Is there such a thing as beginner-level Portland area diving?

[violamama]

And while I'm asking, any tips on keeping it cheap-ish?

We'll be renting drysuits once we take an orientation course to figure out how to use & size them.

We have open water & nitrox, but no advanced and are not particularly into going deeper than rec at least in the near future.

Further down the road we'd like to buy all our own gear and probably check out GUE. For now, though, we just don't want to become "vacation only" divers, and we'd love to get out there if the getting's good. Do we really have to drive 3.5+ hours to dive?

Thanks!

---------- Post added February 13th, 2014 at 12:27 PM ----------

On further lurking/searching, I found a couple of threads that answer my question (basically, "No, not really").
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/pacific-northwest/429452-oregon-worth-flight.html
and
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ne...g-diving/459911-any-pnw-divers-out-there.html

 

[scubamarketing]

I haven’t found anything worth the trip less than 3.5 hours away.

 

[PNW Dive Girl]

Hi Violamama! No, there's really nothing close to Portland. The rivers are too mucky. In the summer time though, we've been diving some of the mountain lakes. Timothy Lake in the Mt Hood area is a great day trip. We've also been in some little river north of Vancouver, but can't recommend it. Some training has been done in Battleground Lake in the past. Vis is pretty bad though.

 

[FlyinV]

Netarts Bay is cool if you watch the tides (do it around slack on flood) and look out for boaters.
There is an amazing amount of macro life, but max depth is 30.
Seen 30 foot viz and 3 foot viz... so you just never know.
I don't really like sending new divers on there own to Netarts so it would be good if you find some others doing a dive and be there at the same time.

Whalen Island near Pacific City is another "close" salt water dive.
Again its shallow max 30ft

Beyond that Lake Merwin and Yale Lake are much cleaner then Battleground lake but still its a murky lake dive.

---------- Post added February 25th, 2014 at 06:31 PM ----------

Also -- Check out Oregon Scuba Club
Indie dive club in Portland -- Not a shop club so people from all the shops in PDX come and talk about diving!

 

[violamama]

Thanks, Jeff!
I'm planning to meet up with OSC at the pizza joint on March 6th. My husband and I definitely want to be with locals and maybe even instructors for a while before we try any of these spots on our own. We're just starting to buy gear and be trained for cold water, too. Thanks for the suggestions- I'm making a list of possible dive spots as we gain experience.

Does anybody know of a club or shop with access to a pool? We'd really like to practice some of the things we were shown in OW before moving on, and maybe before we go for the drysuit training this summer. A pool seems the best option, but I don't think the community center would be too impressed if we showed up in the deep end.

 

[quattroluvr]

For beginners, Hood Canal is tops. Not much current to worry about, unlike Puget Sound sites. Mike's Beach has nice facilities, easy entry, showers, is probably the best beginner site within a doable day drive from PDX. After Hood Canal, be sure to dive at the Edmonds underwater park, it is not an advanced dive, easy entry, not deep, and the critters are AMAZING. eg 4 foot+ long lingcod!
Oregon coast is pretty rugged. Better to get dozens of dives under your belt first and then go with someone who knows the coast diving.
Q

 

[violamama]

Thanks, quattroluvr.

I've heard of Mike's Beach and we'll have to get up there as soon as we sort out the gear. I think one of the local dive shops has a trip planned that we can join.

 

[PNW Dive Girl]

The only shop in Portland that has it's own pool (that I know of) is Aquatic Sports on Barbur Boulevard.

Mike's Beach is great. Edmonds Underwater park is awesome for beginners!

Deb

 

[violamama]

We went to that shop today, PNW Dive Girl. They were very nice, and I love that they have their own pool. They let anybody use it for $10 or something, and you can TRY things before buying them! Revolutionary. I'm pretty sure we'll be going back there.

 

[PNW Dive Girl]

Glad I could be of help.