How Is Puget Sound Diving In The Winter?

[TSandM]

Okay -- What's Puget Sound diving like in the wintertime?

My buddy and I dove Day Island Wall today. The air temperature was about 37 degrees, and there was a stiff, biting wind blowing from the southwest. The water was dark gray, and there were small waves rolling in to the beach. The surface swim was against the wind, with occasional swells breaking over the top of my head.

But the dive . . . Two enormous octopuses, three wolf eels, a beautiful Red Irish Lord, a bunch of dendronotus rufus nudibranchs, a grunt sculpin, a moss-headed warbonnet, a hole FULL of very small penpoint gunnels, a variety of other sculpins (including one scaly-headed that was BRIGHT red), decorator crabs . . . And a drift, where the current blew us gently north, until it blew us back south.

That's Puget Sound diving in the wintertime. Gear up fast and get in the water, because it's warmer there, and there's TONS to look at!

 

[neo2009]

I have never found it to be that cold in the winter, it is my favorite time to dive up there. I did it in a wet suit for 2+ yrs before going dry.
As previously mentioned if 45F in a wet suit is OK for you it shouldn't be a problem, just wear a jacket on the surface intervals thats where it will be coldest.

the water temp is pretty much the same year around. In some cases, the water has even been warmer than the air temp. I will bet in the past week, the water was far more inviting considering the nasty snow storm we all had.

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

Okay -- What's Puget Sound diving like in the wintertime?

My buddy and I dove Day Island Wall today. The air temperature was about 37 degrees, and there was a stiff, biting wind blowing from the southwest. The water was dark gray, and there were small waves rolling in to the beach. The surface swim was against the wind, with occasional swells breaking over the top of my head.

But the dive . . . Two enormous octopuses, three wolf eels, a beautiful Red Irish Lord, a bunch of dendronotus rufus nudibranchs, a grunt sculpin, a moss-headed warbonnet, a hole FULL of very small penpoint gunnels, a variety of other sculpins (including one scaly-headed that was BRIGHT red), decorator crabs . . . And a drift, where the current blew us gently north, until it blew us back south.

That's Puget Sound diving in the wintertime. Gear up fast and get in the water, because it's warmer there, and there's TONS to look at!

Awesome! I'll have to checdk out the Day Island Wall once I get my Advanced (and possibly Nitrox) since it sounds a bit deeper.

Anyways, just got into Seattle yesterday (first time not in the summer). The weather here wasn't too bad earlier, and actually not that different than it was in May. I was able to walk to the grocery store in a ball cap and light jacket this afternoon. A bit colder (including wet snow) tonight, but still doesn't have nearly the "sting" of Ontario's winter. I think I'll be okay with diving wet in this weather.

Hopefully in a few weeks I can get out for four "practice" dives since I haven't dove in 4 months and should have all new equipment. I just want to practice some skills, buoyancy, and just go for some simple dives at Mukilteo T-Dock probably (I know the area and its a pretty simple dive). After that, hopefully I'll feel ready to take my advanced (and when I have a chance, nitrox). Then just try to dive as much as possible in the next 4 months.

 

[TSandM]

DIW isn't a particularly deep dive (one end goes to about 80 feet; the end we dove that day had a max depth of about 40) but it is an advanced dive because of the very strong currents that can exist there.

Coldwater Canuck, if you have relocated here, I would HIGHLY (HIGHLY!) recommend you consider taking your AOW from either Bob Bailey (NW Grateful Diver) or Brian Wiederspan (who teaches a very similar class). Bob's AOW is well known here on SB -- It's a superb class with a lot of good learning in it, and Bob is a great guy (he was my mentor when I was a new diver).

If you need buddies, feel free to PM me, or you might check out our small local board (Northwest Dive Club • Index page) which has a number of members who frequently dive the T-dock.

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

DIW isn't a particularly deep dive (one end goes to about 80 feet; the end we dove that day had a max depth of about 40) but it is an advanced dive because of the very strong currents that can exist there.

