Good dive spots in Hillsboro, Oregon?

[novisdiver]

Hey Oregon divers,

I'm going to be traveling to Oregon in July on business for a week and I wanted to get in a couple dives if possible there. I'll be in Hillsboro. Can anyone make some recommendations to dive Ocean or lakes in the area that are worthwhile please. Also would be looking for a dive buddy as well to do the dives unless it's a charter then I can just hook up with folks on the boat. Not turning away a good buddy though.

Note I'm from New Hampshire, a dive instructor and used to cold water diving. I have 500+ dives under my belt so looking for someone with some experience please so I can maximize my bubble time if you know what I mean.

Thanks,

Mick

 

[Scuba.com]

I'm originally from that area. Most of the lakes in the NW corner of Oregon are pretty silty and murky with very little to see. The combination of the ground composition and the amount of nutrients in the water tend to make them pretty green.

If you head off toward the coast most of the diving can be pretty challenging, but the Newport Jetty is one spot you might give some thought to. Your best bet is to check with the local dive shops in the Portland or Tigard area and ask where they are currently going. Chances are they are going to tell you Puget Sound, which won't be the most convenient for a short visit.

 

[novisdiver]

Thanks for the response. It's appreciated. I would love to go to Puget but that is definitely to far for this business trip. It's on the list though.

I will look into the Newport Jetty thanks for the tip.

 

[raoulsttexas]

3 informative sites:
Oregon
Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Oregon, USA West
Dive Sites near Tillamook Bay, Oregon


as for Hillsboro....ummm...i would say a few pools, but even those are rare.

i have yet to dive on the Oregon coast because i can't resist hood canal up near the sound. newport will be about equidistant from hood canal. tillamook (link #3) will probably be your closest divesite.

i would buddy up with you, but i'm not the buddy you're looking for....at least not quite yet. getting there though!

 

[Furnari]

My group of divers has been hitting the Newport Jetty quite a bit- there's enough to see, but it is tide dependant. I actually just took a charter out of Newport Sunday on a boat called the Miss Raven. PM me if you want more info.

Another dive worth considering if you're not from around here is Clear Lake up the McKenzie Hwy. It's probably a 4 hour drive, but it has insane viz- try 100' or better. More than likely it will be different than any other dive you've ever done. Sunken 3000- yr old forest, big trout, brain-freeze, etc. It's an altitude dive (barely), so you might be able to hook up with a shop to get that cert if you cared about the paper.

 

[raoulsttexas]

from hillsboro to newport is 2:30. From hillsboro to hoodsport Wa is 2:51. i think the general consensus would be that the extra 40 mins of drive time is worth going up north. i've seen giant pacific octo's and plenty of wolfies on every dive up there. the canal isn't very affected by tidal shifts and you don't really have to even think about slack. the OR coast...well, you HAVE to dive slack or it could get ugly.

again, i have no experience with the newport sites, but i did speak with my dive buddy/mentor last night. he's like you...about 1000 dives, very experienced etc, but he's not a DM. i asked him why we haven't dove the OR coast and he responded with, "and we probably never will. if you don't dive it at perfect slack it can get really dangerous quick." in addition to the slack issue, there's a ton of boat traffic in newport. hood canal has virtually none....seriously, i've seen maybe 1 or 2 boats total.

go dive suund rock and you'll thank me. stop at the little dive shop in town, they'll give you a map of the site. it is also highly recommended that you pay them a nominal fee ($15 as of last month) and drive down to the entrance. you can avoid this fee and park roadside, but it's a difficult walk to the shore followed by a long(!) surface swim.

CERTAINLY not trying to start a fight with any OR coast folks. I'm just saying that for a quick trip in your situation, hoodsport WA might be the better option. YMMV.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Coupla helpful links ...

PNW Scuba is run by some folks out of the Portland/Vancouver (WA) area. The site contains a lot of info geared specifically for the northern Oregon/southern Washington diver.

Northwest Dive Club is a local online community with a large and active bunch of Oregon divers ... you may be able to connect with someone who can hook up with you for some dives.

Most divers I know from that part of the state prefer Hood Canal to the Oregon Coast ... it's about the same distance drive either way.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Furnari]

...sigh. Yeah, Hoodsport has some great dives- especially Flagpole at Mikes Beach Resort. Oregon diving builds character, though One other point is that if you're into spearfishing or otherwise diving for groceries, you'll definitely be much better off in Oregon.

 

[diversteve]

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[1davey]

Clear Lake is a good choice, Great vis like the other reply said. If you go up to Hood Canal there is a dive chater we have used several times. It is called Pacific Dive Adventures. Ran by Don and Diane Coleman. Great people! Here is a link to there website: Hood Canal Pacific Adventure Dive Charters in Hood Canal near Brinnon Washington Puget Sound- pacadventure they will take care of you.