantic. A short distance from the stern of the Rose Castle lie the remains of the torpedo which sank it! In almost 160ft of water, the rear half of this weapon, it's deadly work completed long ago, is now the peaceful home to lots of local marine life. The sad loss of 69 lives during the attacks is never forgotten and every year an underwater remembrance parade is held at the site - just one indication of the high degree of respect for Newfoundland & Labrador's wreck sites that local divers have. They aim to inspire this respect in everyone who dives in the area and all visitors are strongly encouraged to 'take only pictures and leave only bubbles'. This policy is welcomed by most divers and it helps ensure that Newfoundland & Labrador remains amongst the finest dive destinations in the World

It's not only the man-made giants that visitors want to see in Newfoundland & Labrador. The natural world's own wonders provide many a breathtaking encounter for divers and nature tourists in the form of icebergs and whales. Springtime is when many a 'berg from Greenland reaches it's journey's end in Conception Bay and several can be dived safely, offering a unique, exciting experience to divers who want something a little different to 'bore the neighbours' with when they return home!

Summer sees the arrival of vast shoals of Caplin fish - 'whale food' - which attract many species of these stunning animals, including enormous Humpbacks, friendly Belugas and the occasional Narwhal. Diving with whales is a truly amazing encounter with nature which leaves lasting memories. Some are extremely inquisitive and will often spend long periods interacting with divers in shallow water. Recently, a visiting PADI examiner conducting an Instructor Evaluation at Holyrood, Conception Bay, found himself with an extra student in the shape of a young male Beluga. It stayed with the group for around 90 minutes and most definitely helped relieve the nerves of the candidates - and quite possibly the examiner too. He scored quite highly on waterskills but his mouth-to-mouth demonstration wasn't up to much apparently!

A wide variety of marine life in Newfoundland & Labrador provides the underwater photographer with exciting subjects which easily match many of the popular warm water destinations. Apart from the wrecks, which are bristling with gorgeous invertebrates and curious, brightly coloured Lump Fish, there are numerous shallow shore sites in the area which offer meetings with Wolf Fish, Lobsters, Nudibranchs and all kinds of interesting critters.

Wherever you step into the water in Newfoundland & Labrador, there is something of natural or historical interest to excite divers. Some sites offer both - the Whalebones at Dildo in Trinity Bay for example. The name of this old community itself is enough to attract divers who want to show it in their log books but it also offers a glimpse into a line of work which sustained generations of Newfoundlanders but would horrify people nowadays. Close to the shore at the disused South Dildo Whaling Station lie the bones of many a victim of this now outlawed trade. Divers can cruise through their eerie graveyard and see huge skulls, jawbones and vertebrae - a grim memorial to these once majestic creatures. Ironically, a similar monument to their former hunters exists in Conception Harbour. The hulks of 3 neglected whaler ships lie sunk in only 8m/26ft of water right by the shore, the bow of one reaching above the surface like a tombstone for the old huntsmen lying below. An interesting site which allows divers to explore intact shipwrecks without worrying about bottom time or decompression, a harpoon gun on the bow of one wreck reminds them that these rusty old remains were once efficient killers in a bygone industry which, although now universally loathed, is still very much part of the area's cultural heritage.

Away from the island of Newfoundland, a trip to Coastal Labrador allows the adventurous diver to step back in time on an unforgettable challenge. Apart from numerous shipwrecks, HMS Raleigh at Point Amour for example, Labrador has many historical areas such as the former Basque Whaling Station at Red Bay and deserted island fishing community of Battle Harbour, only accessible by boat. The coast has much to offer divers but they must be 'self-sufficient' and prepared to plan and work hard to achieve their diving goals in the area. A RHIB and portable compressor are essential and very basic accommodation in some areas does not allow for luxury but the rewards of visiting and diving in some of the World's least explored underwater sites and the opportunity to locate new wrecks are entirely worth it. Spectacular scenery and a local culture which takes you back to a time when life was less hectic enhance the overall experience and make an expedition to the area a voyage of discovery which will be etched in the mind forever.

Newfoundland & Labrador's cold Winter does not prevent diving and there is much to see during this season. In addition to the Bell Island Wrecks being visited year-round, divers have the opportunity to explore beneath the frozen lakes and inlets and see first hand how Atlantic marine life carries on below the icy crust which usually only attracts skaters and snowmobiles. Ice diving is becoming ever more popular in many parts of the World and Newfoundland & Labrador is certainly no exception.

Although diving is carried out year-round, the core season is from May to October. During this period, water temperature ranges from as low as O°C (32°F) up to 17°C (63°F). Visibility is excellent and most local divers would consider anything less than 15m (50ft) to be a bad day!

Non-diving activities in Newfoundland & Labrador are plentiful. For the nature lover, the scenery and wildlife are magnificent - the National Parks and many areas of outstanding beauty offering meetings with creatures such as Moose, Bears, Puffins, Eagles and, of course, marine mammals. Add to this the museums, restaurants, pubs, interpretation centres and unique local history and visiting divers are guaranteed an incredible experience which extends well beyond their underwater activities. Not forgetting one of the most memorable aspects of local culture - the famous 'Screeching In' ceremony. First-time visitors to Newfoundland & Labrador are 'invited' to take part in this ritual which involves an oath, a cod, a dried caplin fish and a measure of rum amongst other things! The presentation of a certificate after the ceremony ensures a lasting memory of their visit.

A sign of the increase in popularity of diving in Newfoundland & Labrador is the fact that the 2005 Winner of the Parks Canada National Sustainable Tourism Award is a diving operator - Ocean Quest! We're very proud of this prestigious award and hope you'll come and join us to see the amazing underwater world of Newfoundland & Labrador which created the passion behind it.