Eastern WA Diving?

[mohave_steve]

Hello All,

I have been plotting my escape from Purgatory for some time. Rescently an opportunity presented itself that would move me to the Walla Walla area.
I was hoping for Bonaire but Walla Walla was as close as I could find......

What can you all tell me about diving in Eastern WA & OR?

Thanks

Steve

 

[mohave_steve]

Maybe I need to reconsider my move. Apparently nobody dives in Eastern WA.

 

[Rick Inman]

I dive in eastern Washington - about 150 dives a year here.

You're actually closer to those guys who dive the Columbia River in the Tri Cities, but if you ever head up Spokane way we can show you some nice spots.

Lake Coeur d' Alene has a bunch of div-able wrecks in the recreational range.

The Spokane river has several nice spots, including one location that has swim throughs, schools of large trout and up to 100' of vis.

There is a close lake in Idaho that has deep walls, an underwater collapsed cement plant and a train wreck.

My web site for our dive group is really junky, but you can click it (below in my signature line) to see pictures and locations.

We're getting ready to dive later this month at a location where the salmon spawn by the thousands. That is an amazing dive, too.

There is a dive shop in Lewiston (Landlocked Divers - owner, Mike) that can also steer you to some closer diving.

PM me if you wanna' dive!

Rick

 

[TSandM]

It's also only four or five hours to Seattle, so doing a weekend of diving here is very possible.

 

[mohave_steve]

Rick & Lynne,

Thank you very much for your replies. It sounds like there is some fantastic wreck diving in Lk's Coeur d' Alene and Pend Orille. I had no idea. I lived for a while near Sagle as a kid. Beautiful area. Do you dive through the winter there?

Lynne, I had the opportunity to dive Edmunds Dive Park earlier this year. Had a great time and met a great bunch of local divers. If I make the move I'll be replacing the occasional weekend trips I now make to Laguna & Catalina with trips to dive the Sound. I think I can live with that

I'll be up to check things out late December or early January.

Thanks again.

Steve

 

[TSandM]

Give me a holler when you're up our way, and I'd be happy to show you some other sites!

 

[Gdog]

Rick, I very much enjoyed your trip report about Coz from 2005. Our first trip to Coz was in 2005, and we have been back every January since, with friends, and plan on continuing to do so for many years. Just reading your report makes me want to be there now! I know it has been a few years since you wrote it, but again, loved it.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Actually, the Columbia river can be a wicked interesting dive. There are some stone canyons in the bottom of it here and there, total depth gets to 80'-90' ffw in some places, the current is flowing at ~3kts or so (depending on whether the Corps has opened some of the gates in the dams upriver or not), and on a Gavin scooter going through the canyons in the bottom of the river can bring out the Star Wars in you. The Columbia is a pretty big river. Don't drop anything - you won't be going back upstream to retrieve it!

I'll be back there next May. If you're in the area and want to dive the river, PM me.

 

[TSandM]

Oooh, can I take you up on that invitation, Doc? I don't have a Gavin, but the X will try harder . . .

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Lynne, you and Peter are always welcome!

I gotta find a guy in town with a nicer boat though...the dive shop boat I was using before isn't really conducive to our style of diving. We can make the dive off the shore, esp. with scooters, but its quite a bit nicer diving off a live boat drifting the river at the same time.

I'll make some calls next time I'm in town...

(See you guys next Spring! )