How would it be compared to Titlow Beach? That was also near the Narrows (I believe closer) and I dove that in quite strong currents (bad timing on my part).

Coldwater Canuck, if you have relocated here, I would HIGHLY (HIGHLY!) recommend you consider taking your AOW from either Bob Bailey (NW Grateful Diver) or Brian Wiederspan (who teaches a very similar class). Bob's AOW is well known here on SB -- It's a superb class with a lot of good learning in it, and Bob is a great guy (he was my mentor when I was a new diver).

Thanks for the advice. Are they associated with any dive shop or do they have set schedules, or is it more just contact them and work out a time that's good for you?

If you need buddies, feel free to PM me, or you might check out our small local board (Northwest Dive Club • Index page) which has a number of members who frequently dive the T-dock.

Thanks. Hopefully I'll be able to convince my friend who I took my OW with to keep diving. He is a little bit less enthusiastic about diving in wet suits than me, but I'll probably be able to convince him to go.

 

[GatorJoe]

i am tempted to go diving this time of yr but my natural instincts and being born in FL are fighting against it and telling me i'd be crazy. i have a 7mm suit, gloves, hood all that. how bad is it with all that on?

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

i am tempted to go diving this time of yr but my natural instincts and being born in FL are fighting against it and telling me i'd be crazy. i have a 7mm suit, gloves, hood all that. how bad is it with all that on?

Hey! It's not at all bad with all than ON!
-Trouble is, you have to take it off afterwards...


If you live in that area, why on earth don't you get yourself a drysuit??! You have awsome diving all year round right next to where you live man! I haven't been diving in the Puget Sound, nor in Florida. But I'd choose Puget Sound any day over Florida if I had to!

By the way, I am really heading west again one of these days. I used to live in Seattle but never got to dive there (1985-86). So when I get back I will dive for sure!

 

[nwscubamom]

Hey Coldwater,

I dove 150 dives in a wetsuit, year round, before purchasing my drysuit. I had a 7mil farmer john and a 7 mil longsleeve shorty that went over the top. So 14mm over my core body. That seemed to be fine - and I think you'll be OK in just your 7mm as long as your dives aren't more than about 20-30 min, and you don't do a second dive during this weather.

But with new equipment, and just getting back in the water after awhile, your dives will probably be 20-30 min anyway, so I think you'll wind up sittin' pretty!

Do keep warm water handy for after your dives, to dump down your wetsuit and over your head.

Now, a side note - once getting a drysuit, you'll probably not want to go back! I hung onto my wetsuit thinking I could always use that if the drysuit was in the shop, but found that wasn't the case. I never once wore that wetsuit again.

But really, cost was the issue for me - after purchasing all the other dive gear I needed, no way could I dish out another $1000 for a drysuit. So. I made do with a wetsuit for a year or two.

I know of a guy who loves diving his wetsuit still - he'll use a drysuit in winter, and often his wetsuit in the summer. But he's the ONLY one I know around here who switches back and forth.

Hope that helps,

- Janna

 

[GatorJoe]

Hey! It's not at all bad with all than ON!
-Trouble is, you have to take it off afterwards...


If you live in that area, why on earth don't you get yourself a drysuit??! You have awsome diving all year round right next to where you live man! I haven't been diving in the Puget Sound, nor in Florida. But I'd choose Puget Sound any day over Florida if I had to!

By the way, I am really heading west again one of these days. I used to live in Seattle but never got to dive there (1985-86). So when I get back I will dive for sure!

because they're like $1000 a pop and i'd have to buy 2 of them for me and my wife and i just spent $4k on all our other gear...suppose we'll rent them eventually.

 

[Scuba-Stu]

Water Temp at 3TS was 44 degrees last friday. I find my fingers start to get cold when in drops under 50 (with my 5mm gloves). I looked at my computer from september and october temp was around 52 degrees or so.

GatorJoe - You should also look into some used drysuits as there is a market up here. Though be carefull in your selection.