North Shore Dive Sites

The North Shore is best described as the area within the northeastern part of New Brunswick, and includes the shoreline which borders on Chaleur Bay. The North Shore faces the southern shore of Quebec's Gaspe Peninsula.

The community of Petit-Rocher-Nord also provides access to several shore dive sites on the Chaleur Bay. Petit-Rocher-Nord is located just a few minutes from Atlas Park. The Bay of Chaleur area is also popular for scallop diving, but a boat is needed and there are no charter services in this area.

The tidal range is not large in this area (5-6ft), but it is not uncommon to encounter current in the Bay. Some of the shore sites listed below will be easier to access on the High tide. Check the Bathurst Tide Tables for information on tides here. Also underwater photos from this area.

Camp Ectus (Petit-Rocher-Nord)

Turn down Camp Ectus Road, and follow it right to the end. There is enough parking available at the end of the road for several vehicles. If the camp is open, check with the folks working there to ensure your vehicle is not in the way. This site offers a maximum depth of 18' on High tide. There are lots of Lobsters, Crabs, Flounder, and other marine life.
http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=fr&ie=UTF8&ll=47.8252,-65.732317&spn=0.007708,0.019248&z=16

Arseneau Street (Petit-Rocher-Nord)

Coming from Pointe-Verte, this is the first Arseneau Street you will come to. There is another one located in the center of town, that does not have access for diving. This site is very similar to the site at Camp Ectus, and offers a maximum depth of 20'. Access to the water is very easy, and there is room for a few vehicles to park. Also here there are lots of Lobsters, Crabs, Flounder, etc. We dove the site in July, and there were quite a few Lions Mane Jellyfish (small ones) to watch for.
http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=fr&ie=UTF8&ll=47.829075,-65.733712&spn=0.007707,0.019248&z=16

Doucet Street (Petit-Rocher-Nord)

Turn down Doucet Street and follow it to the end of the road. There is enough parking for a few vehicles. This site offers a maximum depth of 35' on High tide. Marine life available is similar to the other sites listed here.
http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=fr&ie=UTF8&ll=47.81474,-65.728691&spn=0.007709,0.019248&z=16

Petit-Rocher Wharf

Follow signs for the Petit-Rocher wharf. There is parking at the entry of the wharf, but you can drive your vehicle down to the end to drop off gear. It is possible to jump off the end of the wharf but it is approximately a 12ft drop. There is a ladder for exiting, but it is a fair height and straight up, so would be difficult. You can also enter from the slip and swim out to the end of the wharf. A surface swim with a towed surface marker is strongly recommended - this site is busy with boat traffic. The diving is done on the other side of the wharf, away from boat traffic. Too bad it is not possible to access that side directly! This site offers a maximum depth of 30-35ft, and is considered a great place for night dives. The wharf foundation is a large rock pile, so marine life can be found in the many crevices along the wharf.
http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=fr&ie=UTF8&ll=47.782726,-65.707104&spn=0.007714,0.019248&z=16