Diving in Lake Sammamish?

[EvilSlumLord]

Hi all:

I'm still a diving newbie so this might be a dumb question. Is there any value in trying to dive Lake Sammamish? Does anyone do it? I live very close to it (at least compared to the Sound) and was just wondering if I was driving past a cool place to get wet every day. One thing that would worry me is all the boat traffic out there but I thought I would ask.

Thanks!

ESL

 

[Blitz]

I wouldn't think that diving there would be very fun. drive the extra 15-20 minutes and hit Alki.

Hi all:

I'm still a diving newbie so this might be a dumb question. Is there any value in trying to dive Lake Sammamish? Does anyone do it? I live very close to it (at least compared to the Sound) and was just wondering if I was driving past a cool place to get wet every day. One thing that would worry me is all the boat traffic out there but I thought I would ask.

Thanks!

ESL

 

[EvilSlumLord]

OK......

I have certainly done that and have a couple of dives at Edmonds UWP as well. I don't mean to say I won't go anywhere else but if it has some value I don't want to just ignore it either. After all, those not living near the coast dive in lakes (admittedly all they have) all the time so what makes Lake Sammamish not worthy ("I don't think it would be very fun" isn't super-helpful)? People dive Lake Washington too from what I can tell.

Anyone have experience in Lake Samm or a reason not to do so?

ESL

I wouldn't think that diving there would be very fun. drive the extra 15-20 minutes and hit Alki.

 

[Blitz]

The viz isn't going to be very good, there isn't much to look at and there is a ton of boat traffic. Lake Washington has wrecks in it; bridges, boats, planes, laning craft...

 

[EvilSlumLord]

Thanks, that helps clarify it for me. Regarding the wrecks in Lake WA, are there any that are at recreational depths? I found a site that cataloged a lot of planes, boats, etc. but they were all pretty much below recreational depths (in some cases WAY below).

Thanks again

 

[Blitz]

There are a few that aren't that deep, from what I hear they are in the 70-100ffw range, but I know very little about them.

 

[lamont]

There are a few that aren't that deep, from what I hear they are in the 70-100ffw range, but I know very little about them.

The PBM Mariner float plane is at 70.

 

[Sasquatch]

I recovered an outboard in Sammamish a few years ago. Boat traffic wasn't too bad as it was in the cooler months. Silt/mud bottom and green murky water. No life that I could see, (but I couldn't see much!)

 

[Camerone]

The PBM Mariner float plane is at 70.

It is, but IIRC, the Cedar River dumps in right there, and it's buried in silt. Isn't that the one that the navy tries to dig it out every so often and then gives up on when they manage to hurt themselves in the salvage process?

Most of the people who know about stuff in the Lake protect the GPS coordinates for the sites fairly well, to discourge people from damaging the artifacts, and to discourage those not qualified for the depths from going beyond their limits. If you know the coordinates (or have friends that do), they're interesting places to dive once or twice, but that's about it.

Last time I did the PB4Y off of Sand Point (significantly below recreational depths) I had about two - three feet of viz, and the 21W HIDs weren't doing a whole heck of a lot. Still, it was one of the coolest dives I've done...

I had a splash in the spring in Kirkland (there was an old shipyard years ago around Carillon Point, just north of the marina, and there are a lot of stumps there from turn of the century logging.) I was just checking out some borrowed gear in a very shallow 30' area and I had about 10 feet of viz, making it a "good day." We chose that site mostly because my dive buddy was in fresh water that day, teaching a trimix class, and it was easy to meet up there.

There's not a whole lot of stuff down there in Lake Washington worth seeing outside of the wrecks of the planes/barges/coal cars/minesweeper/etc, especially considering that Alki/Edmonds/Three Tree are so close and convenient to even the Eastside. Compared to the salt water, the lake's fauna is positively barren. Do the lake once or twice just to say you've done it, and go back to enjoying the diversity of critters down in the salt water

There are a few other "recreational" sites you can do fairly easily in the lake without having to have a boat, know where the coordinates are, etc - the I-90 bridge has sections sunk in fairly shallow water (although the cables and bridge above and boat traffic might make some people consider it a bit "advanced.") There's a clay wall off of Leschi I've heard is interesting, but I haven't had a chance (or the desire) to dive it myself.

 

[lamont]

It is, but IIRC, the Cedar River dumps in right there, and it's buried in silt. Isn't that the one that the navy tries to dig it out every so often and then gives up on when they manage to hurt themselves in the salvage process?

that's the one. its not completely buried, though. it is turtled and the tail section is gone, but there are stil exposed props and pontoons and most of the remaining fuselage is above the silt.

and while there's not a lot of life, the freshwater preserves things a little better. the viz is also decent right now, although ambient light is pretty thoroughly washed out from all the junk above the thermocline.