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St Johns, Conception Bay and Bell Island

Four wartime shipwrecks, a cold Atlantic bay, and Bell Island stories ashore.

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Destination Guide Sources For St Johns, Conception Bay and Bell Island

Reference links used to build and maintain this guide.

39 sources • Updated Oct 29, 2026

Written by DiveJourney. Built from public sources and local operator knowledge. Last updated Oct 29, 2026.

National Defence: Bell Island Wrecks - Primary federal record of four wrecks, 1942 losses, depths and 2019/2021 UXO mitigation; removal does not prove absence of all hazards.
National Defence: UXO locations - Federal historic ordnance site registry; status is not a blanket recreational-dive permit.
Ocean Quest: Newfoundland shipwrecks - Primary operator description of spring-to-fall Bell Island boat wreck dives and named ships; no dated inventory or guaranteed departures.
Ocean Quest: scuba and training policies - Primary operator qualification thresholds, gear inclusion, medical form, solo policy and weather cancellation terms.
Ocean Quest: expedition descriptions - Operator names four Bell Island wrecks in a longer island-wide itinerary; demand-scheduled regional itinerary does not establish a liveaboard.
Ocean Quest: locations - Distinguishes St. Johns retail, Conception Bay South training/lodging and Petty Harbour snorkeling departure.
Ocean Quest: snorkeling - Operator says wildlife snorkeling departs exclusively from Petty Harbour, outside approved region; its advertising requires independent legal scrutiny.
Ocean Quest: Conception Bay paddle trip - Separate published Conception Bay South kayak outing, May to September, contact for dates; conflicting operator site location descriptions require reconfirmation.
Ocean Quest: scuba training - Confirms local cold-water training and charter support; not evidence that inexperienced divers qualify for deep wrecks.
Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism: Ocean Quest - Provincial listing for locations, equipment services and general operator date bands, not charter-specific confirmed availability.
Provincial ferry service: Bell Island - Portugal Cove - Authoritative vehicle/passenger ferry, approximately 20-minute crossing, schedules and live service links.
Provincial ferry: Bell Island rates - Government-linked rate sheet effective September 1, 2016; still linked but its age requires fare reconfirmation.
Newfoundland 511 marine ferry updates - Provincial instructions for 511 real-time ferry operating updates and contact.
Bell Island No. 2 Mine Tour and Museum - Primary museum 2026 visitor season May 17 to September 12, opening hours, admission and access limits; a walking tour, not mine diving.
Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism: Bell Island mine museum - Provincial corroboration of 2026 mine tourism season and ticket cost.
Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism: Seaman's Memorial - Official tourism listing for Lance Cove memorial on Bell Island.
Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism: Gregory Normore trails - Official tourism listing for Bell Island coastal walking network.
Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism: Topsail Beach - Official listing for Conception Bay South park and picnic facilities, not swimming safety certification.
Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism: Topsail Bluff - Official tourism listing for strenuous Conception Bay South viewpoint hike.
The Rooms: visitor information - Official St. Johns museum/gallery location and variable opening hours.
Environment Canada: St. Johns climate normals - 1991-2020 official monthly air-temperature normals for St. Johns West, broad seasonal proxy not underwater conditions.
Canadian Coast Guard: 2026 NL marine forecast program - Official 2026 instructions for marine wind, wave and warning forecast program; live forecasts required near departure.
Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism: whale watching - Provincial May-September whale-watching context, not a promise of sightings in Conception Bay.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada: marine mammals - Primary law and regulations prohibiting swimming/interacting with whales and standard marine mammal approach distances.
Provincial Archaeology Office: frequently asked questions - Provincial prohibition on artifact disturbance, removal and unauthorized archaeological work.
Shipwreck Preservation Society of NL: conduct - Local shipwreck stewardship code recommending in-situ preservation and low-impact diving.
IRCC: entry documents by nationality - Current official visa/eTA eligibility checker; differs by passport and arrival mode.
IRCC: electronic travel authorization - Official conditional eTA fee of CAD $7 for applicable travelers arriving by air.
St. Johns International Airport - Airport authority confirms IATA YYT, ICAO CYYT and flight schedules subject to change.
St. Johns International Airport: ground transport - Airport authority lists rental-car services and recommends booking for May-September.
Health Sciences Centre emergency department - NL Health Services confirms St. Johns emergency department at Health Sciences Centre opened its new entrance in August 2026; not evidence of available dive chamber.
Newfoundland 911 - Provincial official emergency number.
Canadian Coast Guard: Newfoundland SAR - Official Newfoundland and Labrador marine search and rescue contacts.
Canadian Coast Guard: VHF distress - Marine distress VHF channel 16 and *16 where available.
Divers Alert Network: emergencies - Official 24/7 DAN dive medical assistance; call local EMS before DAN during life-threatening emergency.
Newfoundland and Labrador: HST - Provincial official 15 percent Harmonized Sales Tax details.
Canada electrical outlets reference - Canada 120 V, 60 Hz, type A/B outlets; traveler adapter reference.
Destination hero photo by The Tedster (historical) - Rocky beach on Bell Island, Newfoundland and Labrador.. Photo: The Tedster / Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 2.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0. Cropped and resized. Cropped image retains the same license.
Destination hero photo by Jonathan Cooper - Bell Island ferry at Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Unsplash License (https://unsplash.com/license). Photographer: https://unsplash.com/@theshuttervision. Cropped and resized for the cover.