Blaine Wa

[alanski]

Im heading to Blaine WA to meet my new grand daughter the end of August. I'm thinking it would be great to do a dive while there. Any info on how the diving is there and what are the conditions like, vis, temp and such. If diving is not good in Blaine, where can I find good diving? Going into Canada would be an option.
Here in Northern Wisconsin, I do several ice dives every year and do some zero vis diving for recovery reasons. I've never dove off the west coast but have done a lot in the carribean.
Thank you for the info
Alan
dogwooddoors.com

 

[TSandM]

I don't know anything about diving near Blaine itself, but there is excellent shore diving off Vancouver, BC. I've done Whytecliff Park, which I thought was lovely, but there are many other sites (take a look at the photo essays by Swankenstein on this board). You might want to put up a query on the BC subforum as well.

You are also close to the San Juan Islands, which have some fantastic diving. I'm not sure what the fastest access to a charter from Blaine would be, but I suspect you might again get that info from the Vancouver folks.

If you felt like an hour or so's drive south, there are good charters that go out of Anacortes into the San Juans. They will even go out on weekdays, if you can get four or so divers. If you're interested in doing that, feel free to shoot me a PM and we'll see if we can join you.

 

[alanski]

Thanks so much for the info. It helps to have a place to start!! My daughter talked with a diver a couple of months ago and was told about the giant octopuses in the area. My first thought was how much I enjoy octo cervechi, I wonder if the giant octos enjoy diver cervechi? Havent had to worry about that in Lake Superior! Any ideas on water temp? Hood and gloves needed?

 

[gcbryan]

Water temp is generally from 46F in the winter to as high as 54F in the summer. Figure on 50F. You definitely needed gloves and hood. Most (including me) dive dry but those who do dive in a wetsuit generally are in a 7mil farmer john.

Shore dives in the northern part of the state are basically Skyline Marina Wall or Keystone Jetty on Whidbey Island.

San Juan charters out of Anacortes would be the best bet as far as variety. As was mentioned, Whytecliffe just outside of Vancouver, BC is another good choice as long as you dive the "Cut" or the "Islet". The beach itself is rather barren.