Race Rocks is located 17 kilometers southwest of Victoria at the eastern end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and is the most southerly part of Canada's Pacific coast. Race Rocks Light station is the second oldest lighthouse in Western Canada. Named for its racing tidal currents and rocky reefs, Race Rocks is a showcase for Pacific marine life, featuring seals, whales, sea lions, birds and an amazing diversity of underwater plants and sealife.

Race Rocks was established as an ecological reserve in 1980 and protects intertidal and subtidal communities that are extremely rich as a result of the strong tidal currents in the area. Fishing and collecting of all marine life is prohibited within the protected area.

This protected area is now an important teaching site for the Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific, comprised of a marine area of over 251 hectares extending down to 120 feet, and a land area of 0.5 hectares. It serves as a model for the transition zone between inner coastal waters and the open ocean. . In cooperation with BC Parks and the Canadian Coast Guard, the college now operates the light station facility as an education centre.

Race Rocks is one of the most challenging and exhilarating dive and boating sites in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. With currents that often exceed 5 to 6 knots, the window of opportunity for diving is limited to the slack tides that occur every 6 1/2 hours. Debris from over 100 ships that have been wrecked at Race Rocks litter the seafloor.. Access to Race Rocks is by boat only, with marine eco tours provided out of Sooke and Victoria.

Cold, nutrient-rich waters from the depths of the Pacific Ocean are forced towards the surface in the Strait of Juan de Fuca resulting in eddies and whirlpools. This remarkable tidal flow - up to seven knots - supplies a generous stream of nutrients to a thriving community of subtidal invertebrates, such as sponges, anemones, hydroids and soft corals. Barnacles, tunicates, urchins and sea stars cling to the steep underwater cliffs.

Race Rocks supports such a rich ecosystem. Rockfish, sculpin, and lingcod lurk in the rocky crevices and undulating kelp forests. Sea Lions bask in the sun on the rocks and the islets serve as nesting colonies for many seabirds, such as pigeon guillemots, cormorants,oystercatchers, and the ever present gulls.. The birds cohabit with harbour seals, Steller's and California sea lions, and the occasional northern elephant seals. Killer whales are frequent visitors, as well as Gray whales and Dall's Porpoises.

Take a look at the camcorder from the Marine Science Center at Race Rocks