Dive recommendations - Seattle, mid Oct.

[Woland]

Thanks for the info; looks like I'll have exactly one day to dive, Wed. Oct. 19, and I haven't found any charters scheduled for that day among all the operations I tried....if anyone knows of something, please let me know.....otherwise, any suggestions on dive ops that will run good shore dives from somewhere within an hour or two of Seattle would be appreciated!

You might just want to post on http://www.northwestdiver.com/forums/ and try and find a responsible / experienced buddy for a couple dives at Edmonds Underwater Park: http://www.ci.edmonds.wa.us/Discovery_Programs Website/Underwater_Park.html if you only have a day and can't find a charter.

Woland

 

[jhawke]

I just wanted to let everybody know that last week I visited Seattle on a business trip and took a day to go diving and had a great time. I'd like to say 'thanks' to everybody who posted in this forum.

I called both dive operators that were recommended:

http://www.banditocharters.com/bandito/index.htm
http://www.pacadventure.com/

Don from Pacific Adventure was great to talk to but unfortunetly his dive site was three hours away so I choose to go with Rick from Bandito Charters instead. Rick was sailing out of Tacoma which was much closer to where I was staying.

Rick runs a great operation and he assigned one of his crew, RJ, to be my dive budy. Everybody was really helpful - especially on my first dive when I had trouble adjusting my bouyancy - RJ was really patient and helpful.

As far as the dive went - it was great - I was really surprised at all the life I saw. I saw lots of giant starfish and sunflower starfish (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_fish). The sunflower starfish I think is only in Seattle - its amazing. It has 12 arms! I also saw giant schools of fish as well and some very interesting invertabrates. Above water we saw dolphins and seals! Both were in the distance but still - it was great and unexpected

If you are going to the Seattle area for business I highly recommend that you take a day or more and go diving. You will need a dry suit - but if you have one you should be comfortable. I dove in an Andy's dry suit with a fleece jumper and polypropelene long johns. I had a 6 mm hood and 7 mm gloves as well. My computer said the water was 54F and I was comfortable. The second dive did feel a little bit cooler though.