Last week I slipped into the St. Lawrence River around Brockville and Prescott, Ontario — and I walked away convinced that if you’re overlooking Canadian diving, you’re missing something special.
Centeen Park: Statues, Skills, and Stillness
Centeen greeted us with 20 feet of visibility, 74-degree water, and just enough current to remind you you’re in a river. I hovered mid-water for a while, simply watching a drysuit class work through their skills. It was one of those rare moments where you’re both part of the scene and outside it — breathing slowly, calm in the flow.
Between drifting over the underwater statues and teaming up with David from a local dive group (my first buddy dive in a while after mostly diving solo), Centeen was both grounding and energizing. There’s something about sharing the water that adds another layer of connection to the dive.
Prescott: Ease and Flow
If Centeen is a diver’s playground, Prescott is a diver’s retreat. You pull the car up, unload to a dedicated bench, gear up, and it’s a short ramp down to a giant stride entry. No hauling, no stress — just a clean entry into the river.
The water was a degree cooler here at 73, with about 15 feet of visibility. Prescott had fewer attractions but offered well-laid lines for navigation and a stronger current — a chance to practice, adapt, and lean into the river’s natural rhythm. For me, that current was more than training; it was a reminder that peace doesn’t always come from stillness. Sometimes it comes from moving with the flow.
The Community Beneath the Surface
As much as the diving impressed me, the people left the deeper mark. Every diver I crossed paths with was skilled, welcoming, and clearly in love with the sport. Shout-outs are well-earned:
Kanata Diving Supply — quick, friendly air fills.
Scuba Finatics in Ottawa — not just gear but guidance, with a hand-drawn map of the Gaskin wreck that’s now tucked into my logbook.
Brockville SCUBA Centre — Thanks to Helen, who had rental tanks waiting for me after just a couple of friendly texts.
More Than a Dive Trip
These dives were part of something bigger for me — my own Deep Peace Project, a personal journey to find clarity and calm beneath the surface. At Centeen and Prescott, I found both. Between the statues, the current, and the people, I left the water reminded that scuba is more than a sport. It’s community, practice, and sometimes, therapy with a regulator in your mouth.
And this was just the start. The Brockville and Prescott area is also home to world-class shipwrecks. Sites like the Robert Gaskin, the Kinghorn, and the Rothesay are legendary among divers for their history, accessibility, and sheer sense of adventure. They’re on my list for future trips — proof that this stretch of the St. Lawrence has plenty to offer divers of every level.
Ready to Dive In?
Whether you’re a new diver looking for easy entries and supportive community, or an experienced diver chasing current practice, statues, or shipwrecks, Brockville and Prescott have something for you. If you’ve been overlooking Canadian diving, it’s time to change that.
Stop by the shop, grab a fill or some local advice, and let us point you toward your next underwater adventure. The St. Lawrence is waiting — come find your own peace beneath the current.
TRY SCUBA
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