Diving in the Seattle Area

[joe8mofo]

I will be in Seattle for work from May 7th through the 12th and I have always wondered what the diving in that particular area was like. So I am tossing the idea around in my head as to whether or not I should try to meet up with some local divers for a shore dive some evening after work, also I am wondering if that is even an option. I am definitely excited about the chance to get to dive somewhere unique and different if I can make it work.

So I pose the following questions: Is the shore diving around Seattle cool and unique? Is it worth it to bring my gear and go diving while I am in town? What options do I have for diving with locals who dive around Seattle?

FYI: I have all of my own gear including various wetsuits and a drysuit. I do a lot of cold-water lake diving with poor vis and temperatures which are routinely in the 40s at depth.

 

[aussie82]

Don't know if this is allowed but you might post on http://www.nwdiveclub.com/.

 

[TSandM]

Joe, we have some excellent shore diving, some of which is almost a stone's throw from downtown. Unique? Well, there aren't too many places where you will see Giant Pacific Octopuses, other than the Pacific Northwest, and you can see them at a site that's directly across Elliott Bay from downtown.

There is no problem finding dive buddies here. You can post here, or use the link AussieDiver gave you. There is almost always gear to borrow, too, like tanks and lights.

 

[joe8mofo]

Thanks Aussie and TSandM. Great to hear there are a lot of local divers who dive together and who hopefully wouldn't mind an out-of-towner joining in. The NWDC forum indicates that Monday and Wednesday evenings are the days people go diving together, given that these get togethers are weekly; does that mean that your shore-diving is not as tide-dependent as some of the shore-diving in Florida (such as Blue Heron Bridge)?

 

[VooDooGasMan]

Its all shore diving at shore diving sites, evry 10 miles or so from olympia to the sanjuans there is a place to dive by the shore. Then reefs and wrecks are out where as ya need a boat.

This has a map and description of the shore dives.
Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Washington, USA West

Also here is the tide chart for the day you will be here.
http://www.dairiki.org/tides/daily.php/sea/2012-05-07

Here is the current chart also.
http://www.dairiki.org/tides/daily.php/adm/2012-05-07

just hit next for each day forward of your planned stay.

 

[Gdog]

Some of the sites are very current/tide sensitive, while others, such as the site TSandM mentioned, not much at all.

 

[TSandM]

As gdog says, our sites vary in how current and tide dependent they are. We are extraordinarily lucky in Seattle, that we have sites that can be dived in virtually any tide and any weather. They are not always the most exciting sites (although the one across from downtown Seattle can be pretty darned cool) but we can always dive. The weekly dives are set at those sites. There are quite a few other sites that can be dived in some conditions and not others. One of the reasons for looking for local dive buddies is to avoid hitting a current-sensitive site at the wrong time, which can be . . . interesting.

 

[joe8mofo]

Thanks Voodoo, Gdog, and TSandM. I am leaning towards definitely going; after all I have a whole week of training and I will need something to look forward to in the middle of the week. The only thing I am hesitant towards is bringing my drysuit as it is quite old and large, I really need to purchase a new one at some point this year. I am not sure I want to rent one because after all it would be the whole new dive site in new equipment situation.

 

[joe8mofo]

So I have decided to definitely bring my gear and go shore-diving in Seattle. My training will be located near 501 1st Ave S, so I will be near the water. I will be free after 5 PM everyday that week.

So who may I go diving with, where should I go, and when should I go there?

Also who would allow me to borrow/use a steel tank and weights?

I will be bringing the following:
-Drysuit
-Undergarments
-AL backplate w 32' HOG wing
-Din Regulator with 7' hose
-Dorcy 220 backup light
-Dive Computer
-5mm Gloves
-Fins
-7mm Hood
-Mask

 

[TSandM]

Well, you should definitely do the Wednesday evening dive - at Cove 2 at SeaCrest Park, meeting at 6:30. If you go to the Northwest Dive Club forum (nwdiveclub.com) you will find an announcement of the dive, and if you post there asking for a tank and weights, you will have no problems at all getting them. (I'd bring them for you, but I'll be DMing an OW class this Wed night, so I won't be making the dive.)

You can also check on the same board, or even just post asking for a Monday night dive buddy. The Monday night dives are up in Mukilteo, which is about 45 minutes north from where you will be. Or, if you want to stay closer to home, post there and ask about buddies to do some of the other Alki sites. Unfortunately, you are here during some of our biggest tidal exchanges, which means the whole afternoon and evening are a big, long flood, which may make the Junkyard or the Pipeline not a good choice. I rarely dive the Junkyard, so I really don't know how to pick that site for times. But I can guarantee you that folks on the NWDC do!