Scuba Diving
Vancouver Island

Scuba and snorkeling equipment, gear rentals, equipment service, dive charters, and scuba training

Central Vancouver Island's Most Trusted Dive Shop

Nanaimo Dive Outfitters is a locally owned dive shop in Nanaimo, British Columbia. Our retail store carries a full range of scuba, snorkel, and freediving gear, and we offer reliable rental equipment for local diving.

We are an SDI/TDI training facility, providing everything from beginner certifications to advanced and technical courses. Whether you’re working toward your first open-water certification or building skills as an experienced diver, our instructors will support you every step of the way.

If you want to experience Vancouver Island’s world-class diving, we run boat charters on our vessel, the Shepard, visiting popular artificial reefs like the HMCS Saskatchewan, Cape Breton, and Rivtow Lion. The Nanaimo area also offers some of the best shore diving in British Columbia, with sites such as Madrona Point, Tyee Cove, and Oak Leaf Park only 25 minutes from the shop. These sites are home to giant Pacific octopus, wolf eels, rockfish, nudibranchs, sea lions, and a wide range of cold-water marine life.

Whether you’re new to diving or returning for more cold-water adventure, our team is here to help with training, gear, rentals, charters, and local diving advice. To speak with a staff member or book your next dive, call (250) 756-1863 or reach out through our contact form.

Open water scuba certification in Nanaimo

Open-Water Training

This is where it all starts.  New divers must be open-water certified in order to rent dive equipment, go on dive charters, and dive with the local local club dives.

Scuba diving charters in Nanaimo

Dive Charters

Want to dive our amazing wrecks, reefs, or walls?  We offer local dive charters on our vessel The Shepard to 9 distinct and unique dive sites.  Book your adventure today.

Guided Diving

Guided Dives

Coming from out of town?  We offer guided dives with our experienced and passionate team of divemasters.  They have the local knowledge to make sure you have an amazing experience.

Scuba Gear Rentals

Gear Rentals

Do you need to rent scuba gear for your next diving adventure?  We have a fleet of well-maintained rental gear ready-to-go including drysuits, regulators, BCD's and more.

Scuba Gear

Scuba Gear

We have a fully stocked retail store and we're dealers for many of the leading manufacturers including Hollis, BARE, DUI, Oceanic, SUUNTO, Shearwater, Zeagle, Big Blue, and more.

Scuba Training

Scuba Training

Looking to continue your scuba training?  We offer the full course line-up from SDI/TDI including recreational and technical diving courses with qualified instructors.

Nanaimo Has Some Of The BEST Shore Diving On The West Coast

There are over 11 fantastic shore dives all within 25 minutes of our dive shop.  They range from shallow bay muck dives to deep cascading walls, and beautiful rocky reefs teeming with marine life.  There are fantastic shore dives for both beginners and advanced divers alike.

Whether you'd like to see your first giant Pacific octopus, a wolf eel, colorful anemones, rockfish, or you want to experience all of our amazing macro life, we have shore diving experiences for everyone, and our experienced and passionate divemasters know exactly where to go!

What Divers Say About Us...

World Class Wreck & Wall Diving In Nanaimo, BC

There are 3 amazing and established artificial reefs all within about 20 minutes of the harbor.  The HMCS Saskatchewan is a 366 foot Mackenzie-class destroyer sunk in 1997.  The HMCS Cape Breton is a 441 foot long Cape-class maintenance ship built at the end of World War II and sunk in 2001.  Lastly we have the Rivtow Lion which is a 150 foot long World War II tugboat sunk in 2005.

In addition to the amazing wrecks, we have plenty of deep walls and rocky reefs to dive as well.  There is Clarke Rock, Snake Wall, Snake Island Pinnacle, Jesse Island, Gabriola Bluffs, and more!  Whether you're an advanced diver, a tech diver, an underwater photographer or videographer or just an open-water certified diver, we have some of the most amazing dive sites on Vancouver Island waiting for you.