Stop 7 Ogden Point Breakwater

The Ogden Point Breakwater is a historic structure built to protect the piers of the Victoria cruise terminal and entrance to Victoria Harbour. Completed in 1916, the 762-metre-long breakwater was designated a national historic civil engineering site in 2001. It was built to protect Victoria's harbour from waves and shelter boats. In 2004, strong winds from a severe winter storm caused a cruise ship to impact the 1km Ogden Point concrete breakwater damaging the ship. Fortunately, no lives were lost in this incident. Following the event, the Victoria Harbour Association employed AXYS Technologies Inc to develop a weather monitoring station that reports wind data every 10 minutes, improving safety for incoming vessels.

Ogden Point is not only an important site for maritime history but also a popular destination for sightseers and scuba divers. Divers can see sightings of Giant Pacific octopus, wolf eels, kelp, sea anemones, nudibranchs and multiple fish and crustacean species. Just east of the breakwater 92 Reef Balls were placed on the seafloor in 2009 to enhance habitat for sea life